The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-06
CHIEF JOSEPH FORBORE.
MS JUSTICE AND MERCY UNDER
THE TEST.
An Agreement between Him aud the whites
Violated las Soon as Made. Vet the Vio-
Intors Treated with Courtesy Despite the
ncntcose FcellnEp or tho CHIEFS Warriors.

NJ " AHAtAA AAs inv
Violated Jas Soon as Made. Vet the Tio-
Intors treated with Courtesy Despite the
Bellicose Feelings of tho Chiefs Warriors.
To my venerable enemy and friend, Chief
Joseph, I want to do an act of Justice that
has been too long delayed, relating facts prob
ably never before put in print, which can
be verified by many residents of Baker, Union.
and Wallowa counties, Or. am no
admirer of tho blanket Indians OF q generation
ago, l have seen too many of their horrible
atrocities and have suffered too much myself
for that. For thirty.four years my hand has
been constantly sore from the hurt OF n poisoned
arrow. l once had to tramp 100 miles with an
Indian bullet imbedded in the bones OF my leg
before / could have medical attention. Scnti.
mcnt has nothing TO do with my present story.
In the early summer of 1877 l lived in Union
county, Or, and published tho Mountain Sentinel.
A courier from wallowa Valley, eighty miles
away, rode into town one morning with an ap.
peal from tho citizens over there for help In
standing Off Chief Joseph and his band, who
were about TO slaughter them. They had already
sent TO Fort wnlla wnlla for Government as
sistancc. Seven OF us volunteered to go. The
rest felt 1t their duty TO protect their own homes
at such a time. When we volunteers reached
Wallowa we found q company OF thirty ready
md anxious to go out and offer hattie to Joseph,
who was cncamped with l05 men about twenty
miles away. ] knew q bit moro about Indian
fighting than they and persuaded them to wait
for tho regulars. who arrived at daylight tho
next morning. The combined forces, eighty-one
men in all. moved on Joseph at once. At noon
we halted three-fourths Of n mile from the In
diNns' strongly fortified position.
Squire Veasey, a very intelligent citizen. was
awaiting our arrival with an invitation from
Joseph 10 Lieut.. Force to come over across Hur-
ricane Creek. which had been established by
mutual consent as the dead line between the
settlers and Indians. Lieut.. Force and Mr..
Veasey at once mounted and rode over to inter
view Joseph, and, after probably two hours.
returned with the Information that an agree
mcnt had been reached that the Indians and
their stock would be kept on the north side of
Hurricane Creek and the whites and their stock
should remain on the south side unmolested I'M
I'll a report OF the situation could be sent
to the Great Father in Washington This let
tho gore hunters from Grand Renell out, and
there was g%nashing of teeth, especially among
the young and reckless ones, who had never
tried their first shot Mt n red blanket, and Lieut..
Force was denounced as a coward. Seeing that
our mission was at an end. and not at that tino
knowing the arrangements that had been made.
and having heard often of the beautiful Wal
Iowa Lake and the remarkable red fish that II
/ called Capt. Booth TO one side and said:
Captain, let us tako the commissary wagon
and some sa9 . Si9n * n,a and *, grub ban, and .s go VI to the
lie nj once consented and we proceeded. Sew.
eral young men were anxious to go, none un.
tho treaty. We selected five to ride in the wagon
and Capt. Booth and l mounted our horses and
camp, the road to the lake crossing the creek
;SSstn below Joseph CO camp ,nb,, and d Winding win around 70
When about half way TO the ford n little cor
poral or Lieutenant, who hailed from the ever.
green isle, and was probably born near it's green
est spot overlook us at a gallop and Numbered in
our sensitive ears:
Lieut.. Force orders yez back 70
We inquired why, and he said:
None OF yer damned business ply; yez fell
lows come back; that's ply
compliments to Lieut.. Force. and tell him that we
we're going up to tho lake, and that he had not
Lieutenant that he had our permission TO 20
where ovcrcoats are not needed in. the dead OF
the grass on his way back. and delivered the mes
Sage probably verbatim, for Lieut.. Force and Mr..
y, we3I SssSp j6mrm esmn ay m Fas, ns ,b "g4 S d9sned could 9TTT
carry them. Then there was a connection. We
could hear J~oseph's voice that youI, CORE
E lns VI sis "6 OF tho II ' Ssz Tlre s&H ians sas eF 1 Pn %x
s sHSs ha S down pt on ns: but ut we FeS Wena on in' Ne t eSn,
toned our boys on the wagon to be ready for
trouble, but to say not n word. and we drove on.
Thus by Joscph's control over his bare and
htdeousiy painted warriors our lives were saved.
that Lieut.. Fore had no control over us. and at
first insisted that II the Lieutenant could not
stop to us he t tho "S his j., men ,Sn could; : egt he placed
who gave his pledge that we would do no wrong.
This Mr.. Ncascy must have done with some mis-
givings, for he we'll knew the feeling that exist
ell among the citizens toward what At that time
seemed 10 them TO be IA disposition on the part
Joseph and his warriors.
We went on TO the lake, camped that night,
a. 't again the N@s P = Ssse were a RI n up Tefi in
line behind the wall of rocks on the hill. We in
| demonstration and tn say not n word hlf IN
drive quietly along the road and on to camp.
Capt. Booth and myself rode Just behind tho
wagon. When opposite the camp a foolhardy
idea struck me and l said:
Captain, let us go up and see Joseph; want
The Captain said:
A right; 20 ahead"
We rode up the hill in the face Of about 100
hideoqsiy painted and .s~cowling. warriors and
went directly TO ,Joseph's tent. In front of his
, years T "id' E bl ii1s5S ina!"n I handed S%ydi 59F2RSin m y s eises
OF silver and gave him the reins OF my horse to
hold, but he handed the reins to another hoy
money. As Joseph was sulking and had not
shown himself, which was ominous. wo ~teliber-
ated II short time. ! finally said to Cant. Booth:
LEI us hang our guns on our saddles. SO as to
aPPeaE y nnnrmsd, and go into the tent ,,0, .,x.
and as I stopped over TO enter the door OF the
cnt may icll about JosSph's impressive face. but
saw il change then and his eyes fairly shot fire.
spring y r%"i to his %aS V and hal II he done on s so your SG' read d
ers would not be hearing from me now; ! en-
dcnvored TO appear unconccrncd at the blunder
and, picking up the revolver. stuck 1t In the side
pocket of my coat, lsalutcd Joseph in Chinook,
"A language. commonly, understood by Indians
OF that section. To this he made no reply. /
then proceeded TO tell him that our hearts wor,
good, and that l Ind been present and had mot
him when he had held n talk with Senator
Slater, and that | was engaged in making
paper talk at Union" and had called 10 get his
s%tatcmen TO publish It and send it to the Great
Father Mt Washington. While this WAS not
strictly true, ! felt that the play was within tnt
limits Of the game, and made II stick.
This Interested Joseph Mt once and he mo
toned us to he seated on a buffalo robe at his
feet. | produced some tobacco and u pipe nnt
We smoked. | took out my notebook and b,
called an interpreter. L wrote ms il my life de
pended on IL and when / got home | published
the interview. but not the Incidents that led I,
1t, which have nevor before been penneh.
At Joscph's suggestion. his wife cut mo
string for my stirrup and we bade him goo
day. Soon after this he crossed Snake Rive
and went over TO Camns Prairie. There, som,
OF his warriors having secured whiskoy and go
drunk among the settlers, blood was spilled
Tho subsequent campaign has gone into history
BAKER CRY, Or, May 10. i. s. MCCoMAs.