The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-14

could be entered into, other circumstances occurred
that deferred the Indians from coming in at the ap-
pointed time. If they did not come In, the was
10 be renewed. Gen. Lane thought the Indians were
excasabe in not coming in some of his men thought
otherwise, and were for renewing the war. The
reader may form his opinion from the following
facts, unprecedented in the history of American
wars:-
The emigration Of 46 was the FIRST that ever passed
by the southern route into the Willamette valley.
An account Of the origin Of this route may be found
small party of that emigration encamped on o clear
beautiful little trout stream, about forty miles from
where Jacksonville now stands down Rogue river.
Mss ,uuo member 81 this young and in
hardship OF emigration, succeeded in getting thus
far on her way in search of home in the Far West
But, aviStim TO consumption, here, amid the bold
hills that the aI.nst unerrng characteristic Of
under the shade OF an oak, not fifty yards from where
Bates and Turgood now keep, they buried her, and
called the creek that Cows paar by Grave Creek.
hsz we're ug up BY the Indians as soon as
gers them again and again, yet they were as
Gen removed, and no one has ever passed by and
found the grave closed until the affair am going to
relate closed 1t up for ever.
a party OF Indians, formerly thirty or forty in
number, but since reduced to ten or eleven, have
owned and claimed this valley from the time it was
first known TO the whites, and have, since the naul-
ing Of The creek, been called the Grave Greek Indi-
| ans. They were an outcast band made up of the
outlaws OF all the other tribes in this country. In
early times, when the country vas only visited by
trappcrs, they were great annoyance to the peo-
| pie sent out In that capacity by the Hudson Bay
| Company. When the emigration took this direction
they were terror to all small parties, killing and
stealing the cattle where they feared to attack tn
men; and this constant war so reduced their humble
that they had but eleven warriors previous to thi,
outbreak. Tupru Bill and another Of their party
| were implicated by the confession of John Taylor
Bates raised party Of whites and guided by his pc
Indian-also o Grave Creek-ho came unon them in
the mountains, and succeeded in capturing all ofthem
except Tupru Bill. The Implicated Indian was
hung and the others leased 1.ion that Tupru
| Bill should be given up. His head was brought in
soon after treaty was then entered into by Bates
with these 1ndians hewas to protect them, aud they
were to disturb the whites no more. They came and
| settled near him, and Were quietly and peaceably
disposed, when man by the name of Owens infring-
ed upon the treaty by wahtony shooting one of them
one day as he was passing, having occasion to dis
charge bis gum Owens is miner, but has had suffi-
cent influence among set of his own stamp toraise
company Of thirty men. In the interval between
the death of this Indian and the outbreak at Jackson
vile, house on Low Creek was burnt and the bo.
dies of its two Inhabitants were found in the smoul-
derng ruins. AS the Grave Creeks had moved away
from Bates they were charged with this affair, as it
occurred only twelve miles from Bates stand. Either
they were not guilty, or to lu suspicion, perhaps,
they returned and encamped near Bates again.
Bates aud his party, under pledges Of friendship and
protection succeeded in taking four of the remaining
| eight Grave Greeks prisoners. Owens raised his
company OF thirty men Immediately on the alarm at
Jacksonville, and came down to Grave Creek on the
same day. aud after Bates had taken these four
prisoners. He Immediately took the matter into his
own hands. He sent his men up, surrounded the In
dian camp, and shot the only Indian in 1.-THE other
three were out hunting. Their return was patiently
awaited, and as they came in with their game upon
their backs they were fired upon; one was killed. and
the other two ran away, though supposed to be
wounded. They uttered the war cry as they escaped,
and thus communicated the state Of affairs to the
prisoners In Bates house. One Of them burst his
bonds, and Selling shovel, attacked the guard and
seserey injured man by the name of Frizze on the
hand. FrizzeI finally shot him through the body
they were, among them Bates pet, who had been in
in his employ all summer The six dead Indians
we're then thrown into the open grave where Miss
Croy was buried, and covered up, and as they were
undoubtedly the decorators of her tomb it is closed
forever and they have had the satisfaction that is
allowed to few-of digging their own graves. A man
by the name of Adams, one OF the participators,
bought little boy OF ten years. for $50, from one Of
Owens men, and has taken him into Willamette val
ley. The women made their escape that night, and
they, well as the two Indians who escaped, have
not cen heard Of since. This is the story Of the
Grave Creeks, as heard it from Bates and Turgood,
and Others
Whilst stopped at Bates man by the name of
johnson was pointed out to me the leader in this
affair: He was very unprepossessing person. SLOW
emily dressed in an old hickory shirt and ragged pan
falcons, and shoes without socks. His old slouched
hat concealed the principal his unshaven coun
tenance, in consequence of very low recedng fore
/
his cold gray eyes were sunk very deep in his head
could not tell which. Without passion without ex.
preston in his dark features he stood with his hands
in his pockets and his back braced against the wall,
and told his story
News Of the outbreak at Jacksonville reached the
mines on Illinois river twenty thirty miles below
Bates and they Immediately "forked up at John
sons house, on Rogue river. About thirty white men
were collected there and directed by johnson. they
convened about twenty-five warriors Of the TAYLOR
Indians at their fort under pretence Of making
and TO lul suspicion the whites hal concealed Their
arms under the beds in the fort. When they were
all busly eating about the fires between the fort and
the river they fell upon them, and eighteen out of
facts as related by johnson. He did not enter into
particulars / asked him ii they had done damage
below and it appeared that they had not participated
so they killed them.
John Taylor had SON named Jim, who separated
himself from his fathers peaple, and had Joined the
John. Previous to the conclusion Of the treaty
i Capt. Bob Williams with his company was sent to
up the Indians on this creek and bring them to
an engagement: Williams is man very much after
Capt. Owens stamp, but has also the reputation of
being great Indian fighter. AS soon as the treaty
was concluded General Lane sent an order to Capt.
w. to report himself at headquarters. For some
reason the order never reached him. second order
was sent, but the bearer was bribed by the oppo-
nents OF the treaty not to deliver It, Williams CON
tinued in the mountains Notwithstanding that the
uedty WdS CUDCluuSu u IacL Luat no knew JnOug0
he may not have known it officially, for he was in
daily communi ,ation with Hostead's ferry, where
the disbanded troops were every day passing with
the news. Meanwhile the Indians were making
every effort to get on the north side Of Rogue river,
to General Lanes headquarters 70 be present ut the
treaty. Finally the Indians brought the news that
Williams had killed Jim Taylor. Their account made
/ 1t an infamous affair.
Williams had an interpreter and guide, who passed
by the sonbriquet Of Flick, who knows the country
and the Indians, and with their tongue
| he is half-breed. With his assistance they found
high up in a mountain side, and Williams was in the
valley. Flick represented the party as miners, that
/ they come f:om General Lane with power to treat
with them that they wanted them to come down and
do SO, so that they could 60 to work. aud they might
carry on the war with all other whites ifthey chose
| They offered them plenty to eat bat the Indians
were cautions and wonld not come down; they knew