Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-07-10

The "MrN'nU~css ny WrOnxGUl Acts OF
White NDcm.
The following letter from member
from California explains itself, and
puts quite n new phase on the Modoc
war:
LAVA BEDS, Juno II, 1873.
I" tie Hon. e. Dctu"o, Secretary nf
the /,tttrirr:
DEAR Sir: Tho Moloc war is over.
The Mo,loc tribe, except five or six, are
captive. Capt Jack and several Of his
confcdcrates will soon be tried by court
martial for the murder of Gen. Candy
and tho Peace Commissioners. There
can be but ono verdict or result in the
conviction and execution of all those
participating i'll the murder of the set
tiers and Peace Commissioners. have
spent several days in the lava beds ana
country adjoining. Thereby 1 have
investigated, SO far as I could, tho
causes Of a war between the whites and
Molocs, and from careful investiga-
ton can arrive but ut one conclusion.
viz: That the war was caused by the
wrongful acts Of bad white men. In
the first place it is charged by rcspon-
slble parties that the Indians were
compelled to Slang liter their horses for
food ut the klamath reservation.
When they had no more horses to
slaughter, they were forced by hunger
to seek their fishing ground on the
Lost River, tract of land set apart
for them by Hon. L. Steele, late
Superintendent of Indian Affairs for
California. The land is valuable.
Spectators desired it and sought to
have the Indians removed. The In
dians say there was but one of two
deaths left them, either by starvation
on the reservation, or a speedier death
by bullets III the lava beds. They
chose the latter. I am in favor Of
hanging those who participated in the
murder of the Peace Commissioners or
settlers, but humanity and justice de-
mands All investigation of the war and
it's causes from its first inception. Let
us have both sides of the question.
Let rs have the sworn statements of
the Indians, which will, 1 am credibly
informed be corroborated by the
testimony of responsible white men.
You have authority to order it and
direct that the testimony OF all those
who are likely to be convicted and ex-
ecutcl he taken.
l regret to have to say it, but I be-
ilcve there never was a time since the
organization of the government that
there was 50 much corruption and
swindling, not only of the government
and the people, but of the Indians, as
there is being practiced on the Indian
reservations on this coast. Mr.. Meach-
am and Mr.. Steele managed affairs to
the satisfaction of the people and the
Indians: Iregret they have not been
retained as superintendent. do not
know who is to blame, nor do accuse
any particular agent of corruption, but
we know that many have been perpet-
ual, and before launching these Indian
chiefs into eternity, let their testimony
he taken, let the guilty parties be
found. We have lost many valuable
officers aud men in the war, and JUS
tice demands if any person or persons
be guilty of melting tho Mo.locs to war
he, or they, should be punished. lam
willing, if you can delegate to me au-
thOrity, to aid and assist in the inves-
tigation of all causes or charges Which
may or can he brought out before a
court martial, rs the representative of
the people Immediately concerned, and
who have suffered most by reason of
the war, feel that justice demands a
thorough investigation, and if can in
any way serve the Government and
people in aiding or assisting the invcs-
tigation, command my services.
BY telegraph ut Fort Jones.
Very respectfully signed,
J. K. LurrEELL,
Member 3D. Conversational Dist Cal