The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-07

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week of the legislature in this city
says the Morning Olympian.
and the man credited with firing the
| first shot in the Indian war, is mere
from his home in Clarke county to
talk the matter up and get as many
of the pioneers out as he can find. The
purpose of the gathering is to organ
ize an association similar to that n
Oregon and call upon the legislature
to grant the veterans the pensions to
entitled
Mr.. Laws estimates that there are
about 200 veterans of the Indian war
in this state. He says they have never
been recognized by the state as they
should have been. He is inclined to
think that the lack Of an effective Or
ganizatiOn may have had something to
do with the failure to receive pen
sions
Mr.. Laws has not been in Olympia
oiiiSC 1907. uISl CGHle 10
in 1853, and he lived in Thurston coun-
ty until 1876 when he moved to Clarke
county. When he reached the city yes
terday, ne set about to find acquant-
ances of the long ago and up to last
evening he had found but five They
are George Barnes, Thomas Prather.
John Miller Murphy. William Mitchell
and William Billings Mr.. Laws will
go out to Gate City and other points
in the county to look up some of his
Old acquaintance and in the meantime
advertise the meeting of Indian war
veterans to be neId in Olympia the
first week of the Legislative session.
Made Trip Overland.
Laws came overland from Illinois
with his father. They left Illinois in
1852 in March and stopped on the CO.
lumbia river, near Vancouver, to spend
the winter. In the early part of 1853
they worked for time near Oregon
City. but in the fall started for Olym-
pic. They took their wagons apart
and the Indians transported the pieces
in their canoes up the COwltZ river to
Monticello. The women and children
| also rode in the canoes. The man led
the Indian trails up to Monticello,
! where the wagons We're put together
again and the journey was resumed
over roads cut by the Hudson Bay
! and of the niOnp2rS
Laws says when they reached Olym-
pia. Indians were thick on the beach
Laws father rented the Columbia no.
tel and kept it for some time until the
family moved out to Nina Prairie
Mr.. Laws says the Columbia MOTEL was
situated on Main street below Fifth
near the site of the livery stable. In
those days there was very little OF
! Olympia south of Fourth street.
A great dish in those days as now
was oysters Then oysters were found
in the waters around Olympia. The
Indians would gather oysters and
clans by the bucketful and bring them
in to sell to the inn keepers. The
Laws brought from Illinois some
COWS. They gave plenty of milk for
the hotel. and oyster suppers at one
dollar were just the thing in those
days, Andy Laws says. The "tyees,
the richer fellows that came to town
thought nothing of paying one dollar
for fine dish of oyster soup.
First Shot in Indian War.
Laws tells very interesting story in
regard to the first shot fired in the
Indian war.
A company of rangers was formed
here in Olympia with Charles Eaton
as captain. Laws enlisted October 20
1855. The rangers all nad good horses
Before they rode away, they gathered
in Main street below Third. Laws
saws, and Mrs. Cox and her daughter
stepped out and presented Laws with
silk flag they had made with Laws
name in needle work. Laws was third
sergeant This flag was carried by
the rangers into the campaign against
the Indians.
! Laws says he fired the first shot In
| the lnOldn WAL OCtoDcl 90 Iooo'
of the company of rangers were sur
rounded by Indians about a quarter
of a mile back from the Puyallup river.
The rest of the company had returned
! across to the settlement for some pro-
visions.
While the rest of the company was
away. the ten heard shots in the dis
lance Lieutenant McAllister had gone
over to see Leschi. Laws says. thinking
that Leschi would be friendly ana
might be prevailed upon to prevent
war. a rancher named ConneI had
gone with McAllister. AS soon as the
shots were heard. Laws says he re-
marked to Captain Eaton: Charley
they've shot NcAllister." Near where
the ten were camped was little log
cabin the Indians had been using. AZ
ter waiting an hour without McAlllstel
appearing. the little band decided To
fortify in the log cabin. the brush
near by was cleared away in ordei
to afford an open view for shooting
and to prevent the Indians from slip
ming up too close to the cabin.
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