The Lincoln County herald., 1873-05-07
The Wright Massacre,
a nloody Page In the History of the
Doomed Modocs.

Doomed Modocs.
From the San Francisco Chronicle, April 20. ]
The treachery of the Mcdncs 10 bru
tally numbering the men who meut to
meet them on en- errspd of peace has
destroyed, in the public mind, every
vestige Of sympathy which might, 9th
erwise have been felt for them, and fully
} justified the war of determination which
is now being SO releutlessly waged by the
government troops. Nevertheless, there
is another bloody page in the history of
this doomed tribe Of red men, a perusal
Of which will be likely to modify, in a
} great degree, the bitter feeling which now
rages against them, If it does not work
!, an actual revulsion Of sentiment in their
favor.
1t is a matter Of history-unwrittcn
though it be-that twenty one years ago
} these Modocs were the victims Of q per
J fidious action, backer far and more
deadly in its results than that in which
the lamented Gen. Canby and Dr. Thomas
lost their lives. From gentlemen now in
} this city, but who were residents of
lreks at tho period referred to, the fol
; lowing particulars have been obtained:
In the year 1852, the country along
the northern border of California was
disturbed by Indian troubles. Whether
; the red man or the white man was most
to blame 1t is impossible at this late day
to decide; but, at any rate, numerous
depredations we're constantly being com
} mitted by the Indians upon white settlers
and mining prospectors, and frequently
armed bands were sent after the spoilers.
} In the spring Of 1852 company was
, organized 10 Yreka, under command of
man named Benjamin Wright, for the
purpose Of fighting these identical Modoc
|. Indians who have since attained such
world. wide celebrity. Wrights men left
Yreka we'll armed and equipped, and
: proceeded without delay 10 the Indian
country aaound Tule lake aud the Lava
Beds. The Modocs, it would seem we're
as brave then as they have proved them
selves more recently, for it is said that
in three different sk,rmishss with virgins
company, the latter came out second best
Captain Wright soon found that his
force vas not sufficient to bring the In
dans under subjectiou, nor even 70 inaict
any punishment upon then. So he re
turned to Yreks, not, however, with the
intention Of giving up the war, but sim
ply to perfect . treschcrous plan which
be had thought Of. This was nothing
less than a scheme of wholesale poison
ing-a scheme which was simply diabol
cal 10 its conception. lie bought in
Yreka q large quantity Of strychnine,
and openly avowed to sc everal persons that
he intended to use it for poisoning the
Indians. His language, as related to the
Chronicle reporter by gentleman who
} heard it, was: lin going TO use this
stuff TO cure some beef for the Indians"
There we're quite number Of domes
mssticated Indians 10 Yreka at that time,
most Of them being practically held as
slaves by the whites. One of these In
dans, who was known by the expressive
name of "Swll," was the chattel of Judge
Smelling, now a resident Of Gilroy In
some way "Swill" heard of the po soniu:
plot. and made such great fuss about
it that Wright was induced t, abandon
his project for o Lucretia Borgia feast.
IL might, in common charity, be hoped
hat he never really entertained serious
designs Of such base and cowardly No
ture, were it not that the sequel showed
him to be destitute of that spirit OF
, honor which Ievolts from treachery Of
any kind.
Toward the end Of summer Captain
Wright led his company to the Iudian
country once more, ostensibly with the
view Of making treaty of peace. The
Indians we're known to be anxious for q
cessation of hostilities: Winter was
approaching, and their supply Of blank,
cts, ammunition and food was extremely
limited. therefore Captain Wright's
overtures we're received with great cor.
dialty, and peace conference was agreed
upon. The place appointed for the
conference was not fas from the spot
where Gen. Candy and d.. Thomas were
slaughtered last week. AZ the time
agreed upon both parties were on hand,
the Indians armed with bows and arrows,
while the whites had loaded reviewers.
The pipe of peace was smoked and
the discussion Of the terms 70 be obser-
we'd by either party was IN progress, when
suddenly Wright gave his men . signal
which had been prearranged, and draw
ing his revolver, fred point blank at the
Indian who stood nearest, killing him
instantly. Quickly following the report
of Wrights pistol came the sharp crack
ing of twenty other sevolvers, and 10
less than q minute eighteen victims of
the white mans treachery were rolling
on the ground IN the expiring throes Of
mortal agony. Several of the Indian
party, who, either through the chance
o. because they suspected sreachery,
had remained az come little distance
from where this original "peace com
mission" was tsansscting its business,
succeeded in making their escape, but
not before they had cent few vsngsful
arrows whizzing among their enemies,
two of whom were seriously wouuded.