134 MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE [eth.annM9 



of a geineral council, which had adjourned after nearly two weel^s of 

 debate without having been able to l)ring ahout harmonious action. 

 Major Ridge wa.s waylaid and shot close to the Arkansas line, his son 

 was taken from bed and cut to pieces with hatchets, while Boudinot 

 was treacherously killed at his home at Park Hill, Indian territory', 

 all three being killed upon the same day, June •2-2. 1SH1». 



The agent's report to the Secretary of "War, two days later, says of 

 the affair: 



The muixier of Boudinot was treacherous and cruel. He was assisting some 

 workmen in building a new hou.se. Three men called upon him and asked for 

 medicine. He went off with them in the direction of Wooster's, the missionary, 

 who keeps medicine, about three hundred yards from Boudinot's. When they got 

 about half way two of the men seized Boudinot and the other stabbed him, after 

 which the three cut him to pieces with their knives and tomahawks. This murder 

 taking place within two miles of the residence of John Eoss, his friends were appre- 

 hensive it might be charged to his connivance; and at this moment I am writing 

 there are six hundred armed Cherokee around the dwelling of Ross, assembled for 

 his protection. The murderers of the two Ridges and Boudinot are certainly of the 

 late Cherokee emigrants, and, of course, adherents of Ross, but I can not yet believe 

 that Ross has encouraged the outrage. He is a man of too n]uch good sense to em- 

 broil his nation at this critical time; and besides, his character, since I have known 

 him, which is now twenty-five years, has been pacific. .' . . Boudinot's wife is a 

 white woman, a native of New Jersey, as I imderstand. He has si.x children. The 

 wife of John Ridge, jr., is a white woman, but from whence, or what family left, I 

 am not informed. Boudinot was in moderate circumstances. The Ridges, both 

 father and son, were rich. . . .' 



While all the evidence shows that Ross was in no way a party to the 

 affair, there can be no qiiestion that the men were killed in accordance 

 with the law of the Nation — three times formulated, and still in exist- 

 ence — which made it treason, punishable with death, to cede away 

 lands except by act of the general council of the Nation. It was for 

 violating a similar law among the Creeks that the chief, Mcintosh, lost 

 his life in 1835, and a party led by Major Ridge himself had killed 

 Doublehead years before on suspicion of accepting a bribe for his 

 part in a treaty. 



On hearing of the death of the Ridges and Boudinot several other 

 signers of the repudiated treaty, among whom were John Bell, 

 Archilla Smith, and James Starr, fled for safety to the protection of 

 the garrison at Fort Gibson. Boudinot's brother. Stand "Watie, 

 vowed vengeance against Ross, who was urged to ffee, but refused, 

 declaring his entire innocence. His friends rallied to his support, 

 stationing a guard around his house until the first excitement had sub- 

 .sided. About three weeks afterward the national council passed 

 decrees declaring that the men killed and their principal confederates 



' Agent Stoies to Secretary of War, June 24, 1839, in Report Indian Commissioner, p. 355. 1839; 

 Royce, Cherokee Nation, Fifth Ann. Rep. Bureau of Ethnology, p. 293, 1888; Drake, Indians, pp. iW-JfiO. 

 1880: author's personal information. The agent's report incorrectly makes the killings occur on 

 three diSerent days. 



