Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-06-08


Lava Meda Nsetolds
AT ii o'clock on the morning Of April
"a General Candy and DIR. Thomas lett
camp On foot 10 walk 10 the rondezvouss
mile distant. where General Glllem had
erected small tent. heacham. with
DYER and the interpreters. Riddle aud
Toby, followed some distance behind
on horseback. It had been stipulated
that each party should consist Of I'VE
and that all should be unarmed. all
the whites observed this but Dyer who
was too much 0f fr0nticrsman % ven
ture anywhere among Indians without
something. He carried small pistol ~
his boson. The newspaper men were Of
course not permitted TO Join the party
for which ole Of them to-day IS appro-
priateiy thankful. But there was great
excitement IN camp, nevertheless. Gen
eral Gillem had stationed signal clilcer
on a bluff above the camp 20 observe
every movement at the little tent mile
Off. The first sign of treachery that
was observed was firing ID the dIrec-
ton Of Captain Mason's camp, thFes
miles away. Troops had been stationed
there to guard the outlet from the Indian
stronghold, aud ns many as dozen shots
were fired. Gillem felt that this meant
mischief, and he ordered two companies
under arms. In less than half an hour
the signal officer frantically reported that
there was firing at the conference tent.
The awful truth burst upon oil that
treachery had come, aud that q shocking
murder had been committed. Glllem
ordered the troops ia line to charge
double quick, but the nature of the
ground was such that it. was fully an
hour before they reached the fatal spot.
On the way they met Dyer who was
breathleSs with excitement. He could
only utter the words, Trcachcrvl'
/" Massacre" and then fell fainting to
the GROUND. When the troops reached
the tent they found every Indian gone,
OF course. On the ground lay the body
Of General Candy, and few feet from
it that of DIR. Thomas. Both were
stripped naked. Both had worn suits
OF broadcloth, with overcoats, and had
been stripped 10 the skin. About fifteen
feet from the body of DIR. Thomas lay
the supposed dead body of Meacham.
He too was stripped, but as the sol
diers lifted him his eyes fecbly opened
and he mOaned. Il was seen that
he was not dead, and the army surgeon
administering stimulants soon had him
sufficiently revived to speak. Meacham
was dreadfully wounded. He had pistol
balls through his face and neck. and
several terrible knife wounds in his scalp
and shoulders The ModOcs never scalp
their victims, aud to that circumstance
Meacham owed his life. The bodies
were tenderly cared for, and then the
troops moved on to Captain Mason's
camp, where the first firing had been
heard. There they found that party
Of six Indians had come out under flag
of truce. Lieutenant Walter Sherwood,
Twenty third infantry, with dctach-
me1t were sent out to meet them. The
Indians fell upon them, murdered poor
Sherwood and three Of his men, and
wounded two others.
What took place at the conferences
.ent was graphically related by Meacham
after his marvellous recovery. 1t was
apparent from the start that the Indians
had violated one of the compacts. In
stead of five men they had brought
nine, and q man with half an eye
could see that they had heavy revolvers
hidden under their coarse shirts. But
they greeted General Candy pleasantly
enough, and nodded to DIR. Thomas.
Meacham himself says they paid no at
tention to him. Though the day was
snringlike, q greasewOod fire was built
General Candy, who was as iiiveterate
smoker as Grant, had taken out bundle
of cigars. They had also taken out
some coffee and bacon, and a quantity
of what the Modocs were very fond Of
parchcd corn. Toby Riddle made
big can of coffee and all partook Of q
light lunch, and then General Candy
passed around mis- cigars For more
than an hour there were no suspicious
signs Ali were seated around the
smouldcring fire. Candy had made a
long speech favoring peace. In the
course of it he told the Modocs that he
had been thirty years associated with
Indians. He had once, when q young
officer removed q tribe OF Indians from
Florida to the Indian Territory They
did not want to 20 at FIRST, but after
they had lived in their new homes awhile,
they had sent him word that they were
much pleased, and had elected him a
chief. He then stated his name in the
Indian tongue, at which the Modocs
laughed. Captain Jack also made q
speech in which he offered terms
az surrender that was entirely impracti-
cable, and from this Meacham felt that
the Indians were incincerc. Jack knew
his terms could not be accepted. There
was some further talk, and then some
thing occurred which filled both Meach-
am ard Riddle with painful anxiety.
'Hooka Jim, Meacham's principal enc
my, had edged around to where the lat
ter's horse was picketcd, and taken from
the pommel Of his saddle, his large over
coat. This the savage had donned and
was strutting about laughing with the
other Indians and saying IN English
s.BIe heap big Meachaml Ne look like
Meachamln The Indians manner more
than his words we're offensive. Meacham
tried to call Canby'e attention, but fat
ing In this did the most imnrudent