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8 friendly, and perhaps requested him to go to his new house not yet finished. While there, three Cherokees came up, and asked him for medicine. He started with them to the house, but had proceeded but a few steps, when he was thrown down, and stabbed in the back; but as the knife broke, a tomahawk was taken to kill him. His face was cut, and his head very much bruised. This unknown has been urged as a specimen of Indian treachery. But why? The unhappy victim according to their laws they supposed to have forfeited his life and with it every favour he might have expected from his people. They probably led him from W. Worcesters house, to await alarming and distressing the mission family, and other females in the house.
It appears, from report, that soon after the failure of the attempt to unite the two governments, a concourse of eastern Cherokees consulted on the subject of executing their law relative to those who save the country. Some of the leaders were named, and three men from the respective clan of each, were chosen to say whether the person they were to judge had forfeited his life or not knowingly the three men selected from the clan of Maj. Ridge, pronounced him guilty of death, and gave him up to die. Sd the child is of the same clan, or family as the mother, John Ridge was of a different clan from his father. He was therefore, that is his conduct was examined by judges of his own clan, and he was also to die. Thus also with W. Boudinot. The law or