ophet, created a
great alarm on the frontier, and actually induced many families to
remove back to Kentucky, from whence they had emigrated. A demand was
made by the whites upon these two brothers for the Indians who had
committed the murder. They denied that it was done by their party, or
with their knowledge, and declared that they did not even know who the
murderers were. The alarm continued, and some companies of militia were
called out. It was finally agreed, that a council should be held on the
subject in Springfield, for the purpose of quieting the settlements.
General Whiteman, major Moore, captain Ward and one or two others,
acted as commissioners on the part of the whites. Two parties of
Indians attended the council; one from the north, in charge of
McPherson; the other, consisting of sixty or seventy, came from the
neighborhood of fort Wayne, under the charge of Tecumseh. Roundhead,
Blackfish, and several other chiefs, were also present. There was no
friendly feeling between these two parties, and each was willing that
the blame of the murder should be fixed upon the other. The party under
McPherson, in compliance with the wishes of the commissioners, left
their arms a few miles from Springfield. Tecumseh and his party refused
to attend the council, unless permitted to retain their arms. After the
conference was opened, it being held in a maple grove, a little north
of where Werden's hotel now stands, the commissioners, fearing some
violence, made another effort to induce Tecumseh to lay aside his arms.
This he again refused, saying, in reply, that his tomahawk was also his
pipe, and that he might wish to use it in that capacity before their
business was closed. At this moment, a tall, lank-sided Pennsylvanian,
who was standing among the spectators, and who, perhaps, had no love
for the shining tomahawk of the self-willed chief, cautiously
approached, and handed him an old, long stemmed, dirty looking earthen
pipe, intimating, that if Tecumseh would deliver up the fearful
tomahawk, he might smoke the aforesaid pipe. The chief took it between
his thumb and finger, held it up, looked at it for a moment, then at
the owner, who was gradually receding from the point of danger, and
immediately threw it, with an indignant sneer, over his head, into the
bushes. The commissioners yielded the point, and proceeded to business.

After a full and patient enquiry into the facts of the case, it
appeared that the murder of M