The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 45, July 1941 - April, 1942 Page: 380
409 p. : ill., maps ; 24 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Southwestern Historical Quarterly
LETTER 5
Natchitoches July 3d 1807
Sir
About the 10th of May last I was informed by some friendly
Chata Indians"2 that they had reasons to believe that a trav-
elling white Man had been murdered by a Creek or Conchetta
[Conchatta] Indian on one of the Branches of the Bayou Cos-
sachie between Red River and the Sabine about 40 Miles from
this place & near the Road that Leads from Oppelousas [Ope-
lousas] to Nacogdoches, I obtained from the Choctas [Choctaw]
what information I could relative to the place where the Murder
was said to have been committed, & immediately employed two
men who are Acquainted with the Country to go out & make
Search for the dead Body & They went, were gone three days
& returned & gave information On Oath that they had found
it, I then Caused a Jury of Inquest to be Summoned & went
with them to the place myself, we Examined the body & the
Verdict of the Jury was that they believed the Man to have
been Murdered, as they found in his body five wounds which
they believed to be Stabs of a Knife, the Jury took the decla-
ration of Some Indians of good Character which Strongly Cor-
roborated the belief that the Murder was Committed by the
Conchetta Indian, one of whom declared the Indian had Con-
fessed to him the Murder with all the Circumstances attend-
ing it, and farther that he Intended to Kill two more Ameri-
cans, and that he had lurked about Natchitoches for some days
to find an opportunity of Killing a Soldier, but was disappointed,
he could find none; the Jury reported they believed from infor-
mation they received the Murdered Man was of the name of
ONeal, and lived in some part of the Mississippi Territory, and
was travelling with a Horse Packed with goods from Oppolousas
[Opelousas] to Nacogdoches, the Indian took all his things &
Says he killed him by way of retaliation for the Conchetta that
was Killed by Watson at the Salt Works last December; all
the Indians of that tribe have Since disappeared from amongst
the Inhabitants, and are either at their Village on the Sabine
towards its Mouth, or gone over towards the Spanish Post of
the Accokesacos [Orcoquisac] on or near the Mouth of the River
Trinity. And the Inhabitants think travelling the Road between
this place & Oppelousas [Opelousas] dangerous. The Governor
of this Territory27 has been informed of all the particulars of
the affair that we know at present & it is presumed will
take Some measures to protect the Inhabitants and have the
Murderer punished; he has not yet been heard from on the
Subject.
26Perhaps he refers to the Chat6, a tribe of Indians living on the east
bank of the Neches near its junction with the Angelina. They were on the
route from Opelousas to Nacogdoches.
27Governor W. C. C. Claiborne of Louisiana Territory.380
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 45, July 1941 - April, 1942, periodical, 1942; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146053/m1/422/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.