The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-04-22
rue MODOC MASSACRE.
Gen eftal Canby and DR.. Thomas
, Killed,
Fruits OF the .Peace POLICY,

Fatal trust In fhe MOdOcs.. Bloody
End OF a FruitleSs Conferences.
Gen. Candy and TWO Of the Com.
miSsiOners Shot In Cold Blood.
The Indians Escape 10 Their
seS-Bitter feeling among
the Troops.
LAVA BED CAM, April ll-3 P. NJ
via YREKA, April 2-For several days
past there have been endeavors made
by the Peace Commissioners and Gen.
Candy to obtain an interview with Capt
jack and the leading chiefs of the Mo
doc. band The prospects of peace
seemed to be better, as orders had been
sent from Washington to the Peace
Commissioners to give the Indians, if
necessary, a reservation in this neigh
borhood Yesterday evening Bogus
Charley came in, and said that Capt.
Jack, Schonchin, and three or four
others would meet the Peace Commits
sioners on spot near the lake, about
three quarters of mile from camp
Bogus Charley stayed in our camp all
night, and in the morning Boston Char
ley also came and said that everything
was all right as Capt Jack was coming
out to meet the Commissioners.
Between 10 and l o'clock this morn
ing the Peace Commission party-com-
prising Gen. Canhy, A. B. Meacham,
Dr.. Thomas, Mr.. Dyer, Riddle the in
terpreter, bis sqraw, and Bogus and
BOSTON Charley--went out to the desig.
mated spot. There they met Capt. Jack,
John Schonchin, Black Jim, Setback
Nasty Jim, Ellen's Man, and Hooker
Jim. They had no guns with them, but
each carried a pistol at his belt. This,
However, was not much noticed. as in
|previous interviews they had. had their
guns with them. All sat down in kind
of broken circle, Gen. Candy, Mr..
Meacham, and DR.. Thomas together,
faced by Capt Jack and Schonchin =
Mr.. Dyer stood by Jack, holding his
horse, with Hooker Jim and Setback
Nasty Jim to his left.
MI. Meacham opened the talk, and
gave long history of what they want
ed to do for them,after which Gen. Can
by and DR.. Thomas both talked for
some time Capt. Jack then talked in
an apparently serious strain, and when
he finished, stepped back to the rear
near where Meacham's horse was hitch
ed. John Schonchin then began TO talk,
and while he was speaking, Mr.. Dyer
heard cap miss fire, and looking
around, saw Capt Jack to his left, with
his pistol pointed at Gen. Candy. This
was the signal for a general massacre,
and dozen shots were fired within half
minute.
Mr.. Dyer, after hearing the cap miss
fire, turned and was followed closely by
Hooker Jim, who fired two shots after
him. Dyer, finding Jim gaining on
him, turned and drew his derringer,
whereupon Hooker retreated and Dyer
made his way to the camp. Capt. Jack
fired again on Gen. Candy, and the no
ble old man was speedily shot down
and killed instantly. Mr.. Meacham was
shot at by Schonchin, and wounded in
the head. He tried to draw his derrin-
ger, when two Indians ran up and
knocked him down. DR. Thomas was
killed almost instantly by two pistol
shots 10 the head. Riddle ran off, and
it appears they did not FIRE at him, but
knocked his squaw down. Dyer, Riddle,
and the squaw returned in safety to the
camp.
The troops Immediately beat to arms,
and a general ad, ance ensued, Col. Mill
er and Major ,Throckmorton's two bat
teries were leading the skirmish line,
and after about five minutes tramp over
the broken rocks, we arrived at the
scene Of the massacre. In the distance
we saw three of the perpetrators of the
murder running around the edge Of the
lake on their way back to their rocky
fastness. About 100 yards to the ives,
of the place of meeting we found MIR
Meacham badly wounded with pistol
shot over the left eve. He was imme.
diately attended to and carried back fol
medical treatment Fifty yards further
was the body of the Rev DR.. Thomas
lying on his face and stripped to the
waist Life was extinct from pistol-shot
wounds in his head.
The body of Gen. Candy, the hero ol
many a fight. was stripped of every
vestige of clothing and lay about 1oC
yards to the south west, with two pis.
tol-shot wounds in the head. Pausing
only to cast glance or the body oi
the man they both loved and respected
the troops dashed on and the two lead
ing batteries were within a mile of the
murderers when the bugle sounded q
shalt" Lieut. Egan and Major Wright's
companies of the 18th Infantry were be-
hind the artillery and then came the cav
airy. Gen Gillem and Col. Green and
staff were up with the men; but as soon
as they found that the Indians had all
got back to their stronghold, the troops
were ordered to fall back, and active
operations will begin to morrow or the
day after.
1t was subsequently, learned that the
Indians had attacked Col Mason's camp
on the east side of Tule Lake, firing on
Lieutenants Boyle and Sherwood, who
had wandered some 500 yards outside
their picket lines. Lieut.. Sherwood was
shot through the arm and leg.but Lieut..
Boyle escaped without injury. Both
officers got safely back to their camp.
In justice to Riddle, the interpreter,
and his squaw, it should be stated that
they both warned the Peace Commiss-
toner's and Gen Canby not to trust inn
plicitly in the Indians, and Riddle add
ed, s.If they will go wash my hands
of all blame in the matter"
The murder of General Candy has
thrown gloom over this camp, and
created feeling in the hearts of the
men that will exact bitter reckoning
from these treacherous savages. No
officer was more universally respected
and esteemed than Gen. Candy. He
was true Christian and brave soldier,
and died in the discharge of his duty.
For the past few days he has clothed
and fed these Indians, giving them
blankets, food, and tobacco. The other
day he gave Boston Charley money out
of his pocket, to 60 and buy things at
the suffers. When the squaws came
into camp they rushed to Gen Candy,
and went back laden with provisions
and calico. Yet, the first to fall was
their kindest and noblest benefactor.
lr 'Hhnp,op f6o ncf n nd