Told by the Pioneers - Washington Secretary of State

Told
by the Pioneers
the Indians as the one whose life should pay forfeit for the loss of
their chief. They had seen Dr. Kellogg in Port Gamble, and his \\"elldressed
appearance and the respect with which he was treated bv his
friends gave them the impression that he was a big chief among the
whites; and they decided to secure his scalp as a fitting revenge for
the death of their own favorite leader. They knew, however, it would
be wise to postpone until their next yisit the ,oengeance they had sworn
to have.
They came back to Pug-et Sound the next year, according to their
custom, carrying in their bosoms an undying hatred of the people who
had killed their tyee. Dr. Kellogg at that time owned the lalld at Admiralty
Head, opposite Port Townsend, and here the Indians who
sought his scalp landed from their canoes and pitched their camp,
hoping to put a bullet through the doctor within a short time. They
were disappointed in this, however, for tbe doctor was not at that
time on the island. The Judians were determined to get revenge, however,
without further delay; and determined to take the life of someone
else who was held ill as high esteem among the whites as their ehid
had been held in their tribe. They were camped at the Head for "e,oeral
days, but were driven away by a number of us settlers 011 ae('ount
of the fear among our families; and their tents then were pitched at
a little lake some distance from their first camp.
The Indians kept well filled with whiskey ill order to he read~' to
commit any crime, and began to look about for soml' one worth killing.
They seldom talked to the whites, and were surly even when we tried
to make friends with thC'm. One day a couple of Indians met Tom
Hastie, and pointing' out Colonel Ebey, who was at work in a field a
short distance away, they asked if he were a "tYee." !Ill". Ha:-tie
• • •
thoughtlessly replied: "Yes, he is a hyas tyee." (Big chief.)
About 11 0 'clock that night, the Indians left one squaw to look after
the canoes and to haye ewrything in readiness for a quick flight. The
warriors took positions along the trail leading to CoL Ebey's house,
and those nearest began making a great disturbance. This was ('011­
tinued until CoL Ebe~- came out of the house, to quell the disturball('e.
--\ shot was fired at him, and he seized an axe-handle and undertook
to drin the Indians awa\,.
•
Another shot took off the fingers from his
right hand and he called out: "'Vhat do vou want Y" "We want ~'Ol1r
•
head!" came the answer in jargon (this was afterward related by
Mrs. Ebey), and the colonel rushed back to the window of his house
to say something' to his wife. As he leaned against the window pane,
a bullet struck him in the side and he had just time to rush around
to the front porch where he fell, dead, at his own door.
United States Marshal George A. Corliss and his wife were stop-
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