Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-03-06
SEMINOLE JUSTICE.
Strange Punishment of One Who Was
UnFaithful to Trust.

make their home i'm the Everglades
of Florida are not very communica-
tive regarding their lives and GUS
toms but sometimes one of IT," braves
will depart from his usual rC!@ of
silence long enough to give on" an
idea of how the red men conduct
their tribal affairs.
A party of white nen VINO were on
a hunting trip through the Everglades
a few years ago fell in with a number
of Seminoles who were also out look
ing for game. The white men were
very we'll supplied with all kinds of
good things to eat and drink and the
Indians accepted an invitation to take
lunch with their white brothers.
When the meal was prepared, the
Indians settled down in q circle
around the campfire, with the eXcep-
ton of one old buck, who took his
portion Of food and seated himself
on a hill about twenty feet away from
the rest Of the party.
The white hunters noticed the ac-
tions of the old fellow, and questioned
the others about it, but none of them
would offer an explanation, processing
to be unable TO understand what the
white men wanted to know.
Following the dinner, pipes were
brought out and everybody enjoyed
smoke, after which the Indians
began to make preparations to leave.
One of the young white men was not
satisfied to let the mysterious actions
Of the old Indian drop without find
ing out the cause of his eating by
himself. and with the aid Of bottle
Of good liquor finally enticed one Of
the Indians off from the camp and
after very frequent applications OF
the rye spirit elected this story from
the erstwhile mute.
Many years ago while the SeminoleS
were masters of the southern part of
the state, a band Of them visited the
coast of Mosquito Inlet and one night
while they were there a terrible storm
arose and continued to blow fercely
for several days. The Indians were
visiting the beach to hunt turtle eggs
and, as the seas ran so high, had be-
come almost discouraged and were
breaking camp to return to the in
terror, when a large ship came In
sight running before the wind and
showing plain signs of distress.
The Indians watched her closely
from their hiding place in behind the
beach hills and soon saw that the big
ship was trying to get in to safety
through the inlet. But fate was
against her, and in a short space OF
time she had begun to break To pieces
in the grasp of the tenacious beach
sand.
There was no chance for any of the
crew, and none Of them escaped. Two
or three small boats were put over
but were almost instantly dashed u
pieces against the sides of the ship.
BY sundown that day the sun was
strewn with wreckage and not sign
of the ship remained where she had
first struck
The Indians began To gather up all
articles of value which came ashore,
and in their search among the wreck
age found the galley of the unfortu-
nate vessel. This part Of the ship was
almost intact, and on the inside was
found all the shining copper ard brass
pots which, to the Indians, were Of
great value and we're at once the OBJ
ject of great interest to them.
The Indians returned home, or in
other words, back to the woods, car
rying their cooking utensils with
them. Soon the news was spread
over the state among all the rest OF
The tribe, and wherever the chief
pitched his camp there the brass and
copper kettles were kept.
In the years that followed the
utCnsile were handed down from CHIEF
to chief and were always closely
guarded. After the Florida Indian
war, the treasured pots were kept by
those Indians who refused TO accept
the terms offered by the government,
but stole away into the Everg ladies',
where they have since remained.
party of white men who were on a
surveying tour for the government
came upon an Indian camp, guarded
by one young brave. Sitting around
the camp fire were those wonderful
brass pots, and at once the white men
offered TO buy them from the Indian
in charge Of the camp.
At first the young fellow refused to
consider the proposition. stating that
the others would soon return and that
the chief would make the sale If any
could be made.
Finally the use of fire water over
came the Indians scruples and in eX-
change for a couple of jugs Of whis-
ky he placed the coveted kettles In
the hands of the white men, who de-
parted at once in their boats.
The rest of the Indians returned TO
camp the next day day and found the
guard dead drunk and their treasure
gone.
They at once assembled a council
and after long elaboration, SEN
fenced the false and untrustworthy
Indian to forever be prohibited from
partaking of food in company with
others of his tribe.
And to this day the law is still car
ried out, and the treacherous brave,
now grown old and feeble, is remind
ed each day of his great crime. and
not even with his own children is he
allowed to break bread. This is a
true account by one of the Seminoles,
and the Indian who was thus punished
is still alive.-Miami News Record.
SMS XII