Weekly Trinity journal., 1873-04-19


cLe's War Correspondent
LAVA BED, April 18th.
The following are the full details of the
horrible massacre of General Candy and
DIR. Thomas on Friday:
Boston and Bogus Charley had come in
the day previous and solicited an inter
view at the cave, mile beyond the tent,
at the same place where they tried pre-
viously to entrap the Commission. The
members refused 10 go 10 this place, but
at last consented to go to the tent on the
neutral ground, MS it is termed here, and
where they had met the Indians before.
Riddle and bis wife advised them not 10
go, insisting that treachery was intended,
but they were overruled by DR.. Thomas
and General Candy, who could not be-
lieve that, after their kind treatment of
the Indians, harm would befall them.
Riddle then told General Gilem that, if
htrm befell the party, he wanted his
skirts clear of all suspicion, but he feared
the result nevertheless. The party start
ed, General Candy going ahead on foot
with Bogus Charley and Boston, DIR.
Thomas being close by his side, with
Meacham and Dyar on horseback follow
ing. Soon after the terrible cry rang like
FIRE through the camp, "They are firing
on the Peace Commission /" The long
roll was beaten and the soldiers hastily
fell into line and in less time than it takes
me to tell it. The companies followed
each other so rapidly that It was hard to
determine which was aheed. They de-
ployed at the double quick, and kept that
step to the picket line, when they pro-
eeeded with more caution, as was now
needed by the nature of the ground and
thR tact that they lIDeY nothow soon they
would encounter the willy foe. / followed
along with the first line, and just as we
passed the pickets, Mr.. Dyar, tall, pow
erful man, came bounding along, and
next came Riddle and his wife, the latter
crying like a child-"where are the 9TH
ers ?' was the excited cry of the thor
oughly aroused soldiers. "Al dead;
killed by the id Indians" replied Rid
de, and he added" Oh the devils f! 1t
turned out just As thought it would, and
now l guess they will believe me and
her (his wife) when we tell them there is
danger"
The line swept on and soon the body of
Meacham was reached, about one hun
dred and fifty yards from the tent. He
was alive and spoke, saying "where am l
shot ?" He was raised and carried a few
yards toward the rear, while the search
was continued ; about fifty yards further
on and nearer the tent the body of DR..
Thomas was found, stripped to his draw
ers and boots, quite dead. About thirty
yards from the tent lay the body of Gen
eral Candy, stripped naked but not mutt
lated. Within this little circle lay the
three victims Of tire eachery-two of them
dead, ard the other fearfully and proba-
oily moIially wounded. General Candy
is well known on this coast andN at the
East as gallant officer, and kind, social
gentleman, who has spent forty years in
the service. According to the account
given by the survivors, he was the first
victim.
After the Commissioners arrived on the
ground with Boston and Bogus Charley
they found six others waiting them, viz {:
Captain Jack, John Or, Sergeant Schon-
chin, Hooka jim, Black jim, (Ellen's
NAM, and Shacknasty Jim, and just be-
fore the attack was made two strange
Indians came up whom Riddle did not
know. Meacham opened the council and
spoke at some length, telling them what
the Government wanted them to do.
General Candy spoke kindly and pleas
antly. and Dr.. Thomas addressed them.
Meacham spoke again, and then Captain
Jack talked, then stepped back to make
room for Schonchin, who wanted to talk.
At this moment the patty were seated
or standing around the grass fat near the
lent. General Candy sitting on rock
pear the speaker, Dyer standing near by,
holding bis horse, and Messrs. Thomas
and Neacham standing near by. While
schonchn was speaking, Captain Jack
stepped forward with his pistol and pre-
senting it at General CaDby's head, pulled
the trigger, exclaiming "HetuckW (All
ready. The cap snapped and he pulled
the trigger again and sent ball crashing
through the head of the old man, who
started to run, the ball entering from be-
hind. The General threw up his hands,
and as he fell another shot was fred, strik-
ing him under the left eye, and coursing
Aownward emerged through the jaw,
breaking it. He also received a stab un-
der the right ear, dislocating the neck
probably, as it was foand to be broken.
This was witnessed by Colonel Biddle,
who was on the bluff, Evidently the
q neral died without Struggle, as. saw
ing the natural discolorations attending
bruises, biz cOuntenance was placid and
hi. limbs composed. Appearances indi-
cate that as III cap exploded, he attempt
ed TO rise and WAS shot from behind, when
he fell on the rock, and was then shot
again, as portions of his brains had be-
spatteFed ihe rock. The villains stripped
him and evidently intended muilating
the remains, but the rapidity with which
the troops moved prevented this.
DR.. Thomas was shot by Boston Char
ley, who ate breakfast with him in the
morning and walked with him TO the field
0f death. He was shot through the right
lung. this wound OF itself being almost