The Van Buren press., 1873-07-01
THE MOD0C MASSACRE.
Peace Commissioner Meacham's First
Statement
HIS Wounds Almost Entrely Headed
Circumstances ef The Adssacrs-
Probable Issue of the Trad
From the New York Tribune, Jane q {

captured Modoes soon to take place, it is
safe to say that the most important is
Mr.. A. b Meacham, who WAS chairman
of the peace commission to treat with the
tribe, and who so narrowly escaped the
| fate of his fellow commissioners, Gen.
Candy anil DR.. Thomas Mr. Meacham
arrived in this city on Thursday, return
ing from Washington on his way to
lreka, and thence to Fort Klamath,
where the military commission is to sit.
With characteristic reserve the peace
commissioner has refrained from making
any statements Of any kind since the
: massacre Having now visited the seat
OF government and conferred with the
proper officials there, he probably feels
that there is less necessity for preserving
| silence in regard to the eventful history
in which he took so prominent part
and his statements made 10 Tribune
reporter Yesterday are his first utteranccs
on the subject since the day of the trage-
/ dy.
CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE MASSACRE.
The three commissioners won't into the
conference taking their lives in their
hands. Frank Riddle, the interpreter
and his wife, who knew the men they
went u meet, tried all means to dissuadC
them from going, and Mr.. Meacham says
shat Modoc brought word from his
camp to Riddles squaw, warning them
Of their danger But even this had no
effect on either Gen Candy or DR.
Thomas The spirit OF the latter, vi
though perhaps not that of a practical
man well acquainted with Indian eharac
ter, was most lofty. Ia response to the
entreaties of Mr. Mcacham, whose ex-
perience with Indians taught him that
these warnings had truth in them, his re.
ply was, in substance "GOd will call
me at His proper time, If He desires me
to offer my life in this manner shall not
withhold it. y Both he and Gen Candy
were firm in the refusal to permit any
member of the party to carry arms, as
there was stipulation to the contrary,
or to allow any promises to be made to
the Indians for temporary purposes that
We're not meant to be fulfilled Mr.
Meacham followed the only course i'll
homer left open to him. He could not,
as chairman of the commission, say per
emptorily to two older and more dis
tinguished men than himself, " You shall
not GO" he could not remain behind
while they ventured alone into danger
He accepted the inevitable and went. He
naturally regrets, now, that he did not
refuse to permit the conference, whatever
might have been the consequences to
himself The meeting took place in an
open space, previously marked by the
erection Of a white tent, around which
gathered the group as closely as circle
of friends in a drawing room. The talk
went on for some time without accident
or incident. Mr. Meacham, keenly on
the watch, saw full twenty minutes be-
fore any shot was fired, that trouble was
brewing, and saw it in an event that
would have seemed meaningless to any
one unused to Indian ways. lie had left
his horse united, and had hung his coat
on the saddle. Hooker Jim tied the
horse, and taking the coat from its place
put it on, buttoned it up carefully to She
chin. and strutted before a companion,
saying Me old Mcacham now. Think
| look like old man Meacham 7" This
sudden outbreak of insolence first awak.
ened his suspicious After the interval
Of about twenty minutes, Jack rose and
moved back little from the circle, with
his side to Gen. Candy and his hand in
his breast This, Mr.. Mcacham thinks,
was the signal for others 10 draw near,
as two Modocs came running up with
guns in their hands. Seeing their sp
proach all spraug to their feet, and
Meacham cried, Jack, what does this
mean?" Fautuxis, All readyw yelled
out the Modoe chieftain, rs he swung
out his arm and snapped his revolver at
Gen. Candy Then began the fight, the
story Of which has already been told.
Mr.. Moacham was shot by Schonchin
first, who leaped at him with revolver
in one hand and a knife slittering above
his head in the other. He afterwards be
came the target OF nsally 20 shots, he
thinks, all of which were fred at range
Of less than hslfa.dozen yards. By n
marvellous good fortune, none Of them
entered the skull. AS he lay stunned,
the Indians had sufficient time to strip
him of his clothing, and were attempting
to get his scalp, when Riddles squaw,
who seems to have been Il ready woman,
cried Soldiers y and the Modocs fled
in fright. The scarcity Of his hair, on
which he had then his first cause Of con
graduation, was the reason ofthis delay /,
but the ingenious savage, rather thsn
lose such trophy, was evidently pre-.
pairing to take the scalp from the side Of
the head. by this expedient gaining the
additional ornament OF an ear.
PROBABLE RESULT OF TRIAL.
OF the issue of the trial, Of course, no.
thing can be known beforehand, but Mr.
Meachsm expresses no doubt that such
Of the Modocs as were directly guilty OF
participation in the assassination will be
convicted, and if convicted, will Of course
be executed. If by any means they
should escape punishment, he says that
he should have grave fears for the result,
both upon the people Of Oregon and the
Indians. Gov. Growers demand for the
custody of the prisoners has given him a
great deal of popularity with the people
Of the State, and was only the expression
of the universal sentiment. IL they
should escape justice the indignation Of
the people would be such that the Mo-
docs would have to be removed from the
country. Their lives would not be safe.