Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-04-08

Indian was in sight, and they returned
to the military camp. Steele then agreed
TO go alone and interview the war chief.
That night Steele went through an ex-
perience few men have endured. While
talking to him in pacific terms in the
Chinook jargon they were discussing in
their own tongue the advisability Of
numbering their visitor. Steele under.
stood sufficiently their language to COM
prehend his danger, but did not betray
his knowledge The chiefs finally decid.
ed to spare his life on condition Of his
bringing the commissioners and COM
manding officers of the troops to confer
with them.
Wine ma war would have broken out
long before. Many times she took the
weapons from the hands of warriors
bent on the destruction of settlers in the
region, and il was she who warned the
officers of the army Of the trouble brew
ing. Her influence with her people be-
gan to wane az their rage against the
whites increased. Then, too, the war
riors began to mistrust her husband
Her food was poisoned by Modocs, and
she was compelled TO sleep in secret
places for fear of death from her own
brothers and relatives for her suspected
undue liking for white people.
Colonel A. b. Meacham, who was in
command of the military post, was a
humane man and did all in his power
to right the wrongs of his dusky wards.
This man Wi-ne-ma revered, and when
the second peace commissioner was APP
pointed she did all in her power to pre-
vent him from attending the council
with the chiefs. She grasped his horse
by the bride, begging Meacham and
Candy not TO meet Jack and his band.
When she found entreaty was in vain,
the devoted woman mounted her pony
and rode with the i'll fated party to the
place of meeting.
The story Of that meeting has been
told many times. When Meacham was
attacked by the bloodthirsty Sconchin,
Wi-ne-ma threw herself on the savage
and begged him to spare the life of her
white friend Others coming up, Wine
ma ran from warrior to warrior turn
ing aside their weapons. At last one of
many bullets struck Meacham senseless,
and the quick witted squaw turned
aside the weapon aimed to finish his
life, with the words, Him dead; no
use shoot Sconchin tried TO scalp
Meacham, when Wi-ne-m grasped the
knife. The enraged buck struck her
terrible blow, almost knocking her
senseless. Again the wit of the woman
came into play 1.-THE soldiers are com
ing up!' she cried, and the next mo-
ment detachment of troops did appear.
Amid curses from the enraged troopers,
dozen weapons were leveled at the
breast of the brave squaw. Looking the
mounted men straight in the face, she
cried: mo shoot me! | tried to save
themp Then came from the ranks the
words of an enlisted man. 1.-THE man
who harms her I'll kill. "
The same day Wi-ne-ma's husband,
Riddle was riding horseback and was
shot dead from ambush by a Modoc.
The body was dragged many miles over
the trail by the frightened horse. When
the horse stopped, the head and shout
ders of the coprse were so horribly mu-
BILE. Then the three little children of
Wi-ne-ma and Riddle were murdered as
they slept and their bodies burned in
the rude family dwelling. Wi-ne-ma,
under the cover Of darkness and eluding
the hostile members Of her race and
family, made her way across the DESC
late lava beds to the government post
She was sick and broken hearted at the
horrible fate of all her family, but she
nevertheless became the constant and
devoted nurse of Colonel Meacham as
he lay in the hospital recovering from
his six gunshot wounds 1t was IL
weeks before the colonel was able to
leave his bed. By that time Wi-ne-ma
was almost helpless invalid. She was
an important witness for the govern
ment in the trial of Captain Jack and
his subordinate chiefs for the murder of
General Candy and other officers and
| for this she herself was shot through the
chest as she sat one evening by win
| dow at her lonely home. Colonel Meach-
am gave the little woman chief literally
| from his means, and the soldiers at the
post saw that she never lacked medical
| attendance and nursing -Philadelphia
| Times