Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-05-24
The MOdOc Massacre.
What an Eye-witness says About the Sal
Affair.

what an Eye-wItnsss says About the Sad
AFFAIR.
A letter from the lava beds gives
us some additional details of the sad
death of Gen. Candy and his associates
at the hands of the Modocs. The let
ter says:
The day before the massacre Boston
Charley and Bogus Charley both came
into camp and made arrangements for
the meeting of the succeeding day.
They arranged to meet at a spot about
half a mile from our camp, near the
edge of the second inlet on the lake.
Two meetings had been held on the
same spot, and wall tent was kept
pitched on the ground, so as to give
shelter in case of rain. This little fiat,
covered with bunch grass and loose
scoria, that has since become notorious
as the scene of the massacre, was hid
from our camp by some intervening roll
ing and broken ground, but was in full
view of the signal station on the bluff,
at our backs.
Early Friday morning, the day of the
massacre, lobe, Riddles squaw, came
to Mr.. Meacham and beseeched him not
to go out, as she was certain the Indians
meant to kill them. She said that the
last time she had been in their camp on
a message William, Wild Gals man, ran
alongside of her horse as she was leav-
ing and told her that the Modocs were
talking bad, and meant to kill all the
men at the next talk. Mr.. Meacham
then went to General Candy and the
other Commissioners and told them this
story, but neither General Candy nor
General Gillem nor DIR. Thomas would
put any credence in the statement. Mr.
Dyar felt somewhat like Mr.. Meacham,
and said that he could not see what lobe
had to gain by lying on such subject.
General Candy said that he looked in
the matter in another light, and could
not see howthe Indians would help their
case by numbering them, with so many
troops on each side of them it would
be only precipitating war which they
were anxious to avert. Mr.. Meacham
then called John Fairchild and asked
him to sound Bogus Charley and see if
he could find anything out of him.
Fairchild had long talk with Bogus,
getting quietly at the point, but could
get no more information. Bogus asked
Fairchild if he was going out with the
Commissioners, and, receiving an
answer in the negative, then said every
thing would be all right; Captain Jack
hurt no one." When DR.. Thomas heard
the story he went to Bogus, an Indian
to whom he had taken rather a fancy,
and asked him if there was anything in
the story, and, very naturally, Bogus
denied it, saying it was squaw yam.
DR.. Thomus then said he was satisfied
that the Indians meant no treachery,
and that he should go, as he felt certain
that the God in whom he trusted would
guard over him while he went on such
mission.
After some reluctance and with evil
dent misgivings as to the result, Messrs
Meacham and Dyar consented to go
and the party were preparing to star
when Riddle called them all into Genera
Gillem's tent and said: Gentlemen, J
want you to hold me blameless if any
harm comes to you to-day, as I fee
confident thats the Modocs mean NJ
good. They will not shoot me because
[ am married to one of their tribe, bu
greatly fear they have treacherous in
tentions." Generals Candy and Gillen
rather laughed at his fears, and tn,
, party finally started on their mission
from which two never came back alive
just before leaving, Boston Charlie,
asked Mr.. Dyar's permission to tie
bag of provisions on his horse, O favo
which was granted. The party consist
ed Of General Candy, Dr. Thomas, Bos
ton and Bogus Charley, on foot, ant
? Mr.. Meacham, Mr.. Dyar, Riddle ant
! his squaw, lobe, on horseback. Gen
eral Gillem did not go, as he was on tn
! sick list, having been in the doctor
hands for the past three days.
They all walked quietly toward tn
rendezvous and arrived there withou
any incident of Importance occurring
but it was noticed that Boston Charlie
{ stopped behind them little and locke
t about as if to see that there were II
e soldiers about. General Candy and tn
: Peace Commissioners, when they al
e rived at the tent, were shortly after
/. wards joined by Captain Jack, job
e Schonchin, Shack Nasty Jim, Hawke
a Jim, Ellen's Man and Black jim. Th
/. party finally sat down in a kind {
a broken circle. General Candy So
n facing the west, with Meacham on hi
t left. DR.. Thomas sat to the left of Nj
e Meacham, little back, and adioinin
= him were Riddle and his squaw. Cal
n tain Jack sat nearly opposite GenerI
Candy, with Schonchin, Black Jim an
Ellen's Man on his left, and on h
right were Mr.. Dyar, Shack Nasty jim
n Hawker Jim and Boston Charley. NJ
q Dyar was standing alongside of JAG
: during the conference, holding h.
horse, and Mr.. Meacham's was tied
little in his rear. Bogus Charley We
e not sitting down, but kept movin
! about in q restless manner. MI
# Meacham opened the talk in q Ion
q speech, in which he told the Indian
!, how anxious he was to arrange peac
n with them, so that the President woul
q be pleased and there would be no MOI
Y fighting.
q He told them how difficult it was
II get place where they could live Ill
4 molested in this section of the countr,
O and that it would be better for them
decide upon going some distance
n where they would be away from til
q Oregonians, who wished to annoy then
) Mr.. Meacham spoke for nearly half a
Il hour, after which General Candy talked
n telling them not to be afraid of til