District of Saint Louis
Thomas Winn being duly sworn on the holy Evangelists
of almighty god deposeth and saith that he was in view
where there were one indian woman and three
Indian men which appeared to be in conversation with
each other, when one of the man (whose name I am
informed is Aske nawa the young man) struck the
woman on the right side side of the neck with a
bunch of arrows which appeared to be in a tangled
position. the woman then ran across the street
and the next thing I saw, was, the woman lying
in Mr. Beards B. Smith Shop, she was then taken
out of the shop by Mr. Beard and a couple of Indians
and laid at the end of the shop near where the
act was commited. I than waited on Doct. Farrow
while he endeavoured to give the woman some
assistance, but she in a short time expired which
I belive was occasioned from a wound in the neck
which was given at the time of the stroke with
the bunch of arrow by the above named Indian
the above mentioned Indian woman is by name (as I am informed) Othipaya Or the head
Thos Winn Jr
Sworn to and subscribed
before the coroner of the
District of S Louis 27th May A.D 1811
John W . Honey
District of St Louis Sct
Charles Sanguinette being duly sworn on the
holy Evangelists of Almighty God deposeth and
saith that he
the deponent this
twenty seventh day of May one thousand
eight hundred and eleven saw an indian man standing
with an
indain woman in the street of St. Louis opposite
the lake house of
madame Robidoux that the said Indian
man
appeared to be talking with the said Indian
woman
that there was two other Indain men standing by them
that
one of the Indains that was standings by mounted a
horse, that when he
had mounted on the horse the said
Indain woman cauth hold of
the bridle
the horse and walk a few
steps leading the horse after
her that the indian man which had been
talking with
the said indian woman walk round the house which
when
the said indian woman saw she went to the
side of the house by an old
Indian man. that the Indian
man who had been talkings with the said
Indian woman
took an arrow (not armed) made of wood & struck
the said indian woman
on the neck does not recollect
whether on
the right or left side that the Indian
woman immediately run offI
further saith not
Charles SanguinetSworn to before me the
Subscriber of the
District of S Louis 27th
may A.D. 1811 John W Honey
Territory of Louisiana
District of S
Louis
The undersigned a
jury
of inquest over
The body of Othepa Ya ya
(or the head) an Indian woman now lying dead in the
streets of St Louis opposite the house of
Madame
Roubideaux upon our oaths do present
and
say that
she came by her death in consequence
of a wound in the
right side of the neck in or near
the
jugular
vein, given her by an Indian man by
the
name of Aske
nawa (or the young man) - and belonging
to
the Mascoutah - tribe of
Indians and are therefore
of
opinion that said Indian woman now lying
dead was willfully murdered by said Indian
man.
Given under our hand at St Louis
this 27th May 1811
Foreman
Joseph his
X mark BissonnetteNorman his X
markhenry
his X mark DeshuquetPierre
Didier Paul his
X mark Chouteau Joseph his
X mark MorinBaptiste
his X mark Gerar his X mark Charles
SanguinetAlexander
Grimo his X mark Paul his X mark
GuitardHAdam
WolfortWm
FugateJames
Baird John W . Honey coroner of St Louis
district
Coroners Fees
For viewing the body of Othipa ya (or the head) -$ 3. 00Seventeen Jurors @ 50 cts - - - - - - - - -8 . 50Summoning & Qualifing three witnesses - - - - -60Constables fees& 12.10Summoning 3 Witnesses - - - - - - - - - - - -50Summoning & 18 Jurors - - - - -1.80& 2 . 30
filed27 th May 1811
District of Saint Louis Sct
Joseph Wilkenson being duly sworn on the holy Evangelists
of Almighty god deposeth and saith that he is a surgeon
and that he has emaxined the wound on the body of Othepa
Ya otherwise called the head an Indian woman now lying
dead in the street of S Louis opposite the house of mad
ame Roubidous, that that he is perfectly satisfyed that the
death of the said Othepa Ya was occasion by the said
wound that the said wound - was upon the
right side of the neck and appeared
to have been about the
in I further saith not
Sworn to and Subscribed
before me Coroner of the district of St.Louis 27th May
1811
John W Honey
Territory of Louisana
District of LouisSc The United States of America to
the constable of S Louis township
Greeting.
You are hereby commanded to summon
eighteen good and Lawful men, house holders of this
township, forthwith to appear before me a justice
of the peace a as coroner, to serve as a jury
of Inquest on a dead Body now lying in the streets
of S Louis apposite the House of Madame Roubideaux S Louis , The body supposed to be that of an Indian woman
Sworn under my hand
at St.Louis this 27th May 1811ThosJP acting as Coroner
Othipa Ya or the
Charles Sanguinett
Joseph Besonett
Norman McKinzie
Henry Des huquet
Pierre Didier
Paul Chouteau
Joseph Morine
Baptiste Gerar
Alex. Grimo Charpentier
Gigon
Paul Guitarr
Adam Wolfort
Wm Fugate
Peter Primm
Saml Soomon
James Baird
Wm Chrisly
Summoned the
above May 27 1811Alex his XBill Constable
S Louis District
Warrant
Be it rmembend that on this twenty ninth day of may in the
year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and eleven
personally came and appeand before me John W Honey
Coroner for the District of Saint Louis Thomas
Charles Sanguinette and Joseph Wilkinson on who acknowledged
themselves to stand in indebted unto the United Sates of
America in the sum of one hundred dollars each to be
levied of their respected goods and chattels hands
and tenements if Default be made
The condition of the above recognizance
is such that is the above named Thomas Winn Junior
Charles Sanguinette and Joseph Wilkenson shall personally
be and appear at the next court of oyer and
to be holden at the town of S Louis in and for the distritc of Saint Louis then and there to deliver and
set forth their knowledge touching the death of Othepa
Ya (or the head) and do not depart the said court
without leave thereof then this recog nizance to be
void else to he and full force and virtue
in law.
In witness whereof the
said Thomas Winn
junior Chacles Sanguinette and Joseph
Wilkenson have
hereunto set their hands
and
sals
at St Louis the day and year
above WrittenThos
WinnChas
SanguinetWilkenson, J signed
acknowledged
before me Coroner for the
district
or St. Louis day 2 year
aforesaid
John, W, Honey
Charles Sanguinette
Joseph Wilkenson
to
United States
Recognisance
Filed29th May 1811
Excuted by making
proclamation a
copy of which is here
to attached
A McNair Shff
A sheriff of
of St Louis
Proclamation
Where as the honourable John B C Lucas one
of the Judges of
the general court for the
territory of Louisiana has by his order
directed to the sheriff of the destrict of
Saint Louis bearing date the
fourth day
of july instant ordered a
court of oyer
&
terminer & general jail delivery
to be
holden at the court house for the distict
of Saint Louis on
Monday the twelfth
day of August next ensuing, the attendant
where of he has assigned to
himself for the
trial of all offences punishable with death
by the
laws of this territoy and more
Especially for the trial of a certain
Indian
of the mascoutah tribe named
Askena
wa or the young man on a charge
made on oath of having committed
the crime of murder in the district
aforesaid
on an indian woman there fore in
obediance to the law of this
territory and
the requsition of the writ
Public notice is hereby given that
a court for the purposses aforesaid will
be held at the term and place aforesaid all
persons concerned are required to give there
attendance of the law directs at there paril
St louis july 8th 1811 a copy
A McNair Shff
To the sheriff of the district of St Louis
Whereas a notice under
the hand and seal of
A McNiar sheriff of the District of
St
Louis , dated the
third of Junelast past,
hath been given to me one of
the judges in and
over the territory of Louisiana , by
which
it appears that a certain Indian of the
Macoutan
named
Askena wa or the young man has been
committed in the goal of the District of
St Louis
and remains and remains under the
Custody of
said sheriff on a
charge made
upon oath of
having committed the crime of
murder in said district
on a
certain
Indian women and in as much as I
am
induced to belivethat the honorable John-
Coburnpresiding
judge of thegeneral court of this
Territory is absent from the same
therefore I have
assigned
to my self the attendance of a court of
oyer and
terminer and general jail delivery in
the
district of St Louis ,, and I hereby command
the
the sheriff of said district to do and
perform all and
those things which the law in such case
prescribes for the holding of a court of
oyer and
terminer
and general jail delivery
in the afore-
said district, whose
sitting shall commence on
monday the twelfth of the month of August
next
ensuing
in Testimonywhereof
I have hereunto
set my hand and seal at my
Chamber in St Louis
Territory of Louisiana the fourth day of July
A.D 1811 and of the independence of the United States
the the thirty sixth
John B .C. Lucas
To the Sheriff of the district of St Kiyus
in the Territory of Louisiana
you are here by commanded to summon twenty four
good and lawfull men to serve as grand jurors at a court of oyer and terminer and general gaol deli-
very, ordered to be held in the afore said district
of St Louis on the twelfth day of this present month to inquire into all offences and crimes punishable-
with death that may have been committed
in the afore said district by a certain Indian of the Mucoutan tribe named Askenawa or the young
man for which the said indian is committed
in the gaol of the said district of st Louis, and
make such presentations and do all those things
which ought to be done by a grand inquest here in fail not at your peril, and have you
then and thre this writ
In witness where of, one of the judges of the
general court general court of the Territory of Louisiana have here
set my hand and seal at my in the you
of said, the first day of august
A.D.1811 and of the independance of the states of The thirty sixth
united
states of America the thirty-sixth
in obediance to the within order I have summoned
twenty four men to
Charles GratiottB B Bortheul Thomas Bready> Charles Busson Andrew Sandrevill David Deloney Gregoire Sarpy August R Chouteau Charles Sangunett Patrick Lee Peter DidierJamesAbraham Galletin William Christy Jeremiah Conner Peter Primm Rufus SmittE ToronStepheno Hempstead Horis AustinJohn A BrightJohn SkeggsAdam WoolfordJohn CA Mcman Shff
Alexander McNair Esq
Sheriff
of the District of St Louis
Territory Of Louisiana , District Of St. Louis sct.The United States of America , to the Sheriff of St . Louis
Distict-Greeting.
You are hereby commanded to summons James Baird & Antoine Robidoux that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay they be and appear in proper
person before the judges of our Court of Oyer & Terminer on the twelvth
day of August instant next, at the town of St. Louis , then there to testify and
the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said court,
wherein the United States is plaintiff and Askenawa defendant, on the part of the United States and have you then there this writ.
Witness the honorable John B C Lucas Esquire
pre-
sinding judge of our said court, at the town of St. Louis , the
ninth day of August in the year of our
Lord, one
thousand eight hundred and eleven
and of
the Independence of the United States , the thirty sixth
Thos F . Riddick Clerk of St. L.
D.
District of Saint Louis
Court of Oyer & Terminer
12th august 1811
vs
Askenawa
Subponea
Executed
A McNair ShffFee 66 cents
Territory Of Louisiana , District Of St. Louis sct.The United States of America , to the Sheriff of St . Louis
District - Greeting.
You are hereby commanded to summons Thomas Winn Junior & Hypolite
Bolon
that setting aside all
manner of excuse and delay they be and appear
in proper
person before the judges of our Court of Oyer & Terminer on the twelvth
day of
Augustinstantnextat the town of St. Louis , then there
to testify and
the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now
pending in our said court,
wherein The United
States is plaintiff and Askenawa
defendant, on the
part of the United States and have you
then
there this writ.
Witness the honorable John B C Lucas Esquire pre-
siding judge of our said court, at the town of St. Louis , the
ninth day of August in the year of our
Lord, one thousand eight hundred and eleven and of
the Independence of the United States , the thirty sixth Thos F. Riddick Clerk of St. L. D.
District of St Louis
Court of Oyer & Terminer
12th august 1811
vs
Askinawa
Subponea
Executed A McNair Shff
Fee 66 cents
Teritory Of Louisiana , District Of St. Louis sct.The United States of America , to the Sherrif of St . Louis
District-Greeting.
You are hereby commanded to summons Charles Sanguinette & Joseph Wilkenson
that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay they be and appear in proper person before the judges of our Court of oyer & Terminer- on the twelvth
- day of Augustinstantnextat the town of St. Louis , then there to testify and
the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said court,
wherein the United States - is plaintiff and Askenawa -
defendant, on the part of the United States - and have you then there this writ.
Witness the honorable John B C Lucas - Esquire
pre-
siding judge of our said court, at the town of St. Louis , the ninth- day of August- in the year of our
one
thousand eight hundred and eleven
and of the Independence of the United States , the thirty sixth Thos F . Riddick Clerk of St. L.
D.
District of Saint Louis
Court of Oyer & Terminer 12th august 1811-
vs
Askenawa
Subponea
Excuted
A McNair Shff
Fee 66 cents
vs
Askenawa
Indictment
for
murder
A True Bill
Forman
Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Jail delivery held on
the 12th of August 1811 in the Town of St Louis territory of Louisiana
The grand Jurors of the United States of America impanneled and
sworn to inquire for the body of the district of St Louis in the terrtory
of Louisiana and upon their oaths represent that Askenawa an indian
man belonging to the Mascoutan tribe, late of the distract and ter-;
ritory aforsaid, not having the fear of God before his eyes, but
being moved and reduced by the instigation of the devil on the
the twenty seventh day of May in the year of our our lord one
thousand eight hundred and eleven with force and arms in
the district and territory aforsaid in and upon one Othepaya
an Indian woman, in the peace of God and of the United States
then and there being, feloneously, wilfully and of his malice aforthought did make an assault; and that he the said Aske
nawa with a certain arrow of the value of ten cents which
he the said Askenawa in his right hand then and there
had and held, the same Othepaya in and upon the left side
of the neck in or near the Jugular vein of her the said
Othepaya , then and there feloneously, wilfully and of his malice
afor thought did strike and thrust giving to the said Othepaya
then and there with the arrow aforsaid in and upon the left
side of the neck in or near the Jugular vein of her the
said Othepaya one mortal wound of the breath of one
inch and of the depth of six inches of which said mortal
wound in the year aforsaid, in the district and territory
aforsaid, the said Othepaya did instantly die and so
the sworn aforsaid on their oaths aforsaid do present that
the said Askenawa ,the said Othepaya , in manner and
form aforsaid,feloneouslywilfully and of his malice afortho
ght
did kill and murder; Contrary to the form of the
statute in such cases made and provided and against the
peace and dignity of the United States
Tho T Crittenden atto Genl.
Territory Of Louisiana District Of St. Louis sct.The United States of America , to the Sheriff of St . Louis
District - Greeting.
You are hereby commanded to summonsVincent Guion and Christohper
Sanguinett
that setting aside
all manner of excuse and delay they be and
appear in proper
person before the judges of our Court of Oyer
& Terminer on the twenty
sixth day
of Augustinstantnext at the town of St. Louis , then
there to testify and
the truth to say in a certain matter of
controversy now pending in our said court,
wherein The United States is plaintiff and Askenawa
defendant,
on the part of the United States and have you
then
there this writ.
Witness the honorable John B C Lucas Esquire pre-
siding
judge of our said court, at the town of St. Louis , the
twenty second day of august in the year of our
Lord, one thousand eight hundred and eleven and of
the Independence of the United States , the thirty sixth Thos F Riddick Clerk of St . L. D.
St Louis Court of
Oyer & Terminer
August 1811
vs
Askenawa
Subpeona
Vinvent Guion
&
Christophe
Sanguinett
Executed
A. McNair
Sheriff
Service 66
cents
Territory Of Louisiana , District Of St. Louis sct.The United States of America , to the Sheriff of St . Louis
District- Greeting.
You are hereby commanded to summons Horrace Austin
that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay he be and appear in proper
person before the judges of our Court of Oyer & Terminer on the twenty
sixth day of Augustinstantnext at the town of St. Louis , then there to testify and
the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said court,
wherein The United States is plaintiff and Askenawa
defendant, on the part of the United States and have you then
there this writ.
Witness the honorable John B C Lucas Esquire pre-
siding judge of our said court, at the town of St. Louis , the
twenty second day of August in the year of our
Lord, one thousand eight hundred and eleven and of
the Independence of the United States , the thirty sixthThos S. Riddick Clerk of St. L. D.
St Louis County
Court of Oyer & Terminer
August 1811
vs
Askenawa
Subpoena
Horace Austin
Executed
A. McNair Shffservice 33
Territory of Louisiana
District of St louisss.The United States of America to the sheriff of St Louis District
We command you to summons Twenty four-
good and lawful men of your Bailiwick that they be and appear before the court of Oyer and Terminer now sitting in order that
they then servejurors for the body of the district
of St Louis at a court now holding and that they
be and appear forforthwithyou
shall execute this writ and have you then there this writ.
Witness the the hon'l John B C
Lucas
presiding judge of our said
court at St Louis this twenty sixth of
August
one
thousand eight hundred and eleven
and of our
Independence the thirty sixth Thos F Riddick
Clk
of the above order I do return the
following Jurors as summoned to writ
1 Charles
2 David Delanney
3 August P. Chouteau
4 Thomas Brady
5 Charles
6 Peter Didier
7 James Baird
8 Peter Primm
9 Ephraim Tamm
10 Stephen Hempstead
11 John A Bright
12
13 John C Lutty
14 Charles
15 Frederick Weber
16 Robert Armstrong
17
18 William Nelson
19 Peter
20 Fair
21 Thomas
22 Cornelius
23 John Rowser
24 Ezekiel Solomon
A McNair Shff SLD
St.Louis District
court of Oyer & Terminer
vs
Askenawa
Territory of Louisiana
District of Saint Louis sct
The United States of America to the
Sheriff of Saint Louis District
Greeting
We command you to Summons
forty Eight
good and lawful men of your district that
they be and
appear in their proper persons before the judges of our
Court
of Oyer and Terminer on Monday the
second day of
September next at
Oclock
in the forenoon of that
day then and there to
serve as jurors on the trial of a
certain
Bill of Indictment of the United States against
Askenawa
an Indian man of the Mascoutan tribe for
the murder of Othepaya an Indian woman
and
make you due return how you execute this writ and
have you then there this writ
Witness the Honbl JOhn B C Lucas Esquire presi-
ding Judge of our said Court at the town
of Saint Louis aforesaid this twenty-
seventh day of August-in the year
of our Lord one Thousand Eight
hundred and eleven and of
the Independence of the United
States the thirty sixthThos S. Riddick Clk
In obediance to the within order I have summoned
forty Eight men as follows ()
1 Risdon H . Price
2 William
3 John M , Knight.
4 John G
5 Joshua Falkner
6 William Bridger
7 Peter Chouteau Jr
8 Manuel Tison
9 Pascal Cere
10 John JOhn Sappington
11 Joseph Conaway
12 Richard Caulk
13 Joseph Wells
14 Samuel Means
15 Richard Chitwood
16 Seth Chitwood
17 James Dowlin
18 Juthan Rindle
19 Jabes Warner
20 Thomas Mason
21 John Ward
22 Andrew Kinkaid
23 Sherad G Swain
24 Mark Wideman
25 James M . Collock
26 Joseph Carlisle
27 John Chandler
28 David Birk
29 John Lewis
30 James Birnsides
31 John Longser
32 James M , Daniel
33 William Watton
34 Samuel Borrows
35 John Skeggs
36 Joseph Joseph Henderson
37 John John A
38 James Rankin
39 Hyacinth Dehetre
40 Thomas Cartmell
41 Robert A, Smith
42 Benjamin Butterfield
43 Isaac
44 Normond M, Kinsey
45 Christian Witt
46 Alexander Lucas
47 Baptist Lebeau
48 Henry
A McNair Shff
Saint Louis District
Court of Oyer & Terminer
vs
Askenawa
On Saturday about ten O clock in the
forenoon the 31st of August, 1811.
I left a copy of the within Pannel of Jurors with William Sullivan the jailer to deliver to the
Askenawa.
J.W. Thompson
D.Shff
Territory of Louisiana
District of Saint Louis sct.The United States of America
to the Sheriff of Saint Louis
District greeting
We command you that you take and
attach
the body of Antoine
Roubidoux and have him
forthwith before
the court of Oyer and Terminer
now sitting at the
court house in the town
of St Louis within and for the district of
Saint Louis
then and there to answer unto the said court of
and
a concerning a
contempt by him shown said court
in
disobeying a summons duly served on him
for
his appearance before the said as a witness on behalf
of
the United States in a certain prosecution against
Askenawa
an Indian man and have
you then there
this writ
Witness the Honol. John B L Lucas
Esquire presiding judge of our said
court at the town of St Louis
said this third september one
thousand eight hundred and eleven
and of our Independence the
thirty sixth
Thos S Riddick Clk
Excuted
A McNair Shff
Fee $ 1 00
12
44
12
4854
D J Walker
15
33
45
45
495
4884
$4,000
Jury
Jury for
the Body of the
District of St. Louis
District of St. Louis
Wm. O. Allen and Henry M Brakenridge
Counsel
for Askenawa the prisoner
moved. the
Court to be permitted to be permitted now
to answer to
the Indictment of which he stands
changed. Objected to by Thomas T Crittenden the
attorney
general
& after argument the court delivered
their opinion as follows
the
motion before the court is that the prisoner may be permitted to answer the
indictment
He will appear from the
minutes of Monday Last that the prisoner has been already ar
raiged,
that he did stand mute that the plea
of not
guilty has been entered; has this plea been
entered at a proper time and under all the circumstances that the Land
constables
Is the point now to be ? He has been
by the counsel for the prisoner that
the
law provides that the person accused and in
dicted of any
capital offence shall have a
copy
of the indictment and a list of the jury
two entire days at least before the trial, that
this has not been the
case in the present instance
towit
the prisoner had not a copy of the
indictment and a list of the jury
delivered
to him two entire days before he was required
to answer
to the indictment that in conse
quence
of this he had a right not to answer and that no plea could legally be
entered be
entered
for him - the courts of Oyer and
Terminer
in this district and the courts that have been called in this territory by
Commissioner
of the governor in
of a certain Act
of
congress for the trial of Capital offences com