The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-01-10
LETTER FROM KANSAS.
Fort SCoTT, Kansas, Dec. End, 49,

LETTER FROM KANSAS.
FORT SCOTT, Kansas, Dec. end, 1878.
Mr.. EDIToR:-A few days since arnlet
myself with bottle Of ,oAisky, and took
train on the NJ. X. Fl. S. & G. r. r., tt
visit that little band of "hair-raisers, ,
Familiarity known to the world as the Mo
docs. You will probably say that whisky
is peculiar kind of armor for a man; but
| was told that if 1 took little fire
them being" white man, got any whis
ky Ply that they would think me a little
Great Spirit for cent" and that woulc
be permitted to interview them without
danger of being ''Canbyized. did moi
intend to use it, however, unless one o.
them attempted to ego for me" with a
"stutf club" or something, which at
tempt was not made, and l brought il
back to my room and placed it carefully
away that might have it when I again
had chills (9)
on their reservation in the Indian Terri
tory, few miles from Baxter Springs, the
termini of the NJ. R. Fl. s. & G. r. R., Of
the tribe there now but one hundred and
fifty three survivors-thirty-n nine men, fit
ty-four women, and sixty children; and
when we revert to the fact that this small
number kept at bay and gave so much
trouble to the army of the West, we must
admire their bravery. The officers in
charge all agreed that this tribe had been
much abused and outraged by the whites
of the frontier. The reader will perhaps
remember that this is the tribe which Ger.
tain wicked whites attempted to poison by
inviting them to eat of a poisoned OK
However, 1 do not justify the spirit Of
revenge which caused the death of oul
gallant Gen. Candy, although it is not
much to be wondered at.
They are now under the care and guard
ianship of company of United States
soldiers, the Captain of which kindly in
troduced us to the principals of this, the
most miserable, dirty, greasy, treacherous,
mulderous looking set OF mortals l ever
looked upon. Shacknasty Jim was point
ed out to us coiled up, snail fashion, on
the floor of his tent. He is long lump OF
nastiness we'll drawn out. Scar-faced
Charlie, who looks as though one side OF
his face had passed through thrashing
machine, is small, quiet Indian, speaks
comparatively good English, and converses
freely on their late "unpleasantness." He
says he and his tribe are satisfied to dc
whatever the Government may require
them to do, provided plenty to eat and
wear are furnished them. Disregarding
the peculiar odor arising from the mass OF
crouching savages, was directed to the
Princess Mary and Mrs. Captain Jack.
Mrs. Jack is a little, short, stumry 1njun,
who was comfortably coiled up, knees to
chin, upon the floor. She had her face
BACKED as black as tar, the usual Modocs
mourning for the dead. She passionately
refused to be interviewed" and turned
over on the floor with loud and scornful
grunt, when l spoke to her. There were
six or seven pappooses and dirty little
"Iniuns" of both sexes and all sizes,
which were pointed out as members OF
Captain Jacks family. The Princess
Mary, Jacks daughter, when called upon,
raised herself up, and shaking her profu.
sion of black hair from her face, exclaim-
ed, sharply and angrily What want ?''
When told that white stranger was her
dsturber, she replied, SEQ way, me not
want you. Oh, do go way" Mary looked
about her minute, and then, as she be-
came awake, launched forth in TRADE Of
bitter invectives against white men, sol
diers, and the Government. She spoke
comparatively good English, and appeared
rather more than ordinarily intelligent for
wild Indian. She is rather good look.
ing squaw, and makes better appearance
than might be expected, when her parent,
age and life are taken into consideration.
As she crouched there upon the floor OF
the dark and gloomy tent it seemed hard to
imagine that this was the last of the royal
line of Modocs. Her eyes flashed fire as
she denounced the soldiers who had hung
her father and permitted the others to 80
free. She spoke with scorn of Schonchin,
Boston Charlie, Shacknasty Jim, Scar
faced Charlie, and particularly of going
home. l am satisfied that there is many a
girl who would like to " scalp Mary, if an
opportunity presented itself, not out of
revenge, but to secure such "lovely
switch, you know"
When introduced to Bogus Charley he
shook me warmly by the hand, at the same
time cxclaiming-"Ugh! Good, me scalp
many white man like you" l felt my
hair stand up, but looked brave, and
"smoe CHASTITY smile" on his cookbook
ing souaw. When asked about his child
that was sick, he replied: "Much damn
sick; sick like hell" He is over six feet
tall, and has rather a better countenance
than the others. He explained that he
was not to blame for his name: me not
bocus-me no lie Indian. Me be bout
town Bogus much-call me Bogus Char
ley.' William, the Indian who advised
Cen Candy not to go out to meet the Mo-
docs, is the best looking of them all. He
seemed to be paying great attention to a
couple of old blind Indians, both over a
hundred years old. He explained to me
that when the troops were pressing close
upon them, and they were likely to be cap
tured or killed, they threw away every
thing that would cucumber, and carried
these old people on their backs for many
miles. He informed me that Captain Jack
knew perfectly well what crime he was
committing when he shot Gen. Candy, but
everything had to succumb to ambition, as
he found that Schonchin, Hooker Jim, and
the Curly headed Doctor had so stirred up
the tribe that unless he lead them on to