The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-06-20


the MOdOc warn iors had surrendered to
General Davis, that officer was on the
eve of perpetrating a military blunder
which would have subjected him to
severe Punishment and forever DESTROY
ed his standing and reputation as an
officer. Ina conversation with the spe-
cial correspondent of the San Francisco
Bulletin, on the l tn instant, he stated
that he had procured lumber, chains,
rope, tackle, and all the paraphrenalia
of an execution and had determined to
hang Jack and his confederates in guilt
at sunset on Friday, the 9th of this
month. He further stated that he was
prompted to this course from the fact
that the MOdocs believed they had
committed deeds which deserved death,
that they knew nothing about court
martiais and their proceedings, and
that they daily expected to be hung
However true this may all be, Gen.
Jefferson c. Davis ought to thank his
star that while he was making the ne
cessary preparations to hang Capt.
Jack and other Modocs as high as Ha-
man, a courier arrived at his camp with
| the following dispatch from Washing
/ ton Hold the prisoners until further
orders" AS our readers know, q mil
itary commission has been ordered to
try the MOdocs against whom charges
may be preferred and few weeks more
of life are thus made certain to the re-
dOubtable Capt. Jack, Schonchin, and
others of the band. Gen. Davis, on the
| day before the execution was TO take
place, drew up the following declara-
ton of charges and read it to Jack.
1t reads very much like the sentence of
a judge on Il criminal who has been
convicted of murder, Gen. Davis is
| evidently man of business and scOrns
the laws delay, whether the court be
of a military or civil character:
HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF Col
UMBIA, in the Field Tule Lake, Cal, June,
1S73.-JACK Since white men first began to
travel through or settle in the country oc-
cupied by the MOdOCs, people of which
yOu claim TO be one of the chiefs, the Mo-
docs have been known n hand of mercilcss
robbers and mMrderers; The history OF
murders OF the white race. Even among
your Indian neighbors you are known a
domineering and tyrannical tribe. Old
settlers in the country report as many as
300 murders committed Ivy your people
within the limits of the present generation.
Along the shores Of this beautiful little
lake, in view of which we now stand, are
the graves of over sixty victims of Modoc
barbarity all murdered by your Immediate
ancestors in brutal acts. They were peace
fnl emigrants, men, women, and children,
passing quietly through the country Oh the
| public highway. For these many crimes no
! adequate punishment has ever been visited
upon the guilty, either tribe or individ
uafly. Upon the contrary, the Government
has tacitly overlooked them. A few years
ago, regardless of these acts of treachery, il
gave you a reservation of land for home,
where if you chose you could remain and
I, enjoy the annual bouuties of the Govern
mcnt unmolested. You all went upon the
reservation thus provided, and part of your
tribe has remained. But you and your band
seem to have preferred the war-path. You
left the reservation. You spurned the kind
ness of the Governments, and even resisted
the soldiers i'll the execution of their duty
While endeavoriDg to force you back to the
reservation. You hastened to fight. Emu
lating the bloody deeds of your fathers, you
again >tre~ed the chores of Tule Lake with
the slain victims of your bloody band. All
those victims were peaceful and unsuspeCt-
ing citizens, and were slaughtered while at
their daily advocatiOns. You then fled to
your stronghold, the lava beds, prepared for
war, and detied the power of the Govern
ment. Still, the President AT Washington
ordered the soldiers to desist until the Peace
Commissioners could have n talk with you,
and, if possible, avoid shedding more blood.
Their efforts were frutleSs. After much
delay and many attempts at ConciliatiOn on
their part, yOu decoyed the Commissioners
into your hands. Armed or unarIned, these
acts have placed you and your band outside
OF the rules of civilized warfare. In other
words, yOu have made yourselves outlaws
and as such, since my arrival here as the
successor of General Candy (whOm YOU
murdered with your own hauds), I have
made unremirting war upon your race and
upon you, until at last you have been cap
tured, after much expense to the Govern
msnt and loss of many valuable lives. Now
that L have recounted your history ana that
of your tribe-the recent acts of Yourself
and band-I will close this interview by in
forming you that | have this day directed
that you and your confederaths members of
your band, be executed AZ sunset to-morrow
IN the presence of the troops, your people,
and the assembled citizens of the country
THE DELAY AND ITS CAUSE.
While [ was preparing list of those
intended to execute, Il courier arrived. with
the Instructions from Washington, ''Hold
the execution intended organizing a force
for the purpose of starting for Columbia
and probably for Lapwai, seeing and talk
ing with as many chiefs as possible while
EN- route. L knew that the prom1t execu-
hon of the Modoc outlaws would facilitate
peace talks among the Indians of Oregon
and Washington territory, as well as Cali
fornla, ami have n tendency TO quiet the
Indians all through the country. The In
dlans all know that we nave captured tho
Modocs, and they will quickly learn the
news If the death penalty is inflicted. The
chastisement would result in a mutual ben
eht to both Indians and whites. With the
prestige the troops have gained we could do
great good by such campaign.
.<-e>-s-e-
W