Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-08
DYING MoDocS.
Only a Handful Left of Tribe Of Fight

Only a Handful Left of Tribe of Fight
Down in the Indian Territory on the
little reservation allotted to the rem
nant Of the Modoc tribe, lives an old
woman, who for more than thirty
years, has worn the mourning en-
blems peculiar to her people. This In
dian woman is known to the whites as
the Princess Mary, and to the Modocs
as Mother"
The mourning of Princess Mary Is
worn for her brother, Capt Jack. chief
of the Modocs, who, thirty-three years
ago was hanged by the whites for the
murder Of Brigadier General E. R. S.
Candy, United States army. The Prin-
cess Mary Is feeble. but 1t Is not likely
that the hatred in her heart has
grown weak with the advancing years.
Two other white men were slain at
the time General Candy fell. The kill
ings were followed by war with the
Modocs and at its close there were
several hangings. Captain Jack, the
leader OF the reds suffered first. The
United States took full revenge for
the loss 1t had undergone, but in all
the preceding years it had never at
tempted to lay a correcting hand on
the whites, who by treachery. had cut
off the flower of the Modoc tribe.
There are scarcely two score of
Princess Mary's people left. Her
mourning is as much for her tribe as
1t Is for her brother. Years ago there
were many Modocs, and they were as
brave as any of the people Of the west
ern country. The heart has been
crushed out of them, and today they
are pitifully decadent race.
The Modoc home was in Southern
Oregon, in the land watered by the
Lost river. The whites came over
land and invaded the Modocs' valley
home, and attempted to take posses
sion without even the formality Of a
treaty. The Modocs fought the invad-
ers and killed some of them, though
the tribe lost heavily in the battles.
A frontiersman named Wright lost
two comrades in a fight with a band
of braves, and he sought revenge for
their death. He formed a wagon
train Of covered vehicles Of the kind
known as prairie schooners. Into ev-
cry wagon he put load of armed
men, but the caravan had every ap-
pearance of being the outfit Of peace
full settlers. The wagons were driven
into the valley of the Lost river, but
the Modocs refused to attack 1t, for
they never had made war. save when
it was made certain that the invaders
intended to steal their lands and this
train apparently, was only passing
through to the country beyond.
Wright's ruse having failed, he plot
ted anew. He secured a small trading
outfit, and, putting on the dress OF
peace, he sent runners to the Modoc
villages, asking the tribe to meet him
at the edge of a grove near the foot
of a small range Of hills, there to ex-
change pelts for gewgaws dear to the
Indian heart.
The Modocs, men, women and chill
dren, came all unsuspecting and un-
armed. They sat upon the ground In
a great throng about the supposed
trader. Suddenly the hillsides and the
grove were afiame with rifle fire.
IN, o,o u.ara a bup6rad concealed white
murderers to deal out death to the de-
fenseless Modocs.
The Indians broke and fed, but
they left scores Of their braves,
squaws and pappooses dead or dying
in the valley. The whites put the
wounded ones to the knife. Captain
Jack, the brother Of the Princess Mary
was present at this massacre as boy.
Years later an enlightened govern
ment hanged him for seeking ven-
geance.
One Modoc succeeded in getting
partial vengeance before Capt. Jack
had arrived at a warriors estate. The
brave lured the frontiersman, Wright,
out of his cabin aand shot him to
death. 1t was said by an officer OF
the First Cavalry, a regiment that was
ordered into the field against the Mo-
docs after the killing Of Gen. Candy,
that just before Capt. Jack was hang
ed, he asked how many white men had
been hanged for the murder Of the
Modoc women, in the valley of Lost
river.
In 1870 the government forced the
Modocs to move on to the klamath
reservation. The Klamaths at once
attacked them, and being the stronger,
they overcame the tribe that had been
driven into their company. Then the
government moved the ModocS to an
other part of the reservation. The
Klamaths attacked again, but were
driven off The Modocs had no food.
and the agent refused to issue rations
to them.
The bands Of Capt. Jack thought OF
their old homes. and between sunset
and sunrise they stole away to the
place that had belonged To their an
cestOrs before the grasping whites had
seen II and coveted It, Indian Super
intpndcnt a. +. MeuCham went to the
Mudocs. and. thinking that he had the
authority. he told them they might re-
main where they were. The Modocs
held Il dance of thanksgiving. and
ynut Dnr1 that thrIr hearts were good,
and that they would keep peace for all
time.
Within II month tn" government
broke It's promise and ordered the for
l,I.