, 1866-03-16
THE wuITMAN MASSACRE.


ENRON SrArEsMAS .-In your last issue ! no.
tiee Mr.. Spanlding has given public palpable
Observation-Disclosures in regard to the unfortunate
nerson Mr. Hall. who escaped the bloody mas
score At Wauiletpu on the 29th November, lS47i
doing me thereby injustice, and rejecting against
nv character, and which l consider incumbent
on me to rectify; the more so, as some OF your
readers NAV not know the particulars, not only
in regard to this man, but also Mr.. and Mrs. Os-
borne and child.
To commence: The gentleman asserts that
% Mr. Hall that night found his way to Fort Walla
Walla, but was turned out, put over the Column
bia river, and has never been heard from since.
It is said he was Immediately killed by the ln-
dians. There we're in the fort, besides the gen.
tleman in charge, about twenty white men, in
Guiding some ten Catholic priests. 1t is re-
ported that the children of Mr.. Hall, after their
arrival at the fort, cav the pants, cap and sash
of their father" I am not ashamed to own
that was the person in charge. Instead OF
twenty men, / had bnt FIVE including the linguist;
and instead of ten Catholic priests, there was
not single one5khen Mr. Hall arrived and de-
parted. The above slanderous charges leave
the public to infer that we (self men and priests
were accessory to the crime. Each and every
accusation as above stated, do solemnly aver
to be uncharitaRy false, malicious and without
foundation. The plain fact of the case is sim
ply as follows: Mr.. Hall arrived on the morning
shirt and cap, having no coat and being dripping
wet He is the person who gave me the first
intimation of what had taken place at Wauiletpu.
As soon as he made Bis appearance at the es-
tablishment, far from refusing him admittance, l
took him Into my private room, and observing
blood on his face, asked him if he was wound
ed He replied in the negative, but said that as
he got into the brush when escaping, the In
dians fred upon him, the ball striking some
branches, pieces of which struck him in the
face. He appeared much excited and uneasy.
After he had washed himself and taken some
refreshment, he requested me 10 allow him to
hide himself in the garret, remarking that he
was afraid the Indians would kill him if discOY-
cred. I told him he might do so, but was sure
he was safe with us. lie finally resolved to
leave and make for the DAlles. l remarked to
him that it was rash and imprudent; that ex-
pected shortly reinfOrcements from Vancouver.
The fort being enclosed, doors locked day and
night and fortified with two bastons, he would
be safer in it than he would be on the open
plain. My arguments had no force. | then
asked him if he had left wife and children at
the Mission. He replied he had, but supposed
them all killed. l observed that it was only q
supposition - they might still be living, and
that it was wrong to leave them without ascer-
tanning their fate. With tears in his eyes, he
begged and entreated me to let him go, being
sure-to reach the Dalles. Finding he was de-
termined, provided him with a coat shirt, pro-
visions, and other necessaries for his voyage,
and advised him to take the route less frequented
by the Indians, (across the Columbia river) and
to travel only during the night, when be would
have betteS chance of eyaAng any Indian
camp by noticing their fire. | saw him safely
across, and the last tidings | had of him was,
that he had safely reached few miles within
the Deschutes; but unfortunately having takenia
canoe from the Indians, and being a rapid,
he run down and was drowned. The above
! facts were communicated to the Commissioners,
Messrs Lee, Palmer and Newell (who accompa-
MED Col Guiham' 5 fOrce) their arrival at
| Fort Walla Walla, which appeared to give them
! satisfaction. The unfortunate man met with his
| premature death by not taking my advice. He
| could have been saved by remaining in the fort,
| as | wished him to do, as were Nj. Osborne and
his family. Now, the question will naturally
| arise, How came the pants, cap and sash of the
deceased to be inside of the fort? This is an
| enigma, which shall leave to Mr. Spauding and
his informers to solve. This | know, that he
left withsthe same clothing he had when he ar
rived and that he never, to my knowledge, re-
turned to the fort; and although on the spot,
never heard that he had been killed by the In
dians or others. Eighteen years have elapsed,
and for the first time Mr.. Spaulding comes out
with the discovery.
The next who came for protection was Mr.. Os-
| borne, carrying child on his back. received
him with the same hospitality as | had received
| Mr.. Hall-gaye him medicines, provisions (such
as l used myself and such clothing as he re-
quested Learning that he had left his wife
with babe half way to Wauiletpu, | requested
him to go back for them; tnat | would provide
! him with faithful guide and horses, after he
| should have eaten and taken a rest. What was
my surprise when he declined doing so! he re-
marking that " she must be dead by this time "
1t was only by diEt of argument that prevailed
l instructed the guide to protect him at the risk
of his life, should he fall in with any hostile In
| dians, and on no account to turn back without
the wife and child. They had proceeded some
| distance, when again Mr.. 0sborne's heart failed
him aud he requested the guide to return, who
positively refused alleging that l instructed
| him not to do so without the wife and child
The guide then told him to remain where he
was and he would 60 ahead in search of fLeno
! lie had not gone more than a couple If milas
riding at good speed right and left anon, tbo
ge-brush-when the poor, helpless woman in
voluntarily screamed, which orouobt the cuide
to her. He Pacifed her, assuring her that he
was her friend, ard that her husband was close
| Uy' re brought the three safe and sound to
'he -ort. 1t afforded me great pleasure to re-
I store to Mr.. Osborne his wife and infant, which
must have been inevitably lost if / had listeue
to him. But this man, among others, has shown
himself ungrateful'for my services.
| | may also add, without exaggeTation, what
ever others may have done with the same view
and intention, that gave material help to the
captiyes-women and children-kept by the In
! dians at Wauiletpu, among whom was Mr..
! Spaulding's own daughter and saved them from
a horrible massacre. Having been apprised
that on a certain day these helpless women and
children were to be inhumanly butchered, i'm
medately ordered the interpreter, accompanied
by Indian, to repair to Wauiletpu with all
dispatch, and to tell the chief, Teloquoit, that
his young men had already gone too far by kill
ing DR.. Whitman, his lady and the rest that
| they had acted cruel and cowardly part, and
that wanted him to spare the poor women and
children. When my messenger arrived, Indian
women, armed with knives and other imple-
ments of war ,-Tere already assembled near the
house where the capttves were, awaiting the or
der of the chief, Teloquoit, who was present.
On being Informed of my request, he hung down
his head and paused; then with a wave of his
hand peremptorily ordered the women away
these abusing him and calling him coward.
For each and all of these services am this day
handsomely rewarded. Such is the way of man
In conclusion, permit me, Mr.. Editor, to apol-
ogize for having trespassed at such length on