Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-04-14
PUBLIC LEDGER.
ONCE, No. Is Madison street.
TEMP HIS
Monday Evening. April IL, 1873.
THE ASSASSINATION OF GEN. CANDY.

prise and deep indignation Of the people
all over this country yesterday morning
when the news Of Gen. Canby foul assas'
smation, at the hands Of Captain Jack,
Chief of the Modoc Indians, was made
known. The terrible news was detailed
in all morning papers, and excited a
feeling of resentment toward the Indian
race that will hasten their extinction on
this continent. The Peace Commission
ers appointed by Secretary of the lnte'
rior Delano had treated the Indians
with too much respect. General Candy,
in his mildness of character, had sympa-
thized with the Quaker policy also
kent up negotiations with Captain Jack
long after there was any reasonable hope
for securing peace by mild means. Yet
he had his serious apprehonsions, and
the wsnder is that he placed himself
within the power Of the savages. His
last dispatch made public by the asso-
ciated press was very significant. 1t
appeared as follows:
WAsHNGToS. April 10.
A telegram from General Candy,
dated Tule Lake, California, April q,
and forwarded by courier to freka,
California, is received by General Sher-
man in which General Candy states that
he had seen the instructions sent to the
Peace Commissioners by the Secretary
of the Interior, and continues, if the
Modocs surrender as prisoners OF war,
the General Government would have
paramount and exclusive jurisdiction
over the cases Of all. The same result
would be secured by treaty but are not
treaties with Indian tribes prohibited by
government legislation? A reservation
within the limits of either California or
Oregon would not bar State jurisdiction
until after its cession by those States,
and would have no retroactive elect
and for crimes committed within the
limits of such reservation it is doubtful,
under Justice Millers decisions in the
Kansas reserve case, whether the State
Jurisdiction would not prevail. The muir.
ders eff citizens were committed beyond
the limits OF any reservation and within
the Jurisdiction of the two States, and OF
course anterior to any arrangement with
the Modocs. do not question the right
or power of the General Government to
make any arrangement that may be
thought proper; but think they should
make such as TO secure permanent
peace, together with the liberal and just
treatment of the Indians.
In my judgment permanent peace can
not be secured if they are allowed to re-
main in this immediate neighborhood.
The Modocs are now sensible that they
can't live in peace on Lost river, and
have abandoned their claim to it, but
wish TO be left in the lava beds. This
means license to plumber, and strong
hold to retreat to, and was refused. Their
last proposition is TO come in and have
the opportunity Of looking for new
camp not far away, and, if they are sin
eere in this, the trouble will soon be
ended. But there has been so much
vaeilation and duplicity in their talks
that / have hesitated about reporting till
some definite result was attained. All
the movements of the troops have been
made deliberately and cautiously, so as
10 avoid collision, and to impress the
Indians that we have no unfriendly in
tent. Thus far we have succeeded very
we'll; but their conduct has given SO
much reason to apprehend tiat they are
only trying to gain time, that have
organized party of scouts to operate
with the troops if they should 90 10 the
mountains or renew hostilitles.
From this it will be seen that he un-
derstood Indian character and motives.
But it seems that he was willing 70 join
the commissioners in one more peace.
conference with the Indians last Friday,
the llth instant. The Heralds special,
dated in the afternoon of the same day,
gives the details of the shocking result
in the following language:
Between ten and eleven o'clock this
morning the peace commission party,
comprising General Candy, A. B. Mea-
cham, DIR. Thomas, Mr.. Diar, Riddle,
the Interpreter, and his squaw, and Bo-
gus Charley and Boston Charley, went
out to a designated spot. There they
met with Captain Jack, John Sehonchin,
Black Jim, Shack, Nasty jim, Ellen's
Man, aud Hawker jim. They had no
Guns with them, but each carried a PTS
tol at his belt This, however, was not
much noticed, as in previous interviews
they had had their guns with them. They
sat down in q kind OF broken circle, and
General Candy, Meacham and DR..
Thomas sat together faced by Captain
Jack and Schonchin. Diar stood by him
holding his horse, with Hawker Jim and
Nasty Jim 10 bis left Meacham
opened the talk, and gave long history
OF what they wanted TO do Tor them
after which General Candy and DR..
Thomas both talked for some time.
Jack then talked in an apparently good,
serious strain, aud when he flashed,
stepped back to the rear, near where
Meecbam's horse was hitched. John
Schonchin then began to talk, and while
he was speaking Diar heard a cap miss
FIRE and looking around, saw Captain
Jack 70 his left with his pistol pointed
at General Candy. This was the signal
for q general massacre, and dozen
shots were fred inside Of half a
minute. Captain Jack fired again
on General Candy, and the noble old
gentleman ran of 10 the left but was
speedily shot down aud killed. Mea-
cham was shot at By Schonchin and
wounded in the head. He tried to draw
his deringer, when two Indians ran up
and knocked him down. DR.. Thomas
was killed almost instantly By two pis-
iol-shots IN tho head, Riddle ran Of,
aud it appears they did not Gre ct him,
but they knocked his squaW down. Diar,
Riddle and the sQuav returned safely to
the camp; about one hundred yards 70
the west Of fhsplac Of meeting vas found
A. B. Meacham badly wounded with q