Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1910-09-16
AMArTER OF LOCAL HISTORY.
PORTLAND, Or. Sept. 6, 1910.
EDITOR STANDARD:


L notice in your issue OF the 18th
ult., in brief synopsis of the re-
marks of DR.. A. G. Cook before the
Olympia Socialist Local, few even
ings before, that he is credited with
saying that Joe Meeker was the
first U. S. Marshal Of the Territory"
he does not say what territory;
that, queerly as it may seem,
Meeker could not neither read nor
write; was at times given to over-in-
dulgence in intoxicants, etc. Since
there are substantial errors, in at
least two of the above expressions,
trust you will pardon me for calling
attention to them and submitting
corrections:
lst-No one by the name of Joe
Meeker was ever q. S. Marshal of
any Pacific Coast Territory at any
time. DR.. Cook probably meant Jo-
seph L. Meek, who was the first U.
S. Marshal of Oregon Territory.
His commission lies before me as
write, which shows that he was ap-
pointed U. S. Marshal August IA,
lo4S. by President James X. Polk,
the day that the bill creating the
Territory was passed.
2d-Dr. Cook says that Meeker
could not read or write. U. S. Mar
shal Meek could not only read, but
he could write very legible hand. as
is evidenced by a full page letter now
lying before me. He was, however,
a fierce speller," as you will see by
reading the subjoined letter to Gene
raj Joseph Lane, the first Territorial
Governor of Oregon, but a delegate
in Congress at the date of the letter.
This letter is hereby copied for the
first time, and is given literally in
every detail:
Oregon City, January tn 3, 1852.
Generel 10 Lane
Dear Sir-they ar hell in the camp
In this cuntrey the Legislator is still
in session at Salem. and the Su-
pream court and part Of the Legisla.
tors at oregon city have aJurnd with
out Day. as you have seen Mount
hood it taint worth while to write to
you on this subject for you now all
about it,. wrote to you som time
ago on matters Of Busaness. l want
You to see A. Holbrook he promised
to make out my Reckquation (requi-
siition) on the Depart ment for
money for to pay Of the courts next
spring he has all OF my papers and
can Doit l want you to be shure to
see that he puts my Bisaness in
proper shape with the Department
and find out something about the
Louis county court you know they war
u heuey Expense acurd their that the
people has not bin paid yet and they
are after me oil the time for the
money But that was B-yants fault.
can you do any thing about it. /
want you to see about the money for
taking the Censis for they have sent
none yeti and some Of my assistants
sais that have got it and spent it
you know better, l Wish that you
would Pacure the marshels Office for
me when my time Runs out or When
the administration changes Write to
me and let me know the muse and
send som papers aney thing for the
muse Nat is we'll the River is verey
high. yours in haist
Joseph L. Meek
"P. S. Have the Marshels fees
Raised to the saim of the Marshals in
CALIFORNIA ]. L. M"
However guilty Mr.. Meek may
have been in "butchering" the
Kings English. no one can fail to
comprehend bis meaning as above ex-
pressed. His allusion to Bryant s
fault referred to Chief Justice Viii.
liam p. Bryant. who held the first
court north OF the Columbia river at
Steilacoom, Lewis county, on the
first Monday in October, l849. The
only case tried was that OF The Ter
ritory of Oregon VS.. Cussass. Qnalla-
WON'T, Stullharrier, Tatam. Whyerk
and Qualthlinkyne, six Snoqualmie
Indians who were indicted for mur-
dering Leander H. Wallace on May
l. l849. as he was in the act OF en-
tering the old Hudson's Bay Com
pany's Fort Nisqually - Dupont.
Pierce county, of to-day. The cost
Of this trial was 1889. 81. expenses
of the court. and $2.379.59. the cost
of 80 blankets given as q reward for
the capture OF the Indians indicted
total, "a, 4,279.13. The first two Indi.
ans named were convicted and hung.
The others were not found guilty.
Meek, as U. S. Marshal, was an Of
ficer Of this court, and was both
prompt and fearless in the execution
of his duties. In this connection il
may be stated that the first United
States Census OF the original Oregon
Territory was taken under the super
vision OF Marshal Meek. His chic
clerk was Daniel O'Neill. who pos
sessed excellent clerical ability ant
was man OF integrity in every
sense. BY this census the total pop