Cases of Murders Among the Ottawas and Chippewas Exceedingly Scarce
--Ceding the Grand Traverse Region to the Chippewas on Account of
Murder--Immorality Among the Ottawas not Common--Marriage in Former
Times.
The murders in cold blood among the Ottawa and Chippewa nations of
Indians in their primitive state were exceedingly few, at least there
was only one account in our old tradition where a murder had been
committed, a young Ottawa having stabbed a young Chippewa while in
dispute over their nets when they were fishing for herrings on the
Straits of Mackinac. This nearly caused a terrible bloody war between
the two powerful tribes of Indians (as they were numerous then) so
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 quite frequent, for immorality
has been introduced among these people by evil white persons who bring
their vices into the tribes.
In the former times or before the Indians were christianized, when a
young man came to be a fit age to get married, he did not trouble
himself about what girl he should have for his wife; but the parents of
the young man did this part of the business When the parents thought
best that their son should be separated from their family by marriage,
it was their business to decide what woman their son should have as his
wife; and after selecting some particular girl among their neigbors,
they would take up quite large package of presents and then go to the
parents of the girl and demand the daughter for their son's wife at
the same time delivering the presents to the parents of the girl. If
the old folks say yes, then they would fetch the girl right along to
their son and tell him, We have brought this girl as your wife so long
as you live; now take her, cherish her, and be kind to her so long as
you live. The young man and girl did not dare to say aught against it,
as it was the law and custom amongst their people, but all they had to
do was to take each other as man and wife. This was all the rules and
ceremony of getting married in former times among the Ottawas and
Chippewas of Michigan: they must not marry their cousins nor second
cousins.