ciprocally committed" among the whites and Indians, are in point.

The first case of murder, by the whites, of friendly Indians, is that of Doctor John, a Delaware Indian, who came with his family, consisting of a woman and two children, to Cumberland county, in the winter of 1760, and lived in a hunting cabin on Conodoguinet creek, not far from Carlisle. He and his family were murdered in the early part of February. The news of this barbarous deed was immediately communicated to Governor Hamilton, by Francis West, Esq., of Carlisle. The governor left nothing undone to bring to punishment those who had perpetrated this inhuman murder. From the Provincial Records, it appears "the governor informed the council, that on the 21st of February, 1760, he had received a letter from Justice West, of Carlisle, acquainting him of a cruel murder having been committed on an Indian called John, and a little boy of his, and that there was reason to think his wife was also murdered, and Capt. Callender coming to town from Carlisle, his Honor had examined him, and by him was told that an inquest had been held on the bodies of the said Doctor John, and a male child, two Delaware Indians in friendship with us, and that it was the opinion and verdict, that they were wilfully murdered; and it was further said by Captain Callender that there was reason to believe, Doctor John's wife and her child were also murdered, whereupon the governor sent a verbal message to the House informing them of this matter, and recommending to them, a reward for the detection of the murderers, &c.

The Assembly sent for Callender, and after interrogating him on the subject, they then offered a reward of a hundred pounds for the apprehension of each person concerned in the murder. The excitement occasioned was immense; for it was feared that the Indians might seek to avenge the murder on the settlers. That reparation on the part of the chiefs would be demanded. The inhabitants of Carlisle and vicinity made every exertion to seek out the offenders, as will appear from the following:

Sir

CARLISLE, Feb. 28, 1760.

An inhuman and barbarous murder was performed on Doctor John and his family. This Indian, who has been considered a friend to the whites has been treacherously murdered, by some persons unknown.

He belongs to the Delawares; and I grieve to say that their chiefs will demand reparation.

So many cruelties have been practiced upon the whites by the Indians, that the innocent (Indians) are not secure from their revenge.

I regret that it should have happened in our village. Be assured, we shall do all in our power to bring the offenders to justice.

To Gov. Hamilton:
Sir-

CARLISLE, March 7, 1760.

I was honored with your letter of February 21st, and in obedience thereto, have caused diligent search, and inquiry to be made for the murderers, by the constables, along and between Connogogwinet, and the Kittatinny mountain to Susquehannah; but the least discovery has not been made.

Doctor John, the Indian who was lately murdered, was of the Delaware tribe (as I am informed); but what Nation his squaw and the boy were of, I can't clearly learn: he followed hunting whilst in this neighborhood, and behaved insolently, as you will see by the enclosed depositions.

You may be assured I will use my best endeavors to find out the persons who perpetrated that barbarous act; I will for the future, afford protection to every friendly and peaceable Indian that shall sojourn in this county.

I am with great respect,
your Honor's most obedient
and humble servant,

Cumberland county, ss.

1

FRAS. WEST.

The deposition of Peter Title of Carlisle, aged about thirty-five years, taken before me, &c. Being sworn, &c., deposeth and saith that about the 15th day of January last, a certain Indian, called Doctor John, was in his house at Carlisle: the said Doctor John spoke contemptuously of the soldiers, by saying they were good for nothing, and that he and two or three more of them would drive the whole of them; and this deponent further saith, that said Doctor John said that they killed Captain Jacobs, but that he had another Capt. Jacobs, a young big man, bigger and stronger than him that was killed, and further this deponent saith

Richard Davis, aged fifteen years, said the Indian called Doctor John, was in the house of Peter Tittle, about the 15th day of January, when he (the deponent) told a certain Thomas Evans, that he killed sixty white people and captured six, and said deponent said he heard Doctor John say, if the war would break out again he would do the same, and asked the said Evans if he would taste it-(meaning death)—and he heard John say in an insulting and angry tone, that the white people

killed his Captain Jacobs, but that he had one twice as big, and that they were fools, for when he caught a white prisoner he would lie down on the ground till he would kill and scalp him.

Sworn and subscribed, &c.,

March 4, 1760.

P. S. Lest the above mentioned Thomas Evans should be suspected of the murder of the Indians, on account of their insolent talk and behavior to him, I undertake to say, he is a drunken, stupid fellow, incapable of such enterprise.

Cumberland county, ss.

FRANS. WIST.

The deposition of John Loughry, of York county, Pa,, aged twentythree years; by trade a weaver.

That on or about the beginning of February last, a certain John Mason, son of John Mason of Cumberland county, applied to have this deponent to be assistant with him in perpetrating the murder of a party of Indians, to the number of four or thereabouts, residing in cabins on Connodogwinham creek; this said deponent desired the said Mason not to be concerned in such an affair, for it would bring him to trouble. That some time after that, this deponent being at Mrs. Allison's in Connogojigg, in the county and province aforesaid, a certain James Foster of Paxton, in Lancaster county, then informed him, this deponent, that James Foster, together with William George, and some of the boys of Arthur Foster, which said boys, this deponent imagined to be sons of the said Arthur Foster, all of the county of Cumberland, perpetrated the murder of said Indians, by forcibly entering into the cabins of said Indians in the night, when asleep, with axes, &c., and killed and scalped said Indians; and that some time near the beginning of March last, being at Pittsburgh, (at which time the governor's proclamation for discovering said murderers was there publicly known) that the aforesaid James told him, this deponent, that he, the said Foster, was afraid the murder would be found out upon him and his accomplices. This deponent further saith not.

Sworn before us, two of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace, for the county aforesaid, at Carlisle, May 6, 1760.

Fras. West,
Herm. Alricks.

JOHN LOUGHBY.

CARLISLE, May the 7th, 1760.

To Gov. Hamilton: Sir-Herewith we send you inclosed the copy of John Loughry's deposition, against James Foster, John Mason, (who are now at Pittsburgh in the Battoe service) William George, and the boys or sons of Arthur Foster, for the murder of four Indians, near this town, we issued our warrant to the constables, to apprehend such as there are in this county; and we intend by the first opportunity to the commanding officers at Pittsburg, to forward a copy of the deposition, with a request to apprehend and confine, both Mason and Foster, till your orders for transmitting them here, arrive there.

As Loughry had no bail for his appearance, at Court to prosecute,

and for his personal safety, we have confined him in prison: and further, as his evidence is only hearsay, we want information whether William George and the sons of Arthur Foster, are bailable or not. We therefore request your answer and advice on this head.

We are, with the greatest respect,

Your Honor's most obedient and humble servants,

FRAS. WEST,
HERMANUS ALRICKS.

A few years after this murder had been committed, the subject was formally considered in a Conference held with Indians, relatives of the deceased, at Philadelphia, May 6th, 1762.

The persons present were Gov. Hamilton, Richard Peters, Joseph Fox, and the following Indians, viz: Se-con-guep-po, Naw-tow-his-son, and Wal-la-guon-ta-hic-con.

In relation to the death of Doctor John, Gov. Hamilton said to the Indians:

"I have taken notice of every thing you said to meBrethren, the news you heard about the death of your relative is but two true. Your relative came with his family, consisting of a woman and two children, in the winter, two years ago, into Cumberland county, and lived in a hunting cabin on the river Conedaguainet, near the town of Carlisle, and he and one of his children, a little boy, were found murdered, not far from town, and the woman with the other child was missing, &c."-Pro. Rec. S. p. 235.

CHAPTER XII.

INDIANS MASSACRed in lancaster County—(1763).

Frontier settlers harassed and separated--Paxton Boys concert to make an onslaught upon the Indians at Conestogo; meet for that purpose-Rev. John Elder expostulates with them in vain---He sends an express with a written message---Rev. Elder, &c.---Deposition of Newcomer, Hambright, Cunningham, Mary Le Roy---The Paxton Buys attacked the Indian village and massacred a number of Indians and set fire to their huts-Shippen's letter---Beaty and Miller's letter--Inquisition held---Penn's proclamation and letter-Indians massacred in Lancaster jail---Sheriff Hay's letter--Shippen's letter-William Henry's letter.

Doctor John's murder was a kind of prelude; for there were still causes, as late as 1763, to exasperate the whites.

The inhabitants of the frontiers on the west and east of the Susquehanna river, were still greatly alarmed in the summer and autumn of 1763. "A number of Indians of various tribes, actuated by the love of shedding blood, or the desire for ruin, had committed great depredations and cruelties on the unoffending whites. The Indians committed acts of brutal violence under cover of the night."

The inhabitants of Donegal and Paxton townships, in Lancaster county, reflecting on the past, and the present with them; perhaps, in reviewing facts, thus soliloquized: "Have not the bloody barbarians, exercised on our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, wives, children, inoffensive as they were, and kindred near and remote, the most unnatural and leisurely tortures? Butchered some in their beds, in the dead hour of the night-at their meals, or in some unguarded hour?" Recalling to their minds sights of horror! scenes of slaughter; seeing scalps clotted with gore! mangled limbs! men, women, children, ripped up! the hearts and bowels still palpitating with life, and smoking on the ground. Seeing savages swill their blood, and imbibing a more courageous fury with the human draught. They then may have reason thus