The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-06-19
The Charges Prepared. and Read TO
Ey--Captain Jack.
ADaches o3l the warpath.


ADaches on the WarpatIi.
COURT MARTIAL.
SAN Francisco, June IA Court
Martial convened at Boyles Camp, Tule
Lake, June 9th, and tried six deserters
A decision will be rendered III few days.
STATEMENT BY GEN. DAVIS.
General Davis, in a conversation with
special correspondent of the Bulletin,
June IL, gave the following statement
'When [ arrived in the field found the
troops engaged in war with q band of
Indian outlaws, murderous wards of the
General Government, who had revolted
against its authority and were fighting
with merceilessness, neither giving nor
expecting quarter. then thought that
captives taken in the future
SHOULD BE EXECUTED
on the spot, as the surest and speediest
method of settling the Modoc problem
When captured while fighting against
the military forces of the United States,
and as separative nation or tribe, I was
disposed to deal with them accordingly.
Since the capture have ascertained that
the authorities of Jackson County, Ore
gon, have found indictments against GER
tain members of the band, but I have
not deemed it proper to turn them over
to the civil courts, because they were
waging war against the Government at
the time of the murders, upon which the
indictments are based were found also
| for the reason that, after the capture, they
were prisoners of the Government and
not directly ameanable to civil laws
! During my command here have obsery
ed that citizens, when desiring protec-
ton for person or property, or indemni-
fication from loss, invariably ..appeal to
the authority of the United States, but
now the war is over and the mulxlerers
are captives, both public and local au-
thorities want to take the punishment
of the offenders into their own hands,
The threats of the people, and the recent
bloody act in this neighborhood, when
FOUR OLD DEFENCELEss CA1erTvEs.
en-route from Fairchild's ranch to camp
were murdered by civilians, Indicate that
a trial by civil law would be a useless
farce. The people baye made up their
minds that the prisoners are guilty.
1t is suggested that
MILITARY COMMISSION
will be ordered to try the criminals. L
this idea is carried out, officers com, Dos
ing the court should be of high 70 nj,
and men who have had no immedia IL
connection with the Modoc dificultv.--
Such commission would probably tr
each case separately, and require abou
SIX months to perform the work, to say
nothing of the immense expense involve
in such q proceeding. Besides, every
body, civil as well as military, knows
that the Indians are guilty of murder in
the first degree, and
/ OUGHT TO BE HANGED.
thought to avoid unnecessary expense
and the farce of a trial by doing the work
myself
Owing to the dilatory monner in which
the Modocs were treated by those IL
charge IN the beginning of these difficult
ties, the Indians obtained a fearful ad
vantage over us, and slaughtered so many
people that the country was astonisheG
and shocked, and now fear that they vii
get the advantage in the closing scenes
This same fear is disturbing the minds
OF the citizens of the frontier Justice
has already been very tardy in coming
andis approaching from so many different
directions, in such questionable shape, ]
doubt her success in meeting the require.
| ments of the case. Indians do not recog-
nlze the Jurisdiction of civil or military
courts, because they are incapable O
comprehending the workings. These
Modocs cannot understand what is mean
by court. They have been interrogated
on that subject. They would regard ;
court trial, with its ttechnicaiities. as {
to death, could not be made to under
stand that justice figured in business a
all. They believe that taey have com
mitted
| A DEED THAT MERITS DEATH
IN fact that they are real nurderers, ant
have daily expected to be hanged The,
believe that the military has the powe
to lnfict punishment The murders anC
arrests occurred in Oregon and Califor
MA, and are badly mixed My prop ,se'
course was to settle the question, th t b,
a single stroke
THE GORDIAN KNOB WAS TO BE CUT
and believe it was in accord with ths
prospects of the Indians They ar
cooped up in tents, men, women, ano
children, guilty and innocent,-also fear
ing massacre all the time They mus
remain In this condition and suspense fo
months to come. HAD procured lumber
chains, rope and tackle a,d all the para
phenalia of execution, and had settle,
Friday last as doomsday. Thursda,
forenoon I drew up this
DECLARATION OF CHARGES,
| which was read to Jack late in the day
| HEADQUARTERS DErss rssEyT OF CoLuMRIA IN FIELD
| fuLE LAKE, Cal, june 1th. 1878.
JACK-Since white man first began t
travel through or settle In the co11rtr
occupied by the MoSlocs- ueonle of wbieI