Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-03-27
NEAR PARADISE ALLEY
Sleeps Pontiac, the Famous Chief Of
the Ottawas.

the Ottawas.
In an unmarked grave In the vicinity
Of Fourth and Walnut streets In st.
Louis lie the bones Of Pontiac. the fa.
nous chief of the Ottawa tribe, one
of the greatest Indian leaders that ever
lived.
For almost 1870 years they have re.
posed beneath a soil shaken by the
tread Of the thousands who have come
and gone. and no man knows their ex.
act location, yet the fame Of Pontiac Is
rs fresh to-day rs It was Mt the middle
Of the eighteenth century, when he
wet the soil Of his native land with the
blood Of the naughty English usurper.
In a grave near Paradise Alley. the
home Of filth, vice and crime, the haven
Of negro conviviality, the scene Of
nightly carOusals and Of frequent stab.
bings ana occasional murlers-what a
contrast from life rs he knew It In the
days when his word was sufficient to
strike terror to the hearts Of the war.
ring tribes, rs well rs to those Of mcr.
cenary marauders who sought to prey
upon his heritage.
Yet even the children know his name.
They ind II In their history and on their
maps. The town Of Ottawa preserves
the name Of his tribe, and Pontiac, ILL.,,
keeps alive the memory Of his own.
But Notwithstanding these facts. little
Ii generally known Of the manner Of
his death.
Pontiac was the ruling spirit among
the powerful tribes Of Indians who In.
lablted the rich country now known rs
Illinois. and through Ills influence they
maintained pcaccablc relations with
tho French settlers who appeared In
the country after the explorations Of
LnSallc and others of his time.
In 1904. when Illinois and other ter.
rltOry east OF the Mississippi River was
ce,icd to England by France. Pontiac
strongly opposed the entrance OF the
Englisl, Into his domain. and many
fierce battles were the result.
Pontiac sought to unite the various
tribes In Illinois In powerful cOnfel'
Grafton to cxpcl the English. but In this
he was not successful. Disappointed
ana daily seeing his territory slipping
from his grasp. he took to drink. and
within a year or two had become little
better than u common drunkard.
But his old friend. Louis II. Angc dc
Bellerlve, French commander OF the
territory, remained faithful to him Ia
the Inst. When the eastern territory
was ceded to the English. st. Angc took
charge OF the domain west Of the river
July II, 1705. with headquarters at St
Louis. which had been founded the
year before.
In 1900 Pontiac came to st. Louis as
the guest OF st. Ange, and was received
by the public with Il flattcrlng degree
OF hospitality. The people had heard
NO much Of his ability as a military
leader and organizer, OF his intrepid
campaigns and his devotion to the In
terests Of his own people that there
was much cngcrness TO see him. Be
sides an Indian who had caused the
slaughter Of 1000 Engllshmen was nat
urally IN object Of curiosity to thu
French.
While In st. Louis Pontiac received
an invitation to visit some OF hi,
French sympatliixcrs at Cahokla. even
at that enrly day a trading post Of con
siderable Importance. Tho danger OF
going among his English enemies wal
great. but he would not be persuaded
and took his departure for Illinois.
One day. after having partaken Of thu
bounty OF his entertainers. he wan
dered into the, fOrest In state of hope
less intOXicatlOn. ana while In that con
ditlon was murdered by Il Iaskaskls
Indian who had been brlbed by al
English trader.
st. Ange sincerely mourned the dealt
of his friend. and had the body brOugh
to st. Louis. 1t was Inferred with mill
| tary hOnOrs, but no stone was erected
to mark the spot. ana the location can
not be designated to u certainty, bu
tradition places It In the vicinity o
Fourth ana Walnut streets.--St. Louis
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