The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-04-23
INDIAN TREACHERY!
GEN CANDY AND
PEACE COMMISSIONERS
ASSASSINATED.
The Red Skins to be Severely
Punished.

, The Red Skins to be Severed.
Punished.
LAVA BED, April ii, via YREKA
April l2.-Yesterday afternoon liv
Indians and four squaws came int
our camp and were made presents o
clothing and provisions by the Peac
Commission, and message was sen
out by the Commissioners asking fo
a talk this morning at point abou
one mile from over the picket line
Later in the evening Bogus Charley
came and told the picket that he woulC
take his gun, that he Charley dit
not intend to go back any more. Th,
picket brought him to the tent of Gen
eral Candy, where Charley left hi.
gun, and remained at the tent o.
Frank Riddle during the night This
morning Boston Charley came in and
told the Commissioners that Captain
Jack and five other Indians would
meet the Commissioners outside oul
lines. Boston Charley and Bogus
then mounted horse and started for
the Lava Bed About an hour after
their departure General Candy, DIR.
Thomas, Mr.. A. b. Meacham and Mr..
Dyer, with Frank Riddell and his
squaw for interpreters, started for the
place appointed The party arrived
at the place appointed, and were
closely watched by the signal officer,
Lieutenant Adams, from the signal
station on the hill overlooking our
camp. About half an hour after the
party had arrived cry from the sig
nal station was heard, saying that the
Indians had attacked the Peace Com
missioners and that an engagement
had commenced between the Indians
and Col Mason. In a moment the
troops were under arms, and deployed
as skirmishers, under command of
Col. Greene, and orders were given
to Forward, double quick" Very
shortly after Mr.. Dyer returned and
told us that the Indians had attacked
them, and that he thought he was the
only one who had escaped, but in a
few moments after Riddle and his
squaw were seen within the picket
line. From him we gather the fol.
lowing account of how the massacre
commenced:
Meacham made a short speech to
the Indians, followed by General
Candy, and then DIR. Thomas. Then
Captain Jack made speech, asking
for Hat creek and Cottonwood" >" the
places now occupied by Fairchild and
Davis for a reservation. Mr.. Meacham
told Jack that it was not possible to
give him what he asked Schonchin
told Meacham to say no more, that
he (Meacham) had said enough upon
that subject, and while Schonchin
was speaking, Captain Jack got up
and walked behind the others and
turned his back, and exclaimed "all
ready" drew his pistol and snapped
cap at General Candy. He cooked
his pistol again and fired. General
Candy fell dead, shot under the right
eye Schenchin then shot Meacbam
in the shoulder and head, but he is
still alive Boston Charley and an
other Indian shot and killed DR.. |
Thomas Nasty Jim chased Dyer
for some distance, but Dyer turned
upon him with pistol in hand, and
Jim ran. An Indian knocked down
Riddles squaw and took her horse,
but Captain Jack made him return it,
and then another Indian chased |
Riddle and shot at him. This last
may be taken with grain of salt.
The troops are now about a mile in |
the Lava Beds, lying on their arms,
and will probably advance to night
under cover of darkness. There are
about six hundred troops which can
be brought into active service, and /
believe they will end the Modoc war.
Meacham is not expected to survive
NEW YORK, April l2.-The follow
ing is portion of the Herald's
special about the massacre of General
Candy and the Peace Commissioners,
dated, Lava Beds, llth, 8 Pm Be-
tween ten and eleven o'clock this
the Peace Commission party,
General Candy, A. b.
Meacham DR.. Thomas, Mr.. Dyer,
Riddle, the interpreter, and squaw,
and Bogus Charley and Boston
Charley, went out to the designated
spot There they met Captain Jack,
John Schonchin, Black Jim, Shack
Nasty jim, Ellen's Man and Hawker
Jim. They had no guns with them,
out each carried a pistol at his belt.
In previous interviews they had their
guns with them. They sat down in
/ kind of broken circle, and General
Candy, Meacham and DR.. Thomas
'at together, faced by Captain Jack
md Schonchin. Dyer stood by Jack,
holding his horse, with Hawker Jim
md Shack Nasty Jim to his lett
Meacham opened the talk and gave
. long history of what they wanted
o do for them, after which General
Candy and DR.. Thomas both talked
or some time. Captain Jack then
alked in an apparently good, serious
train, and when he finished, stepped
Jack to the rear, near where
Neacham's horse was hitched. John
Schonchin then began to talk, and
While he was speaking, Dyer heard
ap miss fire, and looking around,
aw Captain Jack to his left with his
'istol pointed at General Candy. This
vas signal for a general massacre, I
nd half dozen shots were fired
inside of half a minute. Captain s
'ack fired again on General Candy, [
nd the noble old gentleman ran off l
o the left, but was speedily shot {
own and killed instantly. Meacham
vas shot at by Schonchin and wound {
d in the head He tried to draw his |
)erringer, when two Indians ran up :,
nd knocked him down. Mr.. Thomas I
yas killed almost instantly by two \
istol shots in the head. Riddle ran f
a, and it appears they did not fire at
i'm, but they knocked his squaw t
own. Dyer, Riddle and the squaw t
sturned in safety to the camp. About e
ne hundred yards to the west of the
lace of meeting was found A. B. v
lacham, badly wounded, with r
istOl shot over the left eve Fifty q