Pg 265-273

1722 – James Logan and Colonel French’s Report of the Conestoga Indian

In the last mentioned book, pp 148 and 149, Logan and French gave the following report:
“To the Honourable Sir William Keigh, Bart., Goernour of the province of Pennsylvania and Counties of New Castle, Kent and Sussex upon Deleware, and the Council of the same.
The report of James Logan and Colonel French,l of the execution of a particular commission to them directed.

May it please the Govenour and Council:
Pursuant to the instructions given to us by the Governour we set out from Philadelphia for Conestoga on the 7th Instant, as soon as our commission was delivered to us and the next day meeting with the High Sheriff of the County of Chester, according to an appointment made with him. We sent herewith a proper warrant before us for a greater Dispatch, to apprehend the two brothers John and Edmund Cartlidge, who were reported to have committed the fact which occasioned our Journey. On the 9th, in the afternoon, we came to John Cartlidges house where we found himself in the Sheriff’s custody, Edmond Cartlidge was there informed, for his brother to join him to proceed on their business of trad towards the Patowmeck; but on our informing John of the necessity there was of seeing his brother, he was prevailed upon to send for him the next day, and accordingly he came. The same morning, we dispatched a messenger to summon Peter Bizalllton, who lives about 36 miles higher up Susquehanna, to attend us as Interpeter between us and the Indians, but he having no horses at home, and being far from neighbors, he could not get down till the fourth day after the messenger set out, viz: till the 13th in the afternoon.

Soon after our first arrival at Conestogoe we gave the Chiefs of the Indians Notice of our Business, and upon Peter Bizallton’s coming, we appointed a meeting with them the next morning; accordingly, we met, Chiefs of the Mingoe or Conestogoe Indians, of the Shawanese and Ganawese, and some of the Delaware Indians in Council, in which we spoke to them in the following words, interpreted in sentences, first from our language into Delaware Indian by Bizalllion, who took an oath faithfully to interpret between us and the Indians, and afterwards was interpreted into the three other languages by Captain Civility of Conestogoe and Smith the Ganawese, who excels in the skill of those languages. .

At a Council held at Conestogoe, the 14th day of March, 1721-2, between James Logan, Secretary, and Colonel John French, in behalf of the Governour of Pennsylvania, thereunto authorized by virtue thereof a commission to them from the Governour, under the Great seal, bearing date the 7th inst.; and also came

Civility, Tannacharoe, Gunnehaborooja, Toweena, and other old men of the Conestoga Indians and Savannah, Chief of the Shawamese; Winjaek, Chief of the Ganawese; Tekanchroon, a Cayoogoe; Oweeyekanowa, Nostarghkamen, Delawares.

Present divers English and Indians.

The Secretary laying down a belt of Wampum on the Board before them. Which he had taken with him for that purpose, spoke to the Indians, as follows:

Friends and Brethren:
William Penn, our and your Father, when he first settled this country with English subjects, made a firm League of Friendship and Brotherhood with all the Indians then to these parts, and agreed that both you and his people should be all as one Flesh and Blood. The same League has often been renewed by himself and other Governourrs under him, with their Council held a« well in this place where we now are as at Philadelphia, and other places. Both his People and yours have hitherto inviolably observed these Leagues so that scarce any one injury has been done, nor anyone Complaint made on either side, except one for the Death of La Tour and his company for near forty years past, and of this you are fully sensible.

Yet as all human affairs are liable to accidents which sometimes fall out between Brethren of the same Family though issuing from the same Parents, so now your good Friend, our Governor and his Council having heard by report only, that one of our Brethren had lost his Life by some Act of violence, alleged to be done by some of our People, without receiving any notice of it or Complaint from you, but moved with great Concern for the loss and unhappiness of the accidents, like true friends and Brothers, the very next Day sent us two, Colonel French and me, first to condole with you, which we now do very heartily, and next by the full Power with which we are invested to inquire how the matter came to pass, that Justice may be done and satisfaction be made according to the firm Leagues that have from time to time been made between us and you, for We will suffer no injury to be done to any of you without punishing the offenders according to ur Law; nor must we receive without just satisfaction made to us, for so the Laws of Friendship and the Leagues between us require.

We therefore now desire you, that according to the notice we gave you three days ago, to have all those persons ready here who know anything of this matter. You would fully inform us of every particular for we are now here to take their Examinations, which we expect you will take care shall be give with Truth and exactness, and without any partiality from resentment or favour; that when our Governour and Council are assured of the Truth they may proceed more safely in doing of Justice.

This being interpreted, as has been said, into the four several Leagues of those People, we judged it necessary that our Commission should be publicly read in the hearing and for the satisfaction of the English who were there, and then we proceeded and put the following Questions and to examine Indian Evidence.

Quest. When did Civility and the other Indians of Conestogoe first hear of the death of the man, and by whom?

Answer: They heard of it by several Indians much about the same time.

Quest. Where was it done

Answer. At Manakassy, a branch of Potomac river.

Quest. What was the man’s name, his Nation, and rank among his own people?

Answer. His name was Sanataeny of the Tsanondowaroonas or Sinnekaes, a Warrior, a civil man of very few words.

Quest. What was his business there?

Answer. He was hunting, he being used to hunt in that place.

Quest. Who do you understand, was present besides the English at the Commission of the fact?

Answer. The Man had been hunting there alone, with a Squaw that kept his Cabin, till John Cartlidge and his people came thither to trade with him for his skins. John Cartlidge had an Indian guide with him of the Ganawese Nation, named Aquachan, who is here present; also two Indian Shawana Lads came thither about the same time, whose names are Acquittanachke and Metheagueyt; also, his Squaw, a Shawnese woman, named Weyneprecueyta, Cousin to Savannah, Chief of that Natoon who are all here present. Then Winjack and Savannah Chiefs of the Ganawese and Shawnese, were require to charge those four witnesses of the fact of their respective nations to speak the impartially, without malice or Hatred, Favour or affection on any account whatsoever. The three Shawanna Witnesses being desired to withdraw Ayaquachan, the Ganawese, aged according to appearance, about thirty years was called upon to give an account of what he knew, and accordingly he said, that he came in the evening to the Indian Cabin in which Indian is dead, with John Cartlidge and Edmund Cartlidge, who had with them William Wilkins and one Jonathan, both servants to John Cartlidge with an intent to trade with the said Indian, for his skins, they having hired him to be their guide; that John Cartlidge gave the Sennikae some small quantities of Punch and rum three times that evening, as he remembers, as a free gift, and then sold him some rum; That both the Sinnekae and this Examinant were drunk that night; that in the morning the Sinnekae said he must have more rum, for tht he had not received all he had bought; that accordingly he went to John Cartlidge and demanded it, but htat John denied to give him any, and taking the pot out of the Indians’s hands threw it away; that the Sinnekae told him he need not be angry with him for asking more for he owed it to him, and he still pressed him to give it; that John then pushed the Indian down who fell with his neck across a fallen tree, where he lay for some time, and then rising walked up to his Cabin; that this examinant was then by the fire which he thinks was about thirty or forty, others say a hundred paces from the Cabin; that he saw John Cartlidge strip off his clothing near the fire; that then this examinant went up towards the Cabin and saw the Sinneka sitting on the ground with the blood running down his neck, and that when John Cartledge came up he kicked him on the forehead with his foot; that this Deponent was in liquor at the itme and knows no more. Being asked if he saw any gun, he said he saw none.

Acqueannacke, the Shawana, aged in appearance about twenty-two years, says, that he came to the same place with John Cartlidge and his Company, that the Sinneka had liquor overnight, and was drunk with it; that he and the Ganawese sate up all Night, but this Examinant went to sleep. The next day the Sinneka asked for more rum of John Cartlidge who refused to give him any; that John threw away the Pot and upon the Indian still pressing for more liquor drew him down across a Tree, that the Indian rising, went up to his Cabin; that William Wilkins followed him and met him coming out of the Cabin with his Gun, that Wilkins laid hold of him and the gun and they both struggled, but not much; That Edmund Cartlidge came up and forcing the gun from the Indian struck him three blows on the head with it, with wihc it broke. He struck him also on the Collar bone; that John Cartlidge being at the fire there strip off his clothes and coming up kicked the Indian on the side and broke two of his ribs; that the man then bled at the month and nose and was unable to speak, but rattled in the Throat; That John Cartlidge with his Company went to the fire, made __ his goods and came away; that the Sinneka in the mean time came into his cabin where these Shawana lads left him, and followed John Cartlidge to trade with him; that this happened about nine in the morning, and John Cartlidge himself says, he left the place at ten by his watch.

Motheequeyta, the other Shawanna lad, aged about seventeen or eighteen years, confirms what the other young man, his companion has said, and declares he can say nothing further.

Hereupon, great pains were taken and Endeavors used to perswade these evidences, to declare of themselves all that they particularly knew without considering what the others had said, or were supposed by them to say, for they were kept apart during the examination, but the Indians could not be prevailed with, alleging it was to no purpose to repeat what others had already declared, and it was by many leading question that Acquanchke was induced to mention any part of what the Ganawese had said before.

Weenepeeweytah, the Squaw, was then examined and said, that she was in the cabin when her husband came in for the Gun, that she shrieked out and endeavored to hinder him from carrying it out, but could not; that she followed him and Wilkins being then by came up and laid hold of the Gun, but could not take it from him; that Edmund forced it out of his hand and struck him first on the shoulder, and then thrice upon the head, and broke the gun with the blows; that John Cartlidge stript off his clothes and coming up to them found the Indian sitting and he then gave him one kick on the side with his foot, and struck him with his fist, that the man never spake after he received the blows, save that after he got into the Cabin he said his friends had killed him; that a grat quantity of blood came from his wounds, which clotten on the bear skin on which he lay; that his mouth and nose were full of blood; that he died the next day about the same time he was wounded the day before; that she was alone with the corpse and went to seek some help to bury him; that in the mean time an Indian woman, wife of Passalty of Conestogoe, with the Hermaphrodite of the same place coming thither by accident and finding the man dead buried him in the cabin, and were gone from thence before she returned, but she met them in the way and understood by them that they had lain him in the ground.

Passalty’s wife and the Hermaphrodite being called declared that Kannannowach, a Cayoogoe Indian was the first one who found the man dead, and that he hired them to go bury him lest the beasts or fowls should eat him; that it was about seven days after his death that they went thither, and the body then stunk; they found three wounds in his head and they washed away the blood and the brains appeared; that two of his ribs were broke, and his side on that part was very black.

These, may it please the Governour are the examinations of the Indian evidences which we have taken with all the exactness that was in our power and with the utmost impartialty. We confess that we had no reason to be full satisfied with the management of the three Shawanese Indians viz: the two lads and the Squaw, especially the two first, for they seemed to have agreed on their story before hand, especially on the particular of the man’s ribs being broke of which we conceived these two youths could not possibly know anything before they left the place, because they came from it much about the same time with the Cartlidge’s and therefore we judge they could hear of it in no other way than by the woman afterwards, yet they were positive in affirming; And we have here given the whole, without retrenching anything in favor of any person whatsoever.

The belt of wampum was then taken up and showed the Indians, and they were told it was sent from the Governour by us, to be forwarded with a message to the Sinneka Indians upon this unhappy accident. They were therefore desired to think by morning of a proper person to carry it, that the day begin now far spent and the Company tired, (for we sate on the business near eight hours) we should leave what we had further to say for the next day, and accordingly desired them to meet us early in the same place. We then ordered two gallons of rum made into Punch, with the above, a hundred weight of meat and bread brought from John Cartlidge’s, to be distributed among the Company which was large and provisions being exceedingly scarce at present among them.

The next day, viz: the 15th of March, we met the same Chiefs without other company to consult about sending the message before mentioned and Colonel by the same interpreters spoke to them as follows,

Friends and Brethren:
We informed you yesterday that we were sent by the Governour in very great haste from Philadelphia upon the news of this unhappy accident, which we have been enquiring into. We therefore, had not any time to bring with us any presents to make you, nor could we indeed believe they would be expected on this occasion. We thought, however, that if any should be wanted they might be easily had at Conestogoe, but find them very scarce. We had however procured two Stroud Coats to be sent to our Brethren, the Sinnekas to cover our dead friend, and this belt of Wampum (Which was taken up), is to wipe away the tears. We yesterday recommended to you to think of a fit person to carry the message, which we hope you have done, and pitched upon one accordingly.

The Indians answered: They had deferred the choice of a person till this meeting and then they named some one of them to which we much desired to be the person but he excused himself. At length one Skatcheetchoo, a Caynogoe of the Five Nations, and of that next in situation to the Sinnekaes, who had for divers years resided among our Indians, was chosen and he undertook the journey, but said he could not leave his family, who then wanted bread, unless they were provided for. We assured him that the next day six bushels of Corn should be brought to him for his Family’s support in his absence, and for his journey he should have a Stroud Coat, a new Gun with three pounds of powder and six pounds of lead, which he seemed cheerfully to accept of some Palatines, undertook on the Secretary’s promise to pay to bring the Corn the next day; a Gun and the lead we had from John Cartlidge, but he having no good powder or Strouds at home, Peter Bizaillon, promised to deliver thee to the messenger as he passed his house near Pexton. Soon after the two Stroud Coats were presented, one of the Conestogoe old men proposed to Civilty, that John Cartlidge having before given them a Stroud, with a String of Wampum for the same purpose, these should also be sent with the others, which being approved of by the other Indians, the said Stroud and Wampum was brought and added to those we had delivered.

The messenger being fully concluded on, we desired Civilty and him to be with us in the evening, at John Cartlidge’s house, to receive the words of our message; but first we proposed to the Indians to send a message for them in Conjunction with ours to shew their satisfaction in our proceedings, but they gave us to understand that they could not join any words of their to our present, for no such thing was ever practiced by the Indians, and they had no belt of their own ready, otherwise they would send it. Civillty was then privately informed that we had a belt also for them (the Secretary having carried up two), which they might take as their own and send it accordingly. He seemed much pleased with this, and we prepared for that time to take our leaves but before we did this we judged it necessary to caution them, that from the example we had given them of our great care and tenderness over them, and our regard to ur League made with them. They should be very careful on their parts not to give offense to the Christians who were settled near them, or by any means to injure them without punishing the offenders, so we could not receive injuries without requiring satisfaction; and this we endeavored to impress upon them, after which we took leave of them all, excepting Civillty and the Messenger, and came to our lodging at John Cartlidge’s whither also about two hours after came the said two last mentioned Indians; and to the messenger we delivered the following words as the signification of the Belt we sent with them, viz; Deliver the Belt from the Governour and Government of Pennsylvania to the King of chief of the Sinnegaes, and say the words it brings are these: -
William Penn make a firm peace and league with the Indians in these parts nearly forty years ago, which League has often been renewed, and never broken, but an unhappy accident has lately befallen us. One of our Brethren and your people has lost his life by some of our People; Rum was the first cause of it; he was warm and brought his gun in anger against them. They were afraid of his gun took it from him, wounded him and he died. Our Governour, on the first news of it sent us two of his Council to inquire into it. We have done it and we are now taking the offenders to Philadelphia to answer for their fault. We send these Strowds to cover our dead brother, and this belt to wipe away the tears; and when we know your mind you shall have all further reasonable satisfaction for your loss. Civillty also received the other belt privately, promised they would hold a Council the next day among themselves, as they had before engaged to us, and sending that belt in their own name would give an account of it of our Governour’s great care over them, and of all proceedings in this matter.

Being the same time credibly informed that the Five Nations had sent down a large Belt of Wampum, with a figure of a Rundlet and an Hatchet on it to the Indians settled upwards on Sasquehanna, with orders to stave all the rum they met with we judged it necessary to send by the same messenger a public order, under our Hands and Seals, to all our traders whom we should met with, to acquaint them, as their carrying of rum to the Indians was against the Law, so the Indians staving it was no more than what from time to time they had been encouraged to do, and therefore they must take care not to cause any riot or Breach of the Peace, by making any resistance, a copy of which order is here presented. All this time from the first day of our arrival at Conestogoe John Cartlidge, and from the second day Edmund Cartlidge, had by virtue of our warrant, been in the custody of the High Sheriff of Chester, who accompanied us, or in that of persons deputed by him.

The next morning, Civillty the Messenger, and divers of the old men came over to John Cartlidge’s to see us at our departure. The Messenger assured us he would set out the next morning,viz: the 17th, that he hoped to be with the Sinnekaes in eight days, and to return in thirty; that he and Civllty, upon his return, would come directly to Philadelphia to give an account hee of the Discharge of his message.

We then very much pressed John Cartlidge, (Edmd being gone before with an officer to his own house almost in our way) to hasten and go along with us. His wife grieved almost to distraction, and would force herself and her child with him, but was at length prevailed with to stay; this caused us some loss of time. The woman’s sorrows being lound the Indians went in to comfort her, and so we departed.

We brought both John Cartlidge and Edmund Cartlidge Prisioners to town with the lad Jonathan who was present at the fact, and have committed them to the custody of the High Sheriff of Philadelphia, where they now are. William Wilkins was one hundred and fifty miles up Sasquehanna trading for his master, and therefore too far out of our reach.

This, may it please the Governor, is in pursuance of our Instructions, the report we have humbly to offer of our executing the Commission with which we were intrusted.

JAMES LOGAN
JOHN FRENCH

An import thing to notice in this investigation is as shown on p 270, that a lot of the English had collected around about Conestoga, where this inquest was held.

1722 – Action of the Government on the Killing at Conestoga.

James Logan and John French not only acted as Commissioners but they brought the two Cartlidges along with them and put them in the custody of the Sheriff. It seems that the Indian had been killed and buried before they got to Conestoga; he was buried three days’ journey from Conestoga. They had a very hard task to get a legal jury. This is found on p. 155 of Vol 3 of the Col. Rec.

The next day on the 22nd of March, at Philadelphia the investigation was continued and John Cartlidge’s servant was sworn. After this the tow Cartlidge’s sent a petition to the Government from the jail saying that they were sorry, that they did not intend to hurt the Indian and that they acted in self defense. They prayed a speedy trial and the Council admitted them to bail. They entered into the bail in the Court House before the Governor; and in a very public manner it was at once moved that John Cartlidge’s name be dropped as a Justice of the Peach and that he be struck out. (see p. 156.) Both men, succeeded in giving bail as we are shown on page 157

1722 – The Feeling of the Indians at Conestoga About the Killing

In Vol 3 Col Rec., p 152, we are told that the Indians at Conestoga selected a Cayuga Indian to take the news to the Five Nations and also the news of the proceedings but the Indian said that he could not leave his family without provisions. The white people around Conestoga, therefore sent his wife a lot of corn and some of the Mennonites about Constoga said that they would pay for more corn and take it there.

In the last mentioned book, p 155, we are told that John Cartlidges’s wife was very much distracted about this killing and that the Indians around there went to her and tried to comfort her and make her feel that Cartlidge would come out all right.

The messenger also returned from the Five Naitons and made a favorable report.

1722 – The Five Nation’s Attitude About This Conestoga Killing

In Vol. 3 of the Col. Rec., it is stated at p. 163, that a number of the Conestoga Indians and the messenger sent to the Five Nations, the Delawares and others being present in Council the Governor asked the messenger for a report and he said among other things, theat when Logan came up to Conestoga because of those news that their cousin had been killed, that all felt a great sorrow and he delivered a belt of wampum to wipe the tears away. He also says that the Fiv Nations are well pleased with what has been done and that they hope we will keep the bones of the dead more in memory. He presented othe belts and desired that the Governor would be strong friends with them.

On the report being made the Council decided that John and Edmund Cartlidge must be prosecuted according to law. And because the Five Nations think that they ought to be tried these two men were again arrested. Some of the Five Naitons being present and the Contoga Indians also, the Governor said to them “Friends and Brothers of Conestoga, it makes our hearts glad to see how you brighten the chain and make it strong. The chief law among the English is that when any man has done another an injury, he must be punished, and these men who killed your cousin must be tried according to law.”

Finally the Indians themselves asked that they would let John and Edmund Cartledge go free and they were left go.