Prior to Western assimilation, Osage mourning rituals could last upwards of a year after a relative's death. However, the time required could be shortened if a mourner's relative ran a quest to obtain a scalp from an enemy tribe. A warrior fulfilling the scalp bounty would strip naked and paint himself black, fearlessly attacking an innocent enemy. Because the custom had nearly ended, the story of the last scalp bounty became a touchstone of forgotten Osage beliefs. The Osage informed Indian agents that the group responsible is called a "mourning party," and "they must have a certain number of scalps before they can stop marauding." A June 1873 newspaper had this explanation of the ritual:
The trial narrative The following is a synopsis of an article published in 1875 about the Osage-Wichita feud over the death of Chief Esadowa, "An Osage Murder Trial," from
Aboriginal Fragments, W.W. Reach. Published in the
Bucks County Gazette on September 9, 1875. The events happened in the summer 1873. : Indian agent Richards for the Wichitas began a communication with Superintendent Hoag about the arrest and punishment of the mob that killed their chief. Around this time, a payment was due the Osage as part of the 1870 treaty. The annuities would be paid to individual tribesmen. It was during this meeting that the Osage agent and then Assistant Superintendent Beede discussed the offense with Governor Joe, Joseph Pawnee-no-pashe. : Joseph was willing to have the men tried, but in an Indian court under their own rules, not a court of the U.S. government, and he had already secured the familiar Cherokee legal team of Colonels Adair and Vann. Joseph defended the men involved in the incident by explaining that their motives were completely honorable, having performed the act out of a behest of the
Great Spirit, who was in control of the destinies of both the slayer and the slain. The one who had done the killing had been prompted in a dream from the Great Spirit to kill the next person he saw. : In Governor Joe's explanation to the white men, Chief Esadowa had been less victim than part of the plan of God, to which both should be obedient. While making this matter-of-fact and cordial explanation to the assembled Osage and members of the Indian commission, a delegation of fifty warriors of the Wichita Agency arrived unexpectedly, being led by Chief Esadowa's brother. : Esadowa's brother demanded satisfaction from the Osage for the crime, and if his demands were not met, he would formally declare war. In the interim between the murder and the confrontation, the Wichita, outnumbered 10 to 1 by the Osage, had made several alliances with tribes, all of whom were willing to "dig up the hatchet" and engage once again in the warfare that they had all set aside. They would also denounce the Osage as traitors and assassins. Esadowa's brother showed the alliance paperwork to those present. : The trial occurred the next day against the Osage Nation. The killer and parties responsible for the killing were not on trial and not named at this time. 1,000 Osages were present. Governor Joe, Chief Hard Rope, Chief Che-to-pah, and the two Cherokee lawyers defended the Osage. Esadowa's brother was joined by two or three other chiefs for the Wichitas. Beede represented the government. : Esadowa's brother opined that he was not there to provide proof, as the facts were well-known and not in dispute. He demanded punishment of the criminals and indemnity for the slain Chief's family. : Che-to-pah responded with the defense of an act of God - the perpetrators did not perform a criminal act, as they had acted on the command of the Great Spirit. They could therefore not receive any punishment. He protested the uninvited invasion of the Osage camp, the haughty message, and the Osage were not afraid of big words. He demanded that the Wichita be forced to provide proof of an offense, and then they could discuss indemnity for the widow. : Esadowa's brother accused the Osage Governor of trying to deny the murder when it was certain that the act had been performed by a small band of Osage men. If he denied it with a
forked tongue, the Wichita would leave and defend their honor in a war of revenge. : This prompted a lengthy conference amongst the Osage leaders and the two Cherokee counsel. Col. Adair replied in much the same manner, telling those assembled that the Osage would not be bullied by words or the show of strength, but rather were interested in justice. They admit that the chief's brother was due something, but on the matter of the offense, there was no proof of Osage wrongdoing, and without that established as fact, there can be no reparations. : With the Wichita on the brink of refusing to debate, Governor Joseph Pawnee-no-pashe sued for peace: : This speech made both sides happy. Col. Adair followed this up by saying that the Osages as a tribe were willing to admit having caused the death of Chief Esadowa. But the warrior's actions would not to be punished, as he had no criminal motive. If the unnamed tribesman, in a religious fervor, had mistaken a divine command, then the events were unfortunate, not criminal. The Osages would make reparation in money and horses. : This prompted a lengthy debate of the Wichitas to determine if they accepted this nuance, and if so to carefully make their demands reasonable and acceptable to their own honor. Such a deal was effectively a money for blood agreement, and it was not an easy decision. Esadowa's brother decided to take the offer, as "The Wichitas are treading the white man's road, and have buried the hatchet so many grasses ago that it has now grown rusty." : He asked for $1000 in money, 20 horses, and $500 in "annuity goods," i.e. the kinds provided by the U.S. government on a yearly basis. He also had to deal with the matter of mourning his brother, whose bloodshed he believed required the death of his murderer. "The shade of the fallen chief will mourn that it is not accompanied by the dreary shade of the Osage warrior at whose hands he fell." : After more negotiations, the agreed upon reparations were $2 per family head, annuity goods $300, and just 6 ponies, the latter paid by the Governor himself. The matter of payment was ingenious. The gathering of Osages was supposed to be for the U.S. government to pay the Osages their allotments. That gave the assistant Superintendent Beede the opportunity to hand out each and every tribe member his annuity payment, announcing after each allotment: "...and two dollars for the Wichitas" as he placed the money in the fund for them.
Retrospectives and 20th century scalp lore with Earle and Trailer working Tucker's herd. Two of Chambers's companions survived the ordeal by driving off the Osage with guns. He and eight companions including Bill Conner went to the mouth of Turkey Creek on the
Cimarron River in 1874 [sic], seeking an enemy to scalp. earlier evidence (e.g. by Col. Norton and other reports of the killing of cattleman Ed Chambers) and further rumors persisted that it was not. Jane's recollection was the Connor became a renegade, avoiding the Osage Agency at Pawhuska. and had a favorite story about Osages battling Cherokees in Oklahoma, returning with many scalps. ==Notes==