The suburban citizen., 1900-10-20
MOD0CS PASSING AWAY.
TRIBE THAT MADE THE LAVA BEDS
FAMOUS FAST DYING OFF.

The Modocs, at one time, were the
most troublesome and bloodthWsty
savages that this Government ever
tried to govern. Long before the white
man put in an appearance on the
shores of the Pacific they were seekers
for gore. They were always in trouble
with other tribes. That is the way
they got the name Of Modocs. 1t
means Enemies" 1t was given them
by the other tribes on the Pacific,
against whom they had waged war.
But now things have changed. The
Modocs no longer thirst for war. They
are slovenly, indolent and dun set
of beings, with no ambition. From a
strong tribe of brave warriors they
have dwindled down until there are
only thirteen bucks left in the tribe.
The total population of the tribe is
seventy-eight, mostly women and dis
eased children. In recent years the
Modocs have died off like sheep, and if
the ratio keeps up in less than de-
cade a Modoc Indian will be one of the
curlosties of a practically extinct race.
They are now quartered on a small
reservation in the Quapaw country a
few miles south Of this city, under
guard Of the Government, for they are
still considered prisoners. The few
members Of the tribe are growing be-
cause they cannot go back to the Pa
ciGc slope and spend the remainder
Of their days.
The AIodocs once were a part Of
the klamath tribe in North California
and Southern Oregon. They became
the Boxers" of the Klamaths. They
broke away from that tribe and set
up government of their own and
then waged war against their mother
tribe, just as the Boxers are doing in
China They also tackled outsiders
Just like the Boxers, and finally locked
horns with Uncle Sam just like the
Boxers did and with the same result.
Before they were subdued they would
make slaves Of their prisoners of war
and buy and sell them among each 9th
er after the fashion of the ancient Rom
ans and Carthagenians. They had a
peculiar religion in which q mythical
deity whom they called KamOOse stood
in the place of god. In 1S47, after
having licked all the tribes on the
Pacific Coast, until it was no longer
any fun for them, they brushed up
against the Federal troops. That was
the first mistake they made. They
got licked But they didn't get enough
to satisfy them and broke out again
two years later and massacred a lot
of whites. Then they got whipped
some more and hundreds Of them were
murdered by the regular army.
In 'GS they put their blankets on
and left their reservation again, squat
ting on some land on Lost River
which did not belong to them, The
Government ordered them back to
their own reservation, They refused
to go and another var was on. The
Modocs retreated to the lava beds"
where they wthstood two attacks by
General Wheaton and General Gillian.
The Government then appointed a com
mission to arrange for n settlement.
The commissioners met the Modocs
on April If, 1873, and also their fate,
because the Indians treacherously am
bushed them, killing General Candy
and Dr. Thomas and wOunding A. b.
Mitchell, so that he was left on the
field for dead
The war was again renewed The
Modocs desperately resisted the FEEDER
al forces, but were finally starved out
and compelled to surrender. General
JEFF Davis court-martialled Captain
Jack, chief, and three others who
planned the massacre of the commits
sloners, and they were executed. The
rest of the tribe, as prisoners Of war,
We're transferred to the Indian Terri
toy and placed on a small reservation,
under guard in the Quapaw nation.
At the time of their removal they were
told, so they say, that they would be
held prisoners for twenty-five years
and would then be permitted to return
to their old hunting ground in Cali
fornia The twenty-five years were
up in '9S, but the Modocs, or what is
left Of them, are still here and they
are liable to stay The Indian Com
missioner has no notion OF sending
them back to the coast.
The chief Of the fast vanishing tribe
now Is Yellow Hammer He is a strap
pling big young Indian, six feet three,
and weighs probably 300 pounds. He
looks as strong as an OK, but he isn't.
He is sick n great portion Of the time
and he hasn't many years to live.
Lung disease is getting away with
him. That is what has killed the tribe
off so rapidly. 1t seems that all are
afflicted with il. except one old In
dian. Chief Yellow Hammer has his
hammer out knocking on the way
his tribe is being treated. He says
they will all soon be dead unless the
big CHIEF at Washington lets them
go back to California. His tribe has
petitioned the Presidents to be re-
turned. Recently he visited Kansas
City with his mother lie had a good
time. In speaking Of the town he