The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1906-11-03
The L A ST of TIE :
INDIAN HEROINES
lOriginal.l


This Is the true story of an Indian
woman whose devotion to the white
race some thirty-ive years ago result.
ed In sacrifice and heroism.
In 1857, when the gold fever was
leading men across the lava beds lying
between Oregon and California,
young Kentuckian, an ex-sergeant of
the United States army-Frank Riddle
WAS among those who trespassed up
on that desolate region. He found
there Winema. an Indian girl, fifteen
years old, who was considered the
most attractive of the Modoc women.
Riddle not only got gold. but he got
Winema for his wife. The young
couple lived in the gold diggings, and
the wife became weaned from her peo-
pie. But she knew that II she showed
this change or love for her husband
to her people they would kin her.
As more gold fields were discovered,
more whites swarIned across the lava
beds, and the Indians began to muir
der them. This melted the whites to
revenge, and a band Of seventy-five
men went from California to punish
the Indians. After pursuing them for
long while to no purpose they invit-
ed the chiefs to meet them for the pur-
pose Of making a treaty. The invita-
lion was accepted, and both parties
went into camp near each other on
Lost river. In the gray Of the morn
ing Of the proposed conference young
Modoc squaw, with clothes torn and
feet bleeding, hurried into the white
camp and asked to see the leader. She
had walked nine miles over rough
mountain trail to warn them that ut
the conference they were to be MUIR
dercd. This she had learned the night
before Mt the council fire.
The whites, impressed with the
truth Of her story, determined to meet
cunning with cunning. Going into am
bush near the place of meeting, the
Modocs fell into their trap and but two
escaped with their lives. The sQuaw
who bore the information was Wine
ma. Her people never learned that she
had saved the whites at their expense
or she would have died by torture.
This massacre Of Indians brought on
q war between the United States
troops and the Modocs. General Can
by commanded the troops, while the
Modocs fought under an Indian called
Captain Jack. Riddle and other whites
who had married squaws strove to ef-
4 feet a settlement. but failed. Winema.
who had done much to prevent the
murder of settlers by her people, con-
t1nued her efforts, but now both she
and her husband began to be suspect
Cd of preference for the whites. WI
nema's food was poisoned, and she
was obliged to sleep in secret places
for fear Of being murdered.
Two peace conferences were agreed
upon between the whites and the H.
dams. At the first the Indians did not
appear. The second was arranged be-
tween the commander of the military
post of the district, Colonel Meacham.
who was doing all in his power to
right the wrongs on account Of which
the Indians were fighting. When he
was about to start to attend the con-
ference Winema besouSht him to re-
main away. Since he would not listen
to her she grasped his bride rein, at
the same time calling upon General
Candy, who was also to attend the
conference, to listen to her. When she
found they would not, she mounted her
pony and rode with them.
What followed filed the country
with horror. The meeting was an In
dian trap and resulted In q massacre.
General Candy was murdered. A blood.
thirsty Indian, Scouchin, attacked Colo
mel Meacham. Winema threw herself
upon the savage and begged him to
spare her white friends life. Other
Indians came up, and Winema ran
among them. turning their weapons
aside or knocking them upward.
A bullet struck Meacham senseless
and q buck ran forward to dispatch
him. The squaw turned the weapon
CRYING: Him dead! No use to shootv
Scouchin tried to scalp Meacham. and
Winema grasped the knife. Scouchir
struck her. Then she shouted, 1.-THE
OolQlerS dre COiuinS. AhAS e"hhco 0"'
70 be true, and in another moment
troop of cavalry dashed among the In
dams. Seeing among the other In
dams q squaw, many carbines were
aimed at her. "No shoot me.' sh<
cried. II tried to save themw Ther
q man In the ranks recognized her ant
yelled:
'sThe man who harms her I'll kill!
Such Is the story Of this woman''
work. BY her first warning she savct
seventy-five white men. Had thoss
70 whom she gave her second warming
listened to her she would have savet
a major general and a colonel In tn
United States army. The penalty sh'
and her husband paid for her fidelit!
10 the whites only remains to be stat
al On the day Of the killing of Can