, 1873-07-15
A .M0DOC'S SUICIDE,


Indian Lanlcntnti ons.--Tho Funeral
Services.
A correspondent Of tho San Frnnciaeo Morning
CaA, writing from the lava country under date of
Juno II, giyos tho following description Of tho
suicide.and burial Of Curly-headod Jack, ono Of
the captured h1odocs. The Western irreverenco
for oil matters connected with 1udiaus IL strongly
married.
AS has been tho custom ever since tho Mo-
docs were brought to Boyle's Camp, tho Cotton-
wood branch Of the tribe and Jacks atlhorents
wero separated, and sentincls placed botween the
two factions, as wall as around thom. on account
Of the threatening language used toward tho
former by JACK and lis mon. Jack and
his crowd look upon the Cottonwoods as
traitors, for having loft him after the
battlo at Dry Lake, where Hasbrouok performed
surrender. Tho night at Lost River, however,
WIS quiet In every respect, and tho Indians
slumberod Us soundly ~ The ,whitea Tho noxt
day boiug Sunday, Col, Mason thought to give
tho mon . rest and not resume the march until
Monday, but a tragedy occurred that caused him
to change his mind.
"At half-past II o'clock Sunday morning d
pistol-shot was fired in tho Modoc camp and
temporary excitement among tho troops
day viBted the scene Of the disturbance aud
learned tho cause. Curly-headel Jaok, 4
prominent warrior Of tho Cottonwood faotion,
lay In ono Of tho tents with 3 bullet-holo as big
as one'e fist In the sido OF his head, while his
right hand Grasped an army revolver. He had
dono tho work quickly and well. His mother and
fomale frlonda gathered about him and sot up
dismal howling, and as ho was unconscious aud
last failing, they besmenred themselves with
blood from his wound, and endeavorod by other
Indian customs to sRvo his lifo. Tho Inothor
took his head in her lap aud Bcooped tho blood
from bis oar, another old woman placed her hand
upon his heast, aud third blew III hiH faco.
en- whose sorrow was nnfalgnod, aud tho dying
man, waB terrible in its sadness. Outside tho
tent stood Bogus Charley, Hooker Jim, Shack
nasty Jim, Steamboat Frank, tho Curly-hoad-
cd Doctor, and eoyorat nnmeless warriors, all
affected to toarB, who had boon Jacks COM
panions from boyhood. Groans nor toars nor
anything in tho ahapo OF human aid could sayo
jack, and ut the end OF an hour a prolonged
shriek Of agony from tho women announced that
his spirit had fled to tho happy hunting ground
Or somo other mythical region known only to In
dihnB, and the Modoca we're out oue warrior.
Tho Cottonwood women Bhriekod and groaned
and tore their hair, tho tearB streaming down
their cheeks, and tho warriors Of this faction
Wept IN eilenco but Capt. jack and hts crowd
ohattod and laughed as II nothing unusual had
occurred and In some cases even glanced over
to tho mourning Cottonwools with Iii air OF
auporcllous indifference.
1.-THE boreaved aquawB kiokod up huoh d
hubhub III camp that Col. Mason decided to
bury tho dead warrior and continue the
maroh, in order to tono down tho prevailing
aplrit OF aatnesa by change OF Boene. Capt.
L. ILL Sh!tItt ttlo Ql1CoI VI Iuo uAJs tUOM CuaT6C
Of thu obaeguies, In quiet and effective man
nor arranged tho programme for tho occasion,
detailed soldiers to aaBist in carrying 1t out and
In tho short spaco Of half an hour had jacks toes
turned up to tho daiBioB. Tho body was wrapped
in hlankot, anu SO laid In the yraye; tic pistoi
with which he accomplished Bolf-lestruction
wan placed noar ha hcurt, and all hls property.
oonsiating Of clothing, trlDkots, and slick
half-dollar VAS tumblod into tho grave and
upon him, Tho pistol, tho indians sud, would
ba Of service to taok In procuring game upon
hiB arrival In the happy hunting grounds. Tn:
fortunately for Jack, tho caps wore removed
from tho pistol after Ia Seizure by tho military
authoritios, aud not replaced.
"Doforo the grhvo WAS covered, I noticed
Hooker Jim souddlng through tho military camp
az ono poasessed OF devia, and had = curiosity
to learn what allied him. 1t Aoems that Jim owed
the suicide "a, but had only 75 oo,l.s In silver
aud 4 two-tlollar groonbaok with which to mako
tho payment, and, al he had borrowed coin, he
wiahod to return tho Bamo, having grave donbts
wiothsr grconbaokB would be of any uso to
Jack in tho noxt world cad commentary
on tho National ourrouoy. Ono Of tho
soidlers gave him % III silver for hia
greonbaok, and tho coin Was ut once flung
into tho grave. Jima faco wore q garb Of ooti-
tsnt1nent after the payment Of this dobt. Tho
o4ygslaex IT. tho grave concluded with tAo- oazo.