THE TRIAL, SENTENCE, AND EXECUTION.
The council-house in question, was a building of good size, of
larger dimensions than its neighbors, stood on a slight elevation, and,
as we before remarked, near the center of the village. Into this the
warriors and head men of the Piqua tribe now speedily gathered, and
proceeded at once to business. An old chief--whose wrinkled features and
slightly-tremulous limbs, denoted extreme age--was allowed, by common
consent, to act as chairman; and taking his position near the center of
the apartment, with a knife and a small stick in his hand, the warriors
and chief men of the nation formed a circle around him.
Among these latter--conspicuous above all for his beautiful and graceful
form, his dignified manner, and look of intelligence, to whom all eyes
turned with seeming deference--was the celebrated Shawanoe chief,
Catahecassa, (Black Hoof) whose name occupies no inferior place on the
historic page of the present day, as being at first the inveterate foe,
and afterward the warm friend of the whites. In stature he was small,
being only about five feet eight inches, lightly made, but strongly put
together, with a countenance marked and manly, and one that would be
pleasing to a friend, but the reverse to an enemy. He was a great
orator, a keen, cunning and sagacious warrior, and one who held the
confidence and love of his tribe. At the period referred to, he was far
past what is usually termed the middle age; though, as subsequent events
have proved, only in his noon of life--for at his death he numbered one
hundred and ten years.
Upon the ground, within the circle, and near the old chief in the
center, were seated Algernon and Younker--the latter having recovered
consciousness--both haggard and bloody from their recent brutal
treatment. They were sad spectacles to behold, truly, and would have
moved to pity any hearts less obdurate than those by which they were
surrounded. Their faces bore those expressions of dejection and wan
despair, which may sometimes be perceived in the look of a criminal,
when, loth to die, he is assured all hope of pardon is past. Not that
either Younker or Reynolds felt criminal, or feared death in its
ordinary way; but there were a thousand things to harass their minds,
besides the dreadful thought of that lingering, horrible torture, which
was enough to make the boldest quail, and which they now had not the
faintest hope of escaping. There is ever something solemn and awful in
the thought of death, let it come in the mildest form possible--for the
individual feels he is hastening to that silent bourne, whence none
have e'er returned to tell its mysteries--yet such is as nothing in
comparison with the death our prisoners were now silently awaiting, away
from friends and all sympathy, in the full vigor of animal life, to be
fairly worn out by the most excruciating pains, amid the hootings and
revilings of a savage foe. It was enough to have made the stoutest heart
faint, trembling and sick; and thus our unfortunate friends felt, as
they slowly gazed around and saw nothing but fierce, angry looks bent
upon them.
Girty was the first to address the assemblage, in the Indian dialect,
in an animated and angry speech of five minutes duration; occasionally
turning his sinister visage upon the prisoners, with an expression of
mortal hatred; gesticulating the while in that vehement manner which
would have left no doubts on their minds as to the nature of his
discourse, had they not previously known him to be their determined foe.
He narrated to the savages, clearly and briefly, the wrongs which had
been done them, as well as himself, by the whites; how, as the ally and
friend of the red-man, he had been cursed, defied and treated with much
contumely, by those here present; how their friends had followed and
slaughtered his braves; how the whites were every day becoming stronger
and more aggressive; how that, unless speedily exterminated, they would
presently drive the red-men from their hunting grounds, burn their
wigwams, and murder their wives and children; referred them, as a proof,
to the sacking and burning of the Chillicothe and Piqua villages, on the
Little Miami and Mad rivers, the year preceding, by General Clark and
his men;[15] and wound up by demanding the death of the prisoners at the
stake, and a speedy and bloody retaliation upon the pioneers of
Kentucky.
As Girty concluded his speech, which was listened to in breathless
silence, there was a great sensation in the house, and an almost
unanimous grunt of approval from the chiefs and braves there assembled.
It needed but this, to arouse their vindictive passions against the
white invader to the extreme; and they bent upon the unfortunate
prisoners, eyes which seemed inflamed with rage and revenge. Girty
perceived, at a glance, that he had succeeded to the full of his heart's
desire; and with a devilish smile of satisfaction on his features, he
drew back among the warriors, to listen to the harangues of the others.
Black Hoof was the next to follow the renegade, in a similar but more
eloquent strain; during which his countenance became greatly animated;
and it was easy for the prisoners to perceive--who could not understand
a word he uttered--that he spoke with great enthusiasm. He also pressed
upon his companions the vast importance of exterminating the whites,
ere they, as he expressed it, became as the leaves of the forest, and
covered the red-man's soil; that, for this purpose, they should prepare
themselves as soon as possible, to open a deadly, unyielding warfare
upon the frontiers; but said, withal, that he was opposed to burning
the prisoners--as that was a barbarism which he feared would not be
sanctioned by the great Spirit--and urged that they should be put to
death in, a quicker and milder form.[14]
Black Hoof's speech was warmly received, with the exception of what
referred to the prisoners, and this rather coldly. They were excited to
a powerful degree--their passions were up for revenge--and they could
not bear the idea of sending a prisoner out of the world, without first
enjoying the delight of seeing him writhe under the tortures of the
stake.
Wild-cat next followed Black Hoof, in a brief speech, in which he but
echoed the sentiments of Girty throughout, and received, like his
colleague, an almost universal grunt of approbation. He was succeeded by
one or two others, to the same effect--each urging the burning of the
prisoners--and on their conclusion, no other appearing to speak, the old
chief in the center at once proceeded to decide, by vote, the matter
at issue. Advancing to the warrior nearest the door, he handed him a
war-club, and then resumed his place in the circle, to record the will
of each. He who was in favor of burning the prisoners, struck the
ground fiercely with the weapon in question, and then passed it to his
neighbor; he who was otherwise disposed, passed it quietly, in silence;
thus it went through the whole assemblage--the old chief recording the
vote of each, by cutting a notch on the stick in his hand; those for
mercy being placed on one side, and those for the torture on the
opposite. Some three or four only, besides Black Hoof, passed it
quietly--consequently the sentence of death was carried by a decided
majority. Had there been any doubt in the minds of Younker and Reynolds
as to the result, it would have needed only one glance at Girty, who was
now grinning upon them like a demon, to assure them their doom was
sealed.
The question next came up as to the time and place for executing the
sentence; and after some further debate, it was decided that the old man
should be burnt forthwith, in the village, that their women and children
might have a holiday pastime; but that Algernon must be made a grand
national example of, before the assembled tribes at Upper Sandusky, when
they should be met to receive presents from the British agent.[16] This
latter decision was mainly effected by the eloquence of Black Hoof; who,
from some cause, for which it would be impossible to account--only as a
mysterious working of an overruling Providence--had secretly determined,
if such a thing were possible, to save the life of Algernon; and took
this method as the only one likely to aid his purpose by protecting him
from immediate death.
The trial concluded, the council now broke up, and Girty was authorized
to inform the prisoners of their sentence; while four young braves were
selected to take charge of Algernon, and to set off with him, so soon as
the burning of Younker should be over, for Upper Sandusky, where he was
to be kept in durance until wanted. Advancing directly to the prisoners,
the renegade now said, with a sneer:
"Well, my beauties, are you ready to die?"
"We don't expect any thing else, Simon Girty," answered the old man
mildly.
"Don't you, by ----!" rejoined Girty. "Perhaps it's just as well you
don't--ha, ha, ha! Come, old dotard," he continued, "down on your marrow
bones and say your prayers; for, by ----! you will never behold the
setting of another sun."
"I've said my prayers regular for thirty year," answered Younker; "and
I've been ready to die whensomever the Lord should see fit to call me;
and therefore don't feel myself no more obligated to pray jest at this
particular time, than ef I war told I war going to live twenty year
more. It's only them as hain't lived right, that the near coming o'
death makes pray, more nor at another time; and so jest allow me, Simon
Girty, to return you your advice, which is very good, and which, ef you
follow yourself, you'll be likely to make a much better man nor you've
ever done afore."
"Fool!" muttered the renegade, with an oath. Then turning to Algernon,
he continued: "You, sirrah, are destined to live a little longer--though
by no design of mine, I can assure you. Don't flatter yourself, though,
that you are going to escape," he added, as he perceived the countenance
of Algernon slightly brighten at his intelligence; "for, by ----! if I
thought there was a probability of such a thing happening, I would brain
you where you sit, if I died for it the next moment. No, young man,
there is no escape for you; you are condemned to be burnt, as well as
Younker, only at another place; and, by ----! I will follow you myself,
to see that the sentence is enforced with all its horrors."
"For all of which you doubtless feel yourself entitled to my thanks,"
returned Algernon, bitterly. "Do your worst, Simon Girty; but understand
me, before you go further, that though life is as dear to me at the
present moment as to another, yet so much do I abhor and loathe the very
sight of you, that, could I have it for the asking, I would not stoop to
beg it of so brutal and cowardly a thing as yourself."
"By ----!" cried Girty, in a transport of rage; "the time will come,
when, if you do not sue for life, you will for death, and at my hands;
and till then will I forego my revenge for your insolence now. And let
me tell you one thing further, that you may muse upon it in my absence.
I will raise an army, ere many months are over, and march upon the
frontiers of Kentucky; and by all the powers of good and evil, I swear
again to get possession of the girl you love, but whom I now hate--hate
as the arch-fiend hates Heaven--and she shall thenceforth be my mistress
and slave; and to make her feel more happy, I will ever and anon whisper
your name in her ear, and tell her how you died, and the part I took in
your death; and in the still hours of night, will I picture to her your
agonies and dying groans, and repeat your prayers for death to release
you. Ha! you may well shudder and grow pale; for again I swear, by all
the elements, and by every thing mortal and immortal, I will accomplish
the deed! Then, and not till then, will I feel my revenge complete."
The countenance of Girty, as he said this, was terrible to behold; for
so enraged was he, that he fairly foamed at the mouth, and his eyes
seemed like two balls of fire. As he concluded, he turned away abruptly;
and muttering something in the Indian tongue, to some of the savages who
were standing around, immediately quitted the council-house.
As Girty departed, the four young warriors who were to have charge of
Algernon, immediately advanced to him; and one of them tapping him on
the shoulder, moved away, motioning him to follow. As he prepared to
obey, Younker grasped him by the hand, and, with eyes full of tears,
in a trembling, pathetic voice, said:
"Good-bye, lad! God bless and be with you. Something tells me we won't
never meet agin. Keep up as stout a heart as you can, and ef you should
escape, tell my (here the old man's voice faltered so that he could
scarcely articulate a syllable)--tell my wife, and--and children--that
I died happy, a thinking o' them, and praying for 'em--to--to the last.
Good-bye! good-bye!" and wringing his hand again, the old man fairly
sobbed aloud; while the rough warriors stood looking on in silence, and
Algernon could only groan forth a farewell.
So they parted--never to meet again on earth.
Algernon was now conducted, by his guards, to a small building on the
outskirts of the village; where, after receiving food and water, and
having his clothes restored to him, he was informed by one of the
Indians--who could speak a smattering of English--that he might be bound
and remain, or accompany them to see the Big Knife tortured. He chose
the former without hesitation; and was immediately secured in a manner
similar to what he had been the night previously, and then left alone to
the anguish of his own thoughts. What the feelings of our hero were, as
thus he lay, suffering from his bruises and wound--his mind recurring to
the dire events taking place in another part of the village, and his own
awful doom--we shall leave to the imagination of the reader: suffice it
to say, however, that when his guards returned, some two hours later, he
was found in a swooning state, with large cold drops of perspiration
standing thickly on his features.
Meantime, Younker was brought forth from the council-house--amid the
hootings, revilings, and personal abuse of the savage mob--and then
painted black,[17] preparatory to undergoing the awful death-sentence.
He was then offered food--probably with the kind intention of
strengthening him, and thus prolonging his life and tortures--but this
he absolutely refused, and was immediately conducted to the place of
execution, which was on the brow of the slope before described as
reaching to the river. Here his wrists were immediately bound behind
him; and then a rope, fastened to the ligature, was secured to a
stake--driven into the earth for the purpose and left sufficiently long
for him sit down, stand up, or walk around a circle of some six or eight
feet in diameter.
During this proceeding, the Indians failed not to abuse him in various
ways--some by pinching, and others by pounding him with their fists,
with stones, and with clubs,--all of which he seemed to bear with great
patience and resignation.
As soon as all was ready for the more diabolical tortures, Girty made
the announcement, in a brief speech to the Indians; and then taking up a
rifle, loaded with powder only, discharged it upon the prisoner's naked
body. A loud yell of satisfaction, from the excited mob, followed this
inhuman act; while several savages, rushing forward with rifles loaded
in the same manner, now strove who should be first to imitate the
renegade's example; by which means, no less than fifty discharges were
made, in quick succession, until the flesh of the old man, from the neck
downwards, was completely filled with burnt powder. Younker uttered a
few groans, but bore all with manly fortitude, and made no complaints.
This part of the hellish ceremony over, a fire was kindled of hickory
poles, placed in a circle round the stake, outside of that which his
rope allowed Younker to make, in order that he might feel all the
torments of roasting alive, without being sufficiently near to the flame
to get a speedy relief by death. To add even more torture, if possible,
to this infernal proceeding, the Indians would take up brands, and place
the burning parts against the old man's body; and then, as they saw him
cringe and writhe under the pain thus inflicted, would burst into horrid
laughs, in which they were ever joined by the renegade. The old squaws
too, and even the children, not wishing to be outdone in this refinement
of cruelty, would take slabs, and having loaded them with live coals and
ashes, would throw them upon his head and body, until not only both
became covered, but the ground around him, so that there was no cool
place for his feet; while at every new infliction of pain, the crowd
would break forth in strains of wild, discordant laughter.
Thus passed some three-quarters of an hour of tortures the most
horrible, during which the old man bore up under his sufferings with
a strength and manliness that not only astonished his tormentors, but
excited for himself, even in savage breasts, a feeling of respect.
Girty, it may be, was moved to a similar feeling; for at length,
advancing to his victim, he said, in a tone of more deference than he
had hitherto used:
"You bear up well, old man--well. I have seen many a one die, in a
similar way, who was thought to be courageous--yet none with that
firmness you have thus far displayed."
Younker, who was slowly walking around the stake, with his face bent
toward the earth, suddenly paused, as Girty addressed him, and turning
his eyes mildly upon the renegade, in a feeble voice, replied:
"My firmness is given me from above. I can bear my torments, Simon
Girty, for they're arthly, and will soon be over; but yourn--who'll say
what yourn'll be, when you come to answer afore Almighty God for this
and other crimes! But that arn't for the like o' me to speak of now. I'm
a dying man, and trust soon to be in a better world. Ef I ever did you
wrong, Simon Girty, I don't remember it now; and I'm very sartin I never
did nothing to merit this. You came to my house, and war treated to the
best I had, and here am I in return for't. Howsomever, the reckoning's
got to come yit atween you and your God; and so I leave you--farewell."
"But say," returned Girty, who now seemed greatly moved by the manner
and tone of Younker: "But say, old man, that you forgive me, and I will
own that I did you wrong."
"I don't know's I've any enemies, except these round here," replied the
other, feebly, "and I'd like to die at peace with all the world; but
what you ax, Simon Girty, I can't grant; it's agin my nater and
conscience; I can't say I forgive ye, for what you've done, for I don't.
I may be wrong--it may not be Christian like--but ef it's a sin, it's
one I've got to answer for myself. No, Girty, I can't forgive--pre'aps
God will--you must look to him: I can't. Girty, I can't; and so,
farewell forever! God be merciful to me a sinner," he added, looking
upward devoutly; "and ef I've done wrong, oh! pardon me, for Christ's
sake!"
With these words, the lips of Younker were sealed forever.
Girty stood and gazed upon him in silence, for a few minutes, as one
whose mind is ill at ease, and then walked slowly away, in a mood of
deep abstraction. Younker continued alive some three-quarters of an hour
longer--bearing his tortures with great fortitude--and then sunk down
with a groan and expired. The Indians then proceeded to scalp him; after
which they gradually dispersed, with the apparent satisfaction of wolves
that have gorged their fill on some sheep-fold.
When Algernon's guards returned, they found him in a swooning state,
as previously recorded; and fearful that his life might be lost, and
another day's sport thus spoiled, they immediately called in their great
medicine man, who at once set about bandaging his wound, and applying
to it such healing remedies as were known by him to be speedily
efficacious, and for which the Indians are proverbially remarkable. His
bruises were also rubbed with a soothing liquid; and by noon of the day
following, he had gained sufficient strength to start upon his journey,
accompanied by his guards.
On that journey we shall now leave him, and turn to other, and more
important events; merely remarking, by the way, lest the reader should
consider the neglect an oversight, that, on entering the Piqua village,
Oshasqua had taken care to render the life of little Rosetta Millbanks
safe, and had secured to her as much comfort as circumstances would
permit.
[Footnote 14: In the action at Piqua here referred to, Simon Girty
commanded three hundred Mingoes, whom he withdrew on account of the
desperation with which the whites fought.]
[Footnote 15: This was a peculiar characteristic of this great chief,
as drawn from the pages of history; and the more peculiar, that he was
a fierce, determined warrior, and the very last to hold out against a
peace with his white enemy. But there were some noble traits in the man;
and when, at last, he was wrought upon to sign the treaty of Greenville,
in 1795--twenty-four years after the date of the foregoing events--so
keen was his sense of honor, that no entreaty nor persuasion could
thenceforth induce him to break his bond; and he remained a firm friend
of the Americans to the day of his death. He was opposed to burning
prisoners, and to polygamy, and is said to have lived forty years with
one wife, rearing a numerous family of children.--_See Drake's Life of
Tecumseh_.]
[Footnote 16: The reader will bear in mind, that these events transpired
during the American Revolution; that the Indians were, at this time,
allies of the British; who paid them, in consequence, regular annuities,
at Upper Sandusky.]
[Footnote 17: This was a customary proceeding of the savages at that
day, with all prisoners doomed to death.]