The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-04-23
THE ROANOKE TIMES. FRIDAY. April, %

on slaughter. When tho peace conn
missioner arrived on the ground, tho
Indians refused to treat with him. They
did, however, finally agree to surrender
to Judge Steele aud two other men of
that region and arranged to give up
their arms tho following day. When
Steele and his companions went to the
agreed place CT the surrender, not an
Indian was in sight, and they returned
to the military camp. Steele then agreed
to go alcue and interview the war chief.
That night Steele went through an ex-
perience few men have endured. While
talking to him i'll pacific terms in the
Chinook jargon they were discussing in
their own tongue tho ACCESSIBILITY 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 OH condition of his
bringing tho commissioners and COM
manding officers of the troops to confer
with them.
But for the efforts of the brave suuay.
Wl-ne-ma, war would have broken out
long before. Many times she took the
weapons from the hands of warriors
bent OH the destruction of settlers in the
region, and it was she who warned the
officers of tho army Of the trouble brew
ing Her influence with her people be-
gan to wane as 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 q
humane man and did all in his power
to right the wrongs of his dusky wards.
This man Wi-nema revered, and when
the second peace commissioner was an
pointed she did all i'll her power to pre-
vent him from attending tho council
with the chiefs. She grasped his horse
by tho bride, begging Meaoham 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
>O-N> @'f"A@J 'AiiSo. NlISA 1hedCluIl WIZ
attacked by the bloodthirsty Sconchin.
Wi-ne-ma threw herself on tho 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-ma grasped the
knife. The enraged buck struck her
terrible blow, almost knocking her
senseless. Again the wit of the woman
came into play. "Thc soldiers are com
ing up! she cried, and the next mo-
ment detachment of troops did appear.
Amid curses from the enraged troopers.
a dozen weapons were leveled at the
breast Of the brave squaw Looking the
mounted men straight in the face, sho
cried: mo shoot mel 1 tried to save
theml" 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 Modoc.
Tho 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-
tllated that the body was unrecogniza-
bic. Then the three little children of
Wl-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 Guiding
the hostile members of her race and
family, made her way across the desc
late lava beds to the government most.
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
ne lay i'll the hospital recovering from
his six gunshot wounds 1t was IL
weeks before tho colonel was able to
leave his bed By that time Wi-ne-ma
was almost a helpless invalid. She was
an important witness for the govern
ment i'll 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 tho
chest as she sat ono evening by win
dow at her lonely home. Colonel Meach
am gave the little woman chief literally
from his means, and the soldiers ut tho
post saw that She never lacked medical
attendance and nursing. -Philadelphia
Times
The Big Hat In Church.