When the news reached to Little Traverse, now Harbor Springs, all the
country of Arbor Croche was enveloped in deep mourning, and a great
lamentation took place among the Ottawas and Chippewas in this country
with the expression, "All our hope is gone." Many people came to our
dwelling to learn full particulars of my brother's death, and to
console and mourn with his father in his great bereavement.

No motive for the assassination has ever been developed, and it remains
to this day a mystery. It was related that there was no known enemy in
the institution previous to his death; but he was much thought of and
beloved by every one in the college. It was an honor to be with him and
to converse with him, as it is related that his conversation was always
most noble and instructive. It was even considered a great honor to sit
by him at the tables; as it is related that the students of the college
used to have a strife amongst themselves who should be the first to sit
by him. There were several American students at Rome at that time, and
it was claimed by the Italians that my brother's death came through
some of the American students from a secret plot originating in this
country to remove this Indian youth who had attained the highest
pinnacle of science and who had become their equal in wisdom, and in
all the important questions of the day, both in temporal and spiritual
matters. He was slain, it has been said, because it was found out that
he was counseling his people on the subject of their lands and their
treaties with the Government of the United States. His death deprived
the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of a wise counselor and adviser, one of
their own native countrymen; but it seems that it would be impossible
for the American people in this Christian land to make such a wicked
conspiracy against this poor son of the forest who had become as wise
as any of them and a great statesman for his country. Yet it might be
possible, for we have learned that we cannot always trust the American