The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-05-27
An Indian, Loyalty
Trial

Rumor had it back in 1910 that
Leatherlips. aged chief of the Wyan-
dottes in what now is Franklin
County, felt too friendly with the
white people and was opposed to his
own people taking up arms against
them.
The old chiefs Village was on the
Scioto, IL miles dbove Columbia, and
there six Wvandotte warriors from
Tippecanoe who were sent to check
up on his loyalty and there he was
arrested by them.
The arresting party was headed by
Chief Roundhead and the charges had
been preferred by Tonskwatown,
brother of Tecumseh. White men be
lieved that Tarhe, 1.-The prophet"
brother of Tecumseh, was the in
stigator of the arrest, trial and exc
cution of the old chief but this Tarhe
denied and his word was supported
by another Indian.
The trial was in June, 1910, in the
great council house and lasted nearly
three hours. The actusers spoke with
heat and bitterness but Leatherlips
answered calmly and dispassionately.
Several white men present tried to
save the old chief through appeals
and reasoning but that was fruitIess.
Leatherlps was sentenced to death.
Actually the death sentence had
been determined on at another trial
held by chiefs, medicine men and men
of the Wyandotte tribe at which the
defendant had not been present nor
had opportunity for defense. The
trial at which the old chief and white
men were present only had been held
to reaffirm it. Leatherlips was SEN
fenced to death on the charge of
having been too friendly with the
white people and all whites were
enemies of the Indians.
Alone and without guard the old
chief walked quietly back to his own
camp. Indian honor was enough to
make certain he would be present for
the execution, which had been set for
the same day. The old Indian had
not long to live.
Back in his own wigwam Leather
lips ate his last meal-some jerked
venison. Then he dressed in his most
splendid apparel painted his face and
stalked alone towards the place where
he was to die. Wyandotte warriors
followed, timing their steps to the
wild and wierd beat of the death song
the old chief sang.
In about 70 or 80 yards the process
sion came to a new and shallow grave
which, unknown to the white men at
the trial and who followed in the
procession, had been dug for the old
chief even before he went to trial.
The dress of the tall old chief was
very rich-that of the highest chief
tains of the Wyandotte nation, and
the train to his headdress was long
and gaily feathered. The old chief
shook hands with all who stood
around then turned and knelt at the
grave and in an elevated but solemn
chant addressed his last prayer to the
Great Spirit. What he said the whites
did not understand-they knew no
Indian tongue. When Leatherlips
had finished the captain of the guard
knelt by him and prayed in the same
way. The OLD chief again began to
pray, his voice this time wavering
finally into silence. Then all was
still.
No weapon of any kind was in
sight at the place of execution. All
arms belonging to the party had been
left in the nearest wigwam. Thus no
spectator was able to determine the
method the warriors had decided on
for the old chiefs death.
Suddenly one of the warriors drew
from beneath the skirts of his capote
keen, bright new tomahawk. He