Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-07-01
"Tbis particular band of Indians had

"This particular band of Indians had
left Lesser Cave lake for a point upon
Smoky river for the purpose of hunting
and trapping in that vicinity, which is 20
miles from the settlement. the route they
took being entirely untraveled except by
Indians from time to time
THE first reports brought to the North
western mounted police of the murder
was by the native traders who had fol-
lowed the band for the purpose of trade
and barter for pelts. Such was the fear
among these people that they abandoned
their whole trading outfit. leaving also
their pack animals en- route loaded up
with provisions required for their own
consumption.
"The party of police. composed of Cor
poral Charles Phillips and Constable
Warren. with Interpreter Plante, started
for the scene of the tragedy. The police
first interviewed one of the natives who
had abandoned his outfit with a view of
taking him with them TO recover if pOssi
BILE his goods and also TO have him act as
guide should the trail he obliterated by
the falling Of snow. He was finally per-
suadcd IN accompany them, but proved
of very little service. for the poor fell0v
was so overcome with fear of becoming
victim of the Unsuitable thirst for blood
which he had already witnessed that the
constant assurance of the police that
they would protect him was necessary TO
keep up his spirits.
When the camp of Indians was reach
ed, they had made themselves ready to
receive the police in a hostile spirit. but
bn ahaI aarlx- ~ fltx,
morning, when most of them were asleep.
"A demand was made for all who had
participated in the murder, and. as usual.
a request was made for u powwow, or
talk, but this was promptly refused, and
a peremptory demand was made for the
murderers on the threat that otherwise
the whole band would suffer. This
brought out the fact that the real muir
derer was not present and had left them.
The chief, however, told where he was
and surrendered another Indian also ac-
cused of taking part in the murder.
THE band had moved ten miles from
where the tragedy had taken place. 1t
was learned that the body was left just
where the man was killed, without any
attempt at burial. The police found that
the body had been lacerated in a frightful
manDer, the head being severed from the
body and stakes being used to secure the
body to the ground, piercing it through
and through and then being driven into
the ground Il inches. The legs were
chained to stakes driven into the ground,
and a large, gaping wound was visible
where scalding hot tea had been poured
into it to make sure that life was extinct.
A grave was dug and the body inferred
upon the banks of the river.
'.The place was of the toughest and
most inaccessible character, and the
whole scene presented spectacle hard to
forget.
"The body inferred. a return was made
at once, as our intentions were to capture
the Indian who had made good his es-
cape after committing the deed. Upon
returning to the camp we were met by
the Indians, who wished US to hurry up,
as another of their band had become
crazy and had declared his intention of
eating girl 10 years old who was in the
camp and several others were also bor
dering upon insanity, and had the police
not been present to calm matters another
murder would have taken place.
'The crazed Indian was seized and,
with the one arrested for murder, was
closely guarded all through the night, but
was thrown into panic, SO great was the
fear of the man eaters. The next morn
ing the other murderer was found few
miles from the camp, and the three pris-
oners We're then taken to the settlement"