The Fort Dearborn Massacre: Written in 1814 by Lieutenant Linai T. Helm, One of the Survivors, with Letters and Narratives of Contemporary InterestHelm, Linai T. (Linai Taliaferro)
History
The Fort Dearborn Massacre: Written in 1814 by Lieutenant Linai T. Helm, One of the Survivors, with Letters and Narratives of Contemporary Interest
Helm, Linai T. (Linai Taliaferro)
Fort Dearborn Massacre, Chicago, Ill., 1812; Massacre survivors -- Illinois -- Chicago
By degrees, Mr. Kinzie established still more remote posts, all
contributing to the parent post at Chicago; at Milwaukee, with the
Menominee; at Rock River with the Winnebago and the Potowatomi; on the
Illinois River and the Kankakee with the Prairie Potowatomi; and with
the Kickapoo in what was called "Le Large," the widely extended district
afterwards converted into Sangamon County. He was appointed Sub-Indian
Agent and Government Interpreter, and in these capacities rendered
valuable service.
About the year 1810, a Frenchman named Lalime was killed by John Kinzie
under the following circumstances: Lalime had become insanely jealous of
Mr. Kinzie's success as a rival trader, and was unwise enough to
threaten to take Kinzie's life. The latter only laughed at the reports,
saying "Threatened men live long, and I am not worrying over Lalime's
wild talk." Several of his stanchest Indian friends, however, continued
to warn him, and he at last consented to carry some sort of weapon in
case Lalime really had the folly to attack him. He accordingly took a
carving knife from the house and began sharpening it on a grindstone in
the woodshed.
Young John stood beside him, much interested in this novel proceeding.
"What are you doing, father?" he asked.
"Sharpening this knife, my son," was the reply.
"What for?" said John.
"Go into the house," replied his father, "and don't ask questions about
things that don't concern you."
A few days passed. Nothing happened; but Mr. Kinzie carried the knife.
Mrs. Kinzie's daughter by her first marriage was now seventeen years
old, and was the wife of Lieutenant Linai Thomas Helm, one of the
officers stationed at Fort Dearborn, and Mr. Kinzie frequently went
over there to spend the evening. One very dark night he sauntered over
to the fort, and was just entering the inclosure, when a man sprang out
from behind the gate post and plunged a knife into his neck. It was
Lalime. Quick as a flash, Mr. Kinzie drew his own knife and dealt Lalime
a furious blow, and a fatal one. The man fell like a log into the river
below. Mr. Kinzie staggered home, covered with blood from the deep
wound.
The late Gurdon S. Hubbard, in a letter to a grandson of John Kinzie's,
gives the following account of the affair:
143 Locust St., Chicago, Ill.,
Feb. 6th, 1884.
Arthur M. Kinzie, Esq.,
My Dear Sir,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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