The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-02-24

fOurthS OF Il mile oulSltiS Lie army lines Oh
April H. He specified that Gen. Candy and
Col. Gillem, who was in immediate com
nland of the troops, and the commission
ers, Meachem, Dyar and DIR. Thomas
should meet himself Schonchin and two
or three Others The mediators for this in
terview were two Modocs, Boston Charley
and Bogus Charley, who entered Canby's
camp on the 10th with the message from
their chief, and Bogus Charley remained
over night. Boston Charley passed the
night in the Lava Beds and on the morning
of the uth returned to the army camp and
said it was all right. Capt. Jack would be
on hand to negotiate for a reservation.
In Canby's camp at the time there was a
white interpreter name Riddle. whose
wife was a Modoc loyal to her husbands
friends. The squaw known as '"Tobe'
frequently visited the Lava Beds, and
about the time that Captain Jacks atti
tude was apparently for peace she insisted
that he was meditating treachery. On the
night that Bogus Charley and Boston
Charley came in with their proposal she
became more earnest than before and
begged the officers and commissioners to
put no faith in the matter. On the morn
ing of the conference she and her husband
joined in their pleas and declared that if
the party would go they washed their
hands of the whole matter" When the
hour arrived Gen. Candy, Meachem, Dyer.
Dr. Thomas, with Riddle, '"robe" and the
two Modoc mediators, went out through
the picket lines, covered by the eyes of the
army signal officer Col Gillem did not go
The camp was under arms, ready for an
emergency.
,,c+xr L. 1nfp
sons, and on reaching the tent found Cap
tain Jack with five others awaiting them.
The Indians wore pistols at their belts a
circle was formed and the talk" began.
Meachem spoke first of the humane in
tentions@ of the governments, Candy fol
lowed, reminding the Indians of his past
kindnesses to the red men. Several in
suits were offered to the whites by Captain
Jacks followers, but he did not check
them nor apologize. These incidents in
connection with the pistols at the belts OF
the Modocs were taken as an evidence that
'"Tobe" had OWNED and told the truth,
and the peace talk" was only blind.
show forbearance and display confidence in
dealing with the ignorant and misguided
savages. and Candy permitted the talk to
go on.
The Indians finally took the floor, and at
that moment their crafty brethren back in
the Lava Beds were attempting to draw the
officers of Canby's outposts into parley
Finding that they could not do SO, they
opened fire and wounded a lieutenant. This
was seen from the signal station and was
about to be communicated to Candy. when
the peace talk" party was seen to sudden
Ky In .,,c+ nj Hrip nd
the ready soldiers started to the scene at
double quick. But it was too late.
The talk had lasted two hours, when
Schonchin took up the Modoc cause and
Captain Jack retired from the circle. The
next move was the appearance of two
strange Modocs at point near by with
that the attack on the army outposts was
under way Captain Jack, coming up from
behind, presented his pistol at Canby's
head and snapped it, but it did not go off 4
All the whites took alarm and scattered. at
the same time drawing their weapons.
Captain Jack shot Candy, but not fatally
and he started to run, pursued by two
Modocs. A second bullet brought him
down and an Indian sprang upon him and
plunged knife into his neck DR.. Thomas
was instantly killed at the first fire.
The chief peace commissioner fell vic
tim to Schonchin, whose father had been
butchered at the peace talk" massacre
eighteen years before. Meachem was pur
sued and fired upon until he fell. Meantime
Dyer. and the interpreter Riddle had es
capped, and the squaw "Tobc" lay senseless
on the ground, felled by blow on the
head. As Meachem dropped to the ground
a Modoc ran toward him with drawn
scalping knife and was about to dispatch
him when "Tobe" revived, and seeing that
her worst fears had been realized screamed.
1.-THE soldiers are coming" At this out
cry, which was ruse SO far as the squaw
was concerned, the savages fed.
From that hour Canby's soldiers gave
the Modocs no peace until they were driven
from the Lava Beds and captured. Captain
Jack, Schonchin, Boston Charley and
Black Jim expiated their revengeful deed
upon the scaffold, and their people went
upon new reservation, as Candy had ad-
vised before the double duty of fighting
and negotiation was forced upon him.
GEORGE l.. KuMER.