Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-01

The treachery of the Modocs in bru-
tuallv numbering the men who went to
meet them on an errand of peace has de-
stroyed, in the public mind, every YES
tage Of sympathy which might other
wise have been felt for them, and fully
justified the war Of determination which
is now being so relentlessly waged by
the government troops. Nevertheless,
there is another bloody page in the his
tory of this doomed tribe of red men, a
perusal of which will be likely to mod
ify. in great degree, the bitter feeling
which now RACES against them, if it does
not work an actual revulsion of senti-
ment in their favor.
1t is a matter of history-unwritten
though it be-that twenty one years ago
these Modocs were the victims of per-
idious action, blacker far and more
deadly in its results than that IN which
the lamented General Canby and, DR.
Thomas lost their lives. From gentle
men now in this city, but who were resi-
dents of Yreka at the period referred to,
tanned: .'<t''
BEN wRGHTs COMPANY.
In the year 1852, the cDuntrv along
the. northern border of California was
disturbed by Indian troubles. Whethe r
the red, man or the white man was l,,ost
to blame, it is impossible at this date to
decide but, at any rate, numerous den
relations were constantly being com
mitted by the Indians upon white SET
tiers and mining prospectc.rs. and fire.
quentlY armed bands were sent after the
soldiers. In the spring of 1859 a com
pany was organized III Yreka, under
command OF man named BeniamsN
Wright, for the purpose of fight Mg.
these identical Modoc Indians, who have
since attained such world wide. celeA,rity.
Wrights men left Yreka, well armed
and equipped, and proceeded without
delay to the Indian country around ,Tule
Lake and the Lava Beds. The Modocs,
it would seem, were as haags then az
they have proved Themselves more re-
Gently, for it is said that ia three differ
ent skirmishes with WTighf's company
the latter came out second best.
A TREASafERoUs PLAN.
Captain W8ight soon found that his
force was Insufficient to bring the In
dians vAetaE subsection, nor even to in
fllct any punishment upon them. So be
returned 10 freka, not, however, with
the intention of giving up the war; bat
simply to perfect treacherous plan
which he had thought of. This was
nothing less than chan a scheme of
wholesale. pOisoning-a scheme which
was sDnply diabolical in its conception.
lie Fought in Yreka large quantity of
sfrychnine, and then openly avowed to
several persons that he intended to use
it for poisoning the Indians. His Ian
guage, as related to a reporter by gen
tleman who heard it, was-HI am going
to use this stuff to cure some beef for
the Indians"
TIE BORGIA FEAST. ABANDONED.
I'll ere were quite a Bumher Of dones-
ticatea Indians at Yreka at that time.
most Of them being practically held as
slaves by the whites. One of these In
dians who was known by the expressive
name Of "SSwill, WAS chattel of Judge
Smelling, BOW a resident of Gilroy. In
some way .'Swill heard of the poison
ing plot, and made such great fuss
about it, that Wright was induced to
abandon his project for Lucretia Bor-
gia feast, 1t might, in common chart
~, be hoped he never really entertained
serious designs of such base and cow
srdiy nature, were it not that the sequel
showed him to he destitute of that spir-
it Of honor which reyolts from treachery
of any kind
wRIGHr's PEACE COMMISSION.
Toward the end of summer CAPTAIN
Wright led his company again to the
Indian country, ostensibly for the pur-
pose OF making treaty of peace. The
Indians seemed to be very anxious for
a cessation Of hostilities. Winter was
approaching and their supply of blankets,
ammunition and food was extremely
limited. Therefore Captain Wright's
-overtures were received with great cor
tliality, and peace conference was
agreed upon. The place appointed for
the conference was not far from the spot
where General Candy and DR.. Thomas
were recently slaughtered. At the time
agreed upon both parties were on hand,
The Indians armed with bows arrows,
While the whites carried. loaded re-
yolvers.