Evening star., 1923-04-22
Fifty Years Ago in
The Star

Half a century ago the country Wa
profoundly shocked by the treacher-
Gus murder OF Brig.
IT, r.doo Gen. E. r. S. Candy and
AAe peace Commissioner
massacre. Thomas by Modoc In
dians In the lava bed region OF can
rornia. The Star of April IA, 1870
contains the news of this Tragedy to4-
lowed during a number OF issues oE
further details and accounts OF the
nurs1ft and final capture OF the IN
dams This massacre was the ciiihaA
of a series OF negotiations In pursu''
OF what had become known as Tic
"peace policy OF the government ~
dealing with the western Indians, vi
der the direction of Secretary Deldi'o
of the Interior Department lHiheut-
ately upon the statement OF the 1ac'S
reeardtnc the murders this policy @
Tho administration fell under the h:j
of bitter public criticism.
The Modoo murders put an emu 10
nepotiations for the transfer or tnese
Indians to a reservation In nortneTH
California, which they were resls'ins'
ZEN. Candy, commanding the regular
forces in that region. was unoer III
structions to give military support TO
tho neace commissioners, headed pN,
A p MeachaYn, who were ordered u
aes, With the troubles in a spirit O.
adjustment On the morning or the
mn Of April a messenger from the
indians came into camp, near irekd
Calf. and stated that Capt. JACK thf
>rodoc leader. and five other indians
would meet the commissioners outsloe
Of the lines. Gen. Candy, Commis
sioners Meacham and Thomas, NJ.
rvsr of the commission stan ar9
EranlS Riddle and his indian wife, "a
interpreters, went outside and met the
| Indians that afternoon.
THE parley began with statement
, by Gen. Candy and Commission
Meacham of the purposes or the GO 60
Sor the inclusion in the allotted res
ervation of certain lands. CommIs-
| sioner Meacham replied that this
| could not be granted ana was slNins
the reasons. when he was interrupted
hy Schonchin, one of the leaders oi
| the Nodocs, who told him he had saiS
| enough. Capt Jack then gave an Or
der and fire was opened BY the In
l dians upon tho white men. Gen Can
by and Dr. Thomas were kllled a.
once. Or. Meacham was badl!
wounded. Dyer and the Interpreters
made their escape. The firing at
| tracted the attention of the troops
and the Modocs were at once pursued.
but they fed into the lava beds. where
they hid. These lava beds had been a
| favorite hiding ground for the In
dians ana for "bad men of the region
| and were we'll suited 20 this purpose
They were fields Of between 90 TO ~"
square miles. honeycombed with
caves, with numerous outlets and con-
neCtions.
| Immediately upon the receipt OF the
news in Washington Gen. Sherman
| commanding the Army. sent orders I"
| Gen. Gillem. in command at the camp
near Yreka. and to MAJ. Gen. SEN
| field, in command of the military dl-
vision at San Francisco. ordering the
| immediate pursuit of the murderouS
band. Gen. Gillem was instructed 70
| make the attack SO strong and per
sistent that their fate may De com
mensurate with their crime" The
dispatch TO Gen. Gillem concluded ::
You will be fully justified In their
utter determination. :.
| The Indians were later attacked in
| their strongholds, but although they
were nearly surrounded, they paade
their escape with some losses. Nor
tars we're used in the ombardment OF
| the band. Some time later q detach-
ment of regular troops pursuing the
fleeing Modocs was caught in an am
buscade and many were killed. Event
| tually the band were all killed or caps
tured, Capt. Jack and the other chiefs
| being finally caught early in June.
| The Modoo massacre, aS II came to
be known. checked the peace policy
Of the government and led to the
| adoption of harsher measures OF re-
preston against the western 1ndiar-