standing in the yard, without coat, hat or shoes, Major Graves approached me in charge of an Indian and asked if I had been taken. I answered no. He proposed that I should go along with the Indian who had taken him. I replied "no, if you are safe I am satisfied." He passed on and I never saw him afterward. While standing in the snow two or three Indians approached me at different times, and I made signs that the ball I received was still in my shoulder. They shook their heads, leaving the impression that they designed a more horrid death for me. I felt that it would be a mercy to me if they would shoot me down at once, and put me out of my misery. About this time I placed my hand under my vest, and over the severe wound I had received, induced thereto by the cold, which increased my suffering. Another young warrior passed on and made signs that the ball had hardly struck and passed on, to which I nodded assent. He immediately took off a blanket capot (having two) and tied the sleeves around my shoulders and gave me a large red apple. a large red apple. The work of death on the prisoners being well nigh done and the houses fired, he started with me toward Detroit. After going a short distance he discovered my feet were suffering, being without shoes, and he having on two pair of moccasins, pulled off the outer pair, and put them on my feet. Having reached Stony Creek, five miles from the battle ground, where the British. and Indians camped the night before the battle of the 22d of January, their camp fires were still burning, and many had stopped with their prisoners to warm. In a short time I discovered some commotion among them. An Indian tomahawked Ebenezer Blythe, of Lexington. Immediately the Indian who had taken me resumed his march, and soon overtook his father, whom I understood to be an old chief. They stopped by the roadside and directed me to a seat on a log and proceeded to paint me. We reached Brownstown about sundown in the evening, when having a small ear of corn we placed it in the fire for a short time, and then made our supper on it. A blanket was spread on bark in front of the fire and I pointed to lie down. My captor finding my neck and shoulder so stiff that I could not get my head back, immediately took some of his plunder and placed under my head and covered me with a blanket. Many Indians, with several prisoners, came into the council house afterward, and they employed themselves dressing, in hoops, the scalps of our troops. There was the severest thunderstorm that night witnessed at that time of the year. The water ran under the blanket, and the ground being lower in the center around the fire, I awoke sometime before day and

found myself lying in the water, possibly two inches deep, got up and dried myself as well as I could. About daybreak they resumed their march toward Detroit, stopping on the way and painting me again. We reached Detroit about three o'clock in the afternoon, and as we passed along the street a number of women approached us and entreated the Indians not to kill me. Passing on we met two British officers on horse back, and stopped and chatted with the Indians, exulting with them in the victory, to whom the women appealed in my behalf, but they paid no more regard to me than if I had been a dog. I passed the night with the Indians at the house of a white woman in the city, who the next morning asked liberty to give me a cup of tea, with a loaf of bread and butter. In the afternoon the Indians paraded with their prisoners and the trophies, scalps, and marched to the fort. After remaining some time in the guard house where all the prisoners were surrendered but myself, my captors arose to leave with me. When we reached the door the guard stopped me, which seemed to excite the Indians considerably. Major Muir, commanding the fort, was immediately called for, and entered into a treaty for my release. It was said he gave as & ransom for me an old broken down pack horse and a keg of whisky. My Indian captor took affectionate leave of me with a promise to see me again. Let me here say my Indian captor exhibited more the principle of the man and the soldier than all the British I had been brought in contact with up to the time I met Major Muir. The next day the British officers, Hale and Watson, invited me to mess with them so long as I remained in the fort. Three or four days afterward, and the day before our officers, Winchester, Madison and Lewis were to leave for the Niagara river, one of these officers accompanied me across the Detroit river to Sandwich. When passing to the hotel where they were, when I became opposite the dining room door, I saw Major Madison sitting down to supper. The temptation was so strong I entered the door, to the astonishment of the Major and other officers, who supposed I had been murdered with many other prisoners. I am constrained to acknowledge the great mercy of God in my preservation thus far. On the following morning, when arrangements were being made for transportation of officers to Fort George, but none for me, my heart felt like sinking within me at the thought of being left to the care of those I had no confidence whatever in. Providentially a Canadian lieutenant was listening and so soon as all, both British and American officers left the room, nobly came to me and said, "I have a good span of horses and a good carryall. You are welcome to a seat with me." I joyfully accepted his

offer, and I hereby acknowledge that I met in his person a whole souled man and a soldier, through whose kindness, mainly, I reached Niagara river. When I was once more permitted to look on the much loved flag of my country, and paroled and put across the Niagara river on American soil, then, with all my suffering I felt that I could once more breathe freely. I have again to acknowledge the goodness of God in providing for reaching my home and friends, after traveling more than one thousand miles badly wounded, a half ounce ball buried in my shoulder. But I lived to be fully avenged upon the enemies of my country in the battle of the 8th of January, 1815, below New Orleans. I have omitted many minor incidents that were in this communication the writing of which has given great pain in my wounded shoulder.

EARLY SAGINAW CONSTABLES.

BY JUDGE ALBERT MILLER.

[Read at annual meeting, June 12, 1888.]

In the new settlements constables had to be selected from aspirants to political honors, and were not always the best selections that could have been made. Abram Butts was the first person that held that responsible position in the Saginaw district, having been appointed when it was a part of Oakland county. He felt the responsibility of his position as a conservator of the peace, and although of small stature and having a weak body, he was always ready to use what force he had to quell disturbances.

At one time a row commenced in which a man of large size and great strength named Weston was engaged, and Butts not being obeyed when he commanded the peace, nothing daunted, having the strength of the law on his side, if not the physical strength, rushed forward and seized Weston, who with a fling of his arm sent him spinning like a top several feet distant. But as soon as the momentum ceased

Butts was scratching back on his hands and knees and seized Weston by the legs, when the scene became so ludicrous that it put an end to the fight.

Butts was not a learned man but he generally did his business correctly and he retained the office in Saginaw county for many years after it was organized."

John Hall, a Pennsylvanian was elected a constable in Saginaw at an early day and was much puffed up with the honor of his office, and was fond of discussing legal points and of ventilating his knowledge of the law. A party had wrongfully come into possession of some property, and Hall had heard Judge Riggs say that it might be recovered by the rightful owner by recaption. He heard another group discussing the subject and wondering how the matter would be solved. "Oh, that is easy enough," says Hall, "the property can be taken by reaction."

He liked to tell of his official doings, and one afternoon he said to Seth Willey, "I have just leveled on old Brown's oxen." Willey says to him, "How could you levy on Brown's oxen, you have not been out of the village today?" "Oh, I did it by virtue of a writ of (a queer name which I have forgotten) by which I can take property where it is not just as well as where it is." On making his returns he would state, "By virtue of the within execution I have leveled on the property of the defendent," and sign "John Hall, con-stibil." He was sure to dot his i's, so that careless readers would not mistake the letters and accuse him of misspelling his words.

Butts and Hall have long since been summoned to appear before the Judge of all the earth. Peace be to their ashes.

A TRIAL FOR PETIT LARCENY.

William Macdonald, who was trading in the old red store at Saginaw city about the years 1844 and 1845, was the owner of a finger ring which he highly prized, for aside from its intrinsic value, which was considerable, he valued it on account of its having been a present from Ramsey Crooks, the great American fur trader who was known in commercial circles fifty years ago from the Atlantic to the Pacific. One morning when there were a number of men in the store, Mr. Macdonald took off his ring and laid it on the counter while he went into the back room to wash himself; when he returned the ring was missing. He kept quiet about his loss thinking that the best course to pursue. Not long afterwards a girl employed at Jewett's hotel, in talking with a friend on the subject of rings, told her she expected a present of a

beautiful one from the young man to whom she was engaged to be married. When the present was made and exhibited it proved to be Macdonald's ring. The donor was Rob, the youngest son of a family. living in the vicinity. Circumstances were so strong against him that he was arrested and held to answer to the charge of petit larceny. Rob's arrest caused quite a commotion in the family circle; and on the day of trial the whole family, father, mother, and brothers were early in town to await the result.

There were two practical jokers in town who always calculated to extract some fun from every transaction, no matter how grave the subject that was in hand. So Seth Willey and Harry Campbell met the family on their arrival in town and descanted on the importance of the trial, telling the father and mother of Rob that they would be called on to testify in the case, and if they were not familiar with the proceedings in courts of justice they had better go with them to a private room and have a rehearsal of what they would be called upon to testify in court. Harry Campbell claiming to be an expert in all matters pertaining to a criminal trial.

After calling up Rob's father Harry told

him he would be sworn in court and he must answer the questions he should put to him just as he would on oath.

Q. Is your son obedient and respectful to his parents?

A. Yes, always obedient and never gives me a saucy word.

Q. What is his character for honesty?

A. He has always been a good, honest boy; I never knew him 'to steal anything before.

Rob. "Hain't stole nothin' now, you

old fool, you!"

One of Rob's brothers said, "Mr. Willey, Rob never stole that ring mor'n God made the world!"

The time for the trial came, the court was opened, a jury empanneled and the trial proceeded. Witnesses were called to testify as to the presence of Rob in the store at the time the ring was missed. Some swore positively to his presence, describing his dress and the position in which he stood leaning against the counter near where the ring was laid; others equally positive, naming all the others that were in the store, said that Rob was not present at the time. I sat at the trial and assisted in examining the witnesses and became satisfied that witnesses might honestly he mistaken in testifying to what they saw, and believed they knew. I was in the store the morning in question. and very well remembered Rob's presence, but did not recall the presence of some of the witnesses who testified that they were there. A