The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1907-07-24
TIE LAST of the
INDIAN HEROINES


ed in sacrifice and heroism.
In 1857, when the gold fever was
leading men across the lava beds lying
between Oregon and California, q
young Kentuckian, an ex-sergeant oe
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 goo
WinemR 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 kill her.
AS more gold fields were discovered, :
more whites swarmed across the lava
beds, and the Indians began to mur-
der them. This melted the whites to
revenge, and band Of seventy-nvo
men went from California to punisi5
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 treaty. The invita-
tion 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 whIta
camp and asked to see the leader. She
had walked nine miles over a rough
mountain trail to warn them that ae
the conference they were to be muir
dered. This she had learned the night
before at 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 squaM
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
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 sQuRws stroYe to Oes
feet settlement but failed. WlnemA.
who had done much TO prevent the
murder Of settlers by her people, con-
tinued her efforts, but now both she
and her husband began to be suspect
ed Of preference for the whites. WI
nema's food was poisoned, and sha
was obliged to sleep In secret places
for fear of being murdered.
Two peace conferences were agreed
upon between the whites and the In
dlans. 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 besought 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 10 attend the
conference, to listen to her. When she
found they would not she mounted hea
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 Cnuby was murdered A blood
thirsty Indinn, Scouchln, attscked Colo
mel Meacham. Winema thew herself
upon the savage and begged him 10
spare her white friends life. Othen
Indians cume up. and Wlnema ran
among them, turning their weapons
aside or knocking them upward.
A bullet struck Meacham senselesS.
and buck ran forward to dispatch
him. The squaw turned the weapon
crying: Him deadl No use to shoOtFs
Scouchin tried to scalp Meacham, ana
Winema grasped the knife. Scouchin
struck her. Then she shouted, Tho
soldiers are comingw This turned out
to be true, and In another moment q
troop Of cavalry dashed among the In4
dians. Seeing among the other In
dams a squaw. many carbines were
aimed at her mo shoot mer' she
cried. 81 tried to save themP Then
a man in the ranks recognized her ana
yelled:
"The man who harms her I'll killT.
Such is the story Of this woman'a
work. By her first warning she saved
seyenty-fye white men. Had those
to whom she gave her second warning
listened to her she would have saved
a major general and colonel In the
United States army. The penalty she
and her husband paid for her fidelity
to the whites only remains to be stat
ed. On the day of the killing Of Can
by and Meacham, Riddle, while riding
on horseback over the lava beds, waa
shot from an ambush by an Indian.
The three little children Of Riddle and
Wlnema were murdered while Sleep
ing and the hut burned over them.
Wlnema, fleeing at night from her
tribe and her family, made her wan
across the lava beds to. the govern
ment post. Though Ill and desolato IN
the loss Of her husband and her ehiI.
dren, she nursed Colonel Meacham,
who had been wounded by six bulletS.
But Wlnema's work was finished.
her life had been lived. She had b.
come helpless invalid. The govern
ment put Captain Jack and his sub-
ordinate chiefs through the form Of 4
trial, and Winema bore witness against
them. They were hanged, and WInoma
was murdered for her part In thoin
hanging. She was shot through The
chest one evening while sitting By
window in the house where she uvoA
clone. RosH TREAT THURBER.