Ahan was a powerful chief related to the Tsilhqot’in First Nations group.
1 Ahan, with his relative
Sutas, entered
Bute Inlet to attack a group of men employed in the creation of a road.
2 A year later, during a prolonged winter that caused a lack of food among the First
Nations groups, Ahan and
Sutas travelled to
Bella Coola with expensive furs to make peace between the groups for their involvement in the
massacres.
3 Mr. Moss along with ten
Bella Coola First Nations captured Ahan and
Sutas and took them to prison.
4 During the trial, Ahan admitted to inflicting the final shot in the death of McDougal
but stated that they were pressured into conducting the attack by the great
Chief Klatsassin, who threatened them with death.
5 At the end of the trial,
Mr. Brew found Ahan guilty of first degree murder in the deaths of
Macdonald,
Higgins, and McDougal. He had Ahan executed on
18 July 1865 for these crimes.
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