The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-23
DEAD. sUr OFFICIALLY 1L1vE.
A Drumhead Court-Martia1 on IN Indian
in Early California Days.

uTmy OIllOeTs RoJ Taking OF OWu tlneS NJ tho
Army and Navy Club some curious bit OF for
gotten history Is always brought to light. The
other evening an officer who has been In the
service for thirty. i've years related a story
OF the early days OF California that was his
toric. tragic. serio-comic and curious.
when California was newly acquired terri
tory" said he. Gen. Flournoy was In COM
mand OF our forces there. with headquarters
at Sacramento. The settlers were troubled
by frequent Indian uprisings. In which a
small maraudinR band under o petty chief.
Matera. were chiefly concerned. As soon az
the soldiers were after them these Indians
would break. into squads OF three or four and
hide until the soldiers had returned to head
quarters. when they would suddenly reappear
and renew their depredations.
"A settler discovered q small cave. the en-
trance to which was almost entirely obscured
by q dense growth OF bush. He also found
evidence that Matera took refuge In this re-
treat when too closely pursued. When the In
dams next made u raid on the settlement one
OF the settlers started with all speed for mill
tary aid while the others gathered for resist
ance. Such haste was made by the messen-
ger that in thlrty-six hours he had laid his
plaint before Gen. Flournoy. Col. Ben Bell OF
Florida. Indian and Mexican war fame was
In command OF the draRoons and In two
hours' time after receiving orders went TO the
General Headquarters to report his readiness
to start and to receive final instructions. Now
Gen. Flournoy and Col. Bell were personally
most intimate. regular cronies. Like all old
time army officers they made a great display
OF rank and authority VIXEN under observa-
ton. but when they got by themselves all this
was discarded and they always called each
other by their first names.
When Col. Bell entered the Generals room
thara etnnJ an fha aida fahIa "a hptflA md
glasses upd while taking q parting drink the
General said:
Ben. go up there and look into this cry
and IL it's a false alarm made by the settlers
themselves with the object OF selling their bar
ley for horse feed at 80 cents q bushel when
It's only worth 8. fornge on the country and
don't pay EN- u damn cent; but il it's "a genu-
inc call offer q reward for tho capture Of that
old redskin devil Matera. dead or alive. II
him. hang him there, damn him. as high as
daman! Now. good. by. and good luck To you..'
1t was on a Sunday morning TINT Col. Bell
and his men started out. On Wednesday they
reached the scene OF disturbance. 70 the great
Colonel giving the latest news. to tho effect
that on that very morning one OF their mum Der
had been killed and his hut burned. The dis
covery OF the cave as q hiding place was quick
ly told and before sunset a part OF the com
mand set of Tor it. A squad OF men were sta
toned about the mouth OF the cave to prevent
the escape Of any one within. Early the next
morning scouting parties were sent in several
lirectlons. reporting later in the DAY that there
was no Sign Of the enemy. Late in the after
noon, a brisk wind coming up from the desired
direction. y hot ire ot iagGots and ueai wood
Observation-Disclosures OF the cave. and when it was
burning Hereby quantities OF green busheswere
thrown. on 1t. and in Il few minutes such a VOL
that no human thing could long Withstand 1t.
anu directly out through the smoke ran five
the sharp crack Of musketry brought four OF
them dead upon the ground. The nth. Matera.
threw w his hands in token OF surrender.
He was quickly bound and brought before
Col. Bell Just as twilight. was settling down.
The old chief could speak some English and
said that he wanted the treatment OF n pris-
You do. do youf' said Col. Bell. You'll
get it.. Do you see yon limb pointing TO u
huge branch about thirty feet above their
heads. When the sun rises tomorrow morn
ing you'll swing there. and i you don't swing
quite as high as Haman, it'll do the business
Al sunrise the next morning Matera was
round his neck. while he surveyed his captors
with q face as atolid as IL carved out of wood.
limb OF the tree. and then Matera. surrounded
BY the yenRefui settlers and soldiers; was
hanging for sixty minutes he was buried in, q
deep grave. and al! that was mortal OF the old
red savage was hidden from human sight foT-
Being satisfied that the uprising had re-
ceived its Quietus. Col. Bell set out on his re-
following. Monday morning. Within an hour
Of his arrival Gen. Flournoy was IN full posses-
5 ea9bre ca al Whom SHas "UeodI Bel BefI told Hif him II that sSui agrees sae
able to Instructions. he had hanged old Ma
terra. and most appropriately on a Friday
=" GOOD Lord. mani You didn't do that?'
Yes. l did said the Colonel: and we'll
without a drumhead court-martialT' asked
handed. V smoked i him out out; of a " cave 1ooA Every Nt% set set
tier knows him to be the leader Of the gang.
what need: Of a dT X. Hf The lTS.l s91ns ss i g
moro butchering there. you bet. I've taught
them q lesson, they wont forget
" This said the General retiectiyely. is q
bad business. but. we must make the best of 1t.
We must have the AdJutant draw up charges
the the crimes in the calendar against him. Civ
ing the names Of twenty five settlers as wit
a aes ]ssnte ana h lind to ni% % h THi!!s on % Sse must G0 fapt
ward the findings to Washington for approval
states via Panama then required from three. TO
five months under favorable conditions. Al
ttiasl in the: Iatera case were delivered at the
War Departmsnt. Jefferson DaviS, was:then
great stickler for the routine OF procedure and
the observation OF technical %niceties. then in
recognized usage in the conduct OF courts.
Charges and a critical e1amlnation OF the evi:
dence. he concluded that the extreme penalty
punishment for Matera. This decision was
Itarted on its way back TO the golden coast auC
after mouths 1t reached Sacramento.
IConsternati9n ruled The hour OF It's re
Here was an Indian eight months buried who
was not officially dead at all; but was ordere,
to be imprisoned as a horrible examplel For
tunutely in those days there was not a news
paper reporter ALWAYS at the ,ofiiciai elbow
seeking news for publication. 4 fresh copy O.
the original proceedings was made and re
turned TO the Secretary OF War accompanie,
BY q private personal letter from F~lourno!
stating in detail the whole truth. Again tn
findings were received at Washington. per
haps with less hypercriticism than before
and were this time grayely approved and. tn
sentence OF the court orderad to.be carried:int'
execution. His condemnation to death ar
rived in California about the time Of the frs
anniversary Of Materas burial, and he thu
became officially as well as bodily deceased.
This story added the narrator. was re
lated to a number Of arm officers.in.my pres
ence by Col. Bell. thirty. years or more age
and a recent search OF the official records con
firmed it in every detail"
nn.nTsu CIGn0 nHTTR N1RRH