Inquest into the Death of Charlie

The Honble
The Colonial Secretary
of British Columbia

Maple Bay August 10th 1869

Sir,

I have the honor to transmit to you a copy of the proceedings at an Inquest held upon the body of an Indian named Charlie, who was murdered upon a small Island near Salt Spring. The murdered Indian was a hard working industrious man, mostly working for the Settlers at Salt Spring Island and Cowichan. The murder took place through the effects of Whiskey sold to them by a man named Robert Hugh's who for the last year or two has been in the habit of selling whisky to the Indians on the different Islands on this coast, the man owns a small sloop and has only an Indian woman on board with him. I have been unable to put a stop to the traffic as he does not go into any of the White Settlements and keeps moving from one quarter to another. I understand he is now gone over to New Westminster.

Since holding the Inquest an Indian has given information that it was [Tar qua u?], who committed the murder. I have issued a warrant for his apprehension but he is gone away from the Plenelecut [Penelekut] Camp for a time.

I have the honor to be
Sir
your most Obedient Servant

Jno Morley J.P.

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Salt Spring Island
Colony of British Columbia
to Wit

An Inquest Upon the body of an Indian of Chemainus named Charlie, held at house of Mr [Binn?] at Salt Spring Island, on Wednesday the fourth day of August one thousand eight hundred and sixty nine, before me Jno Morley one of Her Majesty's Justices of the peace, acting Coroner, and the following Jury.

Jacob C. Crane, Foreman
Thomas Griffiths
William Smith
William Hutson
Jonathan [Martin?]
James Macfadden

The Jury having been duly sworn proceeded to view the body after which the following witnessess were examined.

Jno Morley J.P.
Acting Coroner

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Salt Spring Island, Wednesday the fourth day of August one thousand eight hundred and sixty nine.

Henry Sampson, being sworn upon his oath saith; I am Constable at Salt Spring Island on Tuesday the third of August last, I was at my own house when an Indian came and told me that another Indian had been murdered. I went with him and saw an Indian in a Canoe on the beach with his throat cut, his head was nearly cut off. There was a woman in the Canoe. I asked her who had done it, she said it was a Plenelecut Indian that had murdered him; she said there was a Sloop near [Galiano?] Island and the murdered man went and bought three bottles of whisky from the man on the sloop. He drank one bottle himself and gave part of the other two bottles to two Plenelecut Indians, who were on the sloop, the murdered man (Charlie) then lay down and went to sleep and one of the Plenelecut Indians had murdered him.

(Signed)
Henry Sampson

Taken and Sworn before
me at Salt Spring Island
the day and the date before
named.
Jno Morley J.P.
Acting Coroner

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Salt Spring Island, Wednesday the fourth day of August one thousand eight hundred and sixty nine.

Kal lak tan, an Indian woman of Chemainus saith, on Monday the second day of August last, I was on [Galiano?] Island my husband Charlie was out on the water catching salmon. I saw a sloop come to the Island. The man on the sloop called to Charlie to come to him. The man on the sloop is named Bob Hugh's. Charlie went on board the sloop and the man gave a small quantity of Whisky. Charlie then came to me and asked for some money to buy whisky with. I would not give the money at first when he [beat?] me, I then gave him three dollars, I then went with him in the Canoe to the sloop and Charlie bought three bottles of whisky for three dollars. We then came back to land. There was two Canoes belonging to the Plenelecut Indians by the side of the sloop when we got to it. After Charlie had bought the whisky he gave the Plenelecut Indians some of it. When we went back to land the other Indians went with us.

When we got to land we drank all the whisky and the other Indian went away. I and Charlie then went a little further off I made a fire and Charlie lay down and went to sleep. I did not go to sleep myself but went a little further off and sat down. When I was sitting there I heard the other two Indians come to Charlie and called him by his name and said get up I am [Tar qua u?]. Charlie said let me alone, leave off. It was quite dark I could not see what they were doing The Plenelecut Indians then went away.

By a Juror I knew it was [Tar qua u?], by his voice. When it was light I went to look at Charlie and found his throat was cut and he was dead. I then put the body into the Canoe and took it over to Salt Spring Island and sent an Indian to tell the Constable.

By a Juror [Tar qua u?] was talking very hard to Charlie when we were going to shore as if there was a hard feeling. I believe there was two Indians came in the night I heard them talking very low together.

To the Bench, The other Indians name was [Quat sa lak?], Charlie was afraid of the Indians and that was the reason we went a little further from their house before we made a fire.

I did not go to sleep all night but went to Charlie as soon as it was light.

(Signed)
Kal lak tan

Taken before me at Salt
Spring Island the day
and the date before named

Jno Morley J.P.
Acting Coroner

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Salt Spring Island Wednesday the fourth day of August one thousand eight hundred and sixty nine.

Finding of the Jury

We find that the deceased Indian named Charlie came to his death by having his throat cut, and we return a Verdict of Wilfull Murder against some person or persons unknown, but we strongly suspect the two Plenelecut Indians, [Tar qua u?] and [Quat sa lak?], were concerned in the Murder,

Signature of the Jury
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Taken before me at
Salt Spring Island the
day and the date
before named

Jno Morley J.P.
Acting Coroner