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1839 Aug.20 continued to adopt the most prompt & energetic measures, to discover, arrest, and bring to condign punishment the murderers of the Ridges & Bondinot. He declares that this duty is enjoined by humanity, by law and by the treaty of 1835. He adds that Bondinot was murdered by three men who called on him while engaged in the erection of a hous with same workmen, who could probably say who they were; and that the friends of the Ridges in-formed Mr Stokes [the US Agent for the Cherokees] that theyt know many of these persons' murderers. The Commissioner states that similar instruction to the foregoing will be issued that day from the war Depart-ment, to General Arbuckle, and if he & the Superintendant act in concert there will be the greater likelihood of success. Rep:Doc:No.2:26th Cong. 1stsess:- page:413

Aug 20. S. Cooper, Acting Secretary of war, at the war Department, Washington City, writes to Gen: Arbuckle, at Fort Gibson. The Acting Secretary of War states that the department has received with great pain and sorrow, the unpleas-ant intelligence communicated by himself and others of the cruel and wanton murders of Bou-dinot and the Ridges, Chiefs of the Cherokee Indians. He adds that the in-formation reached there during the ab-sence of the Secretary of War at some distance, and that the necessity of submitting the subject to him, and of receiving his instructions, has been productive of some delay in making known to the General