History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan | Page 6

closely related. The tradition says they had council after council upon
this subject, and many speeches were delivered on both sides. The
Chippewas proposed war to settle the question of murder, while the
Ottawas proposed compromise and restitution for the murder. Finally
the Ottawas succeeded in settling the difficulty by ceding part of their
country to the Chippewa nation, which is now known and distinguished
as the Grand Traverse Region. A strip of land which I believe to have
extended from a point near Sleeping Bear, down to the eastern shore of
the Grand Traverse Bay, some thirty or forty miles wide, thence
between two parallel lines running southeasterly until they strike the
head waters of Muskegon River, which empties into Lake Michigan not
very far below Grand Haven. They were also allowed access to all the
rivers and streams in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, to trap the
beavers, minks, otters and muskrats. The Indians used their furs in
former times for garments and blankets. This is the reason that to this
day the Odjebwes (Chippewas) are found in that section of the country.
It may be said, this is not true; it is a mistake. We have known several
cases of murders among the Ottawas and Chippewas. I admit it to be
true, that there have been cases of murders among the Ottawas and
Chippewas since the white people knew them. But these cases of
murders occurred some time after they came in contact with the white
races in their country; but I am speaking now of the primitive condition
of Indians, particularly of the Ottawas and Chippewas, and I believe
most of those cases of murders were brought on through the bad
influence of white men, by introducing into the tribes this great
destroyer of mankind, soul and body, intoxicating liquors! Yet, during
sixty years of my existence among the Ottawas and Chippewas, I have
never witnessed one case of murder of this kind, but I heard there were
a few cases in other parts of the country, when in their fury from the
influence of intoxicating liquors.
There was one case of sober murder happened about fifty years ago at
Arbor Croche, where one young man disposed of his lover by killing,
which no Indian ever knew the actual cause of. He was arrested and
committed to the Council and tried according to the Indian style; and

after a long council, or trial, it was determined the murderer should be
banished from the tribe. Therefore, he was banished. Also, about this
time, one case of sober murder transpired among the Chippewas of
Sault Ste. Marie, committed by one of the young Chippewas whose
name was Wau-bau-ne-me-kee (White-thunder), who might have been
released if he had been properly tried and impartial judgment exercised
over the case, but we believe it was not. This Indian killed a white man,
when he was perfectly sober, by stabbing. He was arrested, of course,
and tried and sentenced to be hung at the Island of Mackinac. I
distinctly remember the time. This poor Indian was very happy when
he was about to be hung on the gallows. He told the people that he was
very happy to die, for he felt that he was innocent. He did not deny
killing the man, but he thought he was justifiable in the sight of the
Great Spirit, as such wicked monsters ought to be killed from off the
earth; as this white man came to the Indian's wigwam in the dead of
night, and dragged the mother of his children from his very bosom for
licentious purpose. He remonstrated, but his remonstrances were not
heeded, as this ruffian was encouraged by others who stood around his
wigwam, and ready to fall upon this poor Indian and help their
fellow-ruffian; and he therefore stabbed the principal party, in defence
of his beloved wife, for which cause the white man died. If an Indian
should go to the white man's house and commit that crime, he would be
killed; and what man is there who would say that is too bad, this Indian
to be killed in that manner? But every man will say amen, only he
ought to have been tortured before he was killed; and let the man who
killed this bad and wicked Indian be rewarded! This is what would be
the result if the Indian would have done the same thing as this white
man did.
The Ottawas and Chippewas were quite virtuous in their primitive state,
as there were no illegitimate children reported in our old traditions. But
very lately this evil came to exist among the Ottawas--so lately that the
second case among the Ottawas of Arbor Croche is yet living. And
from that time this evil came to be