Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-06-28
THE MURDER OF GEN. CANDY.

Uen. "A. Is. Meacham, Ieace CoWmls-
sioner to the Modocs, who is how Aso.
journing mt the residence of his father
in Iowa City, has been interviewed by
n reporter of the Des Moines Register,
to whom he furnished an interesting and
explicit account of the murder of Gen.
Candy and DIR. Thomas, embracing
some important details not heretofore
given to the public. Gen. Meacham
had had many years experience among
the Indians, and especially with those
on the Pacific coast, and in the morning
before the party started ON their fatal
mission, he objected strongly to that
course, urging that the warnings utter
ed by "Toby," Modoc squaw, and
wife of the interpreter Riddle, should
not be disregarded. To DR.. Thomas he
especially stated that it would result in
death if they should so out unarmed
and unaccompanied by troops. DR..
Thomas, who was an enthusiast on the
peace policy, replied that if Providence
had doomed him to death by such
means, he desired no better fate. Gen.
Meacham responded that he could die
as game as any Methodist preacher, or
any other man, and they marched out
to their fate. Gen. Candy apprehended
no danger when they started. Natural
ly of a contiding disposition, and per-
suaded by the eloquence of DIR. Thomas,
he thought the Modocs were really de-
sirous of peace nor did he think differ
emily until moment before he was
shot. Candy said the Indians were
treacherous, but would not dare to at
tack them in the immediate vicinity of
SO many troops.
Gen. Meacham states that the COM
missioners were seated in the Modoc
camp, Capt. Jack nearest to Candy, and
Boston-the Charley has been attached
to it unauthorizedly by some newspaper
correspondents to Meacham
The latter was watchful and constantly
suspicious of treachery. A short time
after the conference began he saw Capt.
Jack inspecting the horses they had
ridden from the Government camp, and a
moment later Hooka Jim took Meach-
ans overcoat from the saddle, and
throwing it around his shoulders, said :
"I'm Meacham now.' At the same
time Capt. Jack tied the commissioners
horses to some trees and then returned
to the council. Scarcely had he reach
ed Canby's side before two armed In
dians rushed toward them from rock
near by, behind which they had been
concealed. Candy sprang to his feet
and said: "Capt. Jack, what does
this mean?" Jack pulled revolver
from under his blanket, placed it at Can
by's breast-almost touching him-and
fired. Candy fell dead, and Schonchin
John instantly shot Gen. Meacham. The
General turned to run, and the three In
dians then commenced to fire at him.
He was shot in the right hand, the left
arm, the forehead, and back of the ear
Scarcely had he fallen before Hooka
Jim came up and commenced to scalp
him. The savage had cut his head half
way around, from his left ear to the
back of his head, when he was fright
ened away by a cry of soldiers" ut
tered by the squaw Toby-the same one
that warned them of danger before they
left camp. Meantime the General had
been stripped, and the clothes and eff
fects We're taken away. At that time
there were about sixty-fve Modocs with
Jack, the greatest number that he had
any time since the difficulties COM
menced Not more than fifteen minutes
elapsed between the time of the murder
of Candy and the arrival of the troops.