Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-06-20
THE PIONEER REUNION.
The Third annual ADDRESS. bv
by Hon. b. r. Norris.

The 18th of June is the dav upon
which the Pioneers of Idaho County
celebrate as their anniversary, for it was
or that date in 1877 that the hostile
Neg Perce Indians began their depreda.
tions by taking the lives of the white
men on Salmon River. They, like all o.
their race. went with the stealth OF the
wolf, and shot down without warning
men, women and children from whom
they had always received the best Of
treatment. Richard Devine, a weak,
; anohensive citizen. living alone five
miles above John Day creek, and whose
; sife was fast going out in suffering in
the last stage of consumption, was Their
first victim-shot down at his door with.
out warming by three of these notorious
braves. From there they went to John
Day creek and lay in ambush until
Robert Bland and Henry Beckroge
both Of whom were exemplary young
men in the prime of life-Beckroge be-
ing brother of Mrs. Cleary--appeared,
when they were shot from ambush.
After this barbsrous butchery they went
to the John Day House, and following
Henry Elfers. the proprietor, a few rods
from the house, shot him down. Thus
fell one of the f rst pioneers, and one OF
che best and NEST enterprising citizens
Of idaho county. leaving a devoted wife
and three little children to mourn their
loss. From thence they wendell their
way toward Camas Prairie, avoiding the
most prominent places, and woundipp
Samuel Benedict on the way.
; Arriving on the Prairie thew reported
their heroic deeds to Chief joseph and
his band. whereupon sixteen of the most
barbarous specimens of humanity set
out to complete their nefarious work.
On White Bird they met Jas. Baker
and J.J.Manuel who were withoutarms
Like demons. and with blood curdlinp
yells they fred volley after volley, W hen
&he brave Captain Baker who feared no.
thing short of God himself, fell dead
and Manuel fell from his horse badly
wounded and rolled down a steep cliff
and lodged in the brush against the
fence, where the Indians Thought he
was dead, but he subsisted for thirteen
days on berries when he was rescued bv
parties under Gen. Howard. You can
imagine his sufferings of body and mind
as he lay there unable to get away. suf-
Iering intense pain from his wounds and
oeing an eye witness of the lannon's
White Bird fight, In which the Indians
were victorious. and "a soldiers, inclu
ding Lieut.. Theller, fell victims of the
Indians, Theodore Swmts, H.A.Faxon
and Geo. M. Shearer were among the
volunteers in the battle. Imagine if Won
can Mr.. Manuel's feelings as from his
brush covert he saw the soldiers give
way in disorder with the Indians in hot
pursuit. But to return. The sixteen
warriors leaving Manuel and Baker for
dead. proceeded to where Mr. Benedict
lived; bis wounded ley had prevented
MIN rom making his escape and he and
q Frenchman were shot down and the
oouse burned. They then went to the
house OF Mr.. Osborne, on Salmon river,
where they killed Harry Mason, VIM.
Osborne and French Frank, and perpe-
frated other and more horrid crimes
with members of their families. The
subject Is too unpleasant to dwell upon
ana l Will only add that they killed
seventeen persons in cold blood inIdabo
county, including men. women and chill.
hren. Among this number was Mrs.
Manuel, one of the pioneer daughters of
Idaho, and the first young lady ever
married in this county. In addition to
those killed in cold blood three of our
most respected and honored citizens
were killed in battle, Capt. Randall. BIZ.
Evans and D. II. Howser. In addition.
there was wholesale slaughter of citi-
zen scouts and volunteers during the
campaign in this county, and about 75
soldiers were killed in the battles of
White Bird. Cottonwood and Clearwa.
ter,and in the smaller conflicts.
80 much for the hostile portion of the
tribe. In behalf of the peaoable Indians
4 Will say that they are friendly and in
dustrious, and are profting by their
close proximity to the whites. and are
tilling the soil, raising horses and cattle
d'scarding the wigwam for log andboard
houses. Many of the rising generation
IN the tribe attend school and can read
ana write and speak the English lam
guase freely and correctly, and are in a
prosperous condition, and notwithstsnd-
ing the depredations of their hostile
brethren very friendly feeling exists
between them and the whites.
We have spoken of the past: let us
turn to the future. In the able address
OF Mr.. Brown at orr last reunion he
predicted that In % years
You will hear the whistle of the To-
conceive approaching from different d.
rections. You will hear the rumble .,
the cars bringing what you need in ex-
change for your surplus. Farmers willbe
encouraged and the prairie will become
one vast wheat field and the golden har.
vest VIII be millions OF bushels for ex.
port. You will find all the avenues O,
trade stimulated and increased, new
towns built and schools and churches
everywhere. You will find the farmers
with substantial homes surrounded with
gu the necessaries of life, contented and
happy. You will hear the steam whistle