The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-12-30

of Meacham. He had been very kind
to her and she was devoted to him.
Her life was threatened by the men
who were trying to finish Meacham,
who had been seriously wounded but
not killed at the first fire. Captain
Jack iuterposed and declared he
would kill the first man who harmed
the woman
A moment later a red fiend named
Boston Charley attempted to scalp
Meaeham. Tobey sprang to his side
and tried to stay the murderous knife.
Despite her desperate efforts the blade
slashed across the commissioners
head. Then the quick wit Of the
woman came to her aid Soldiers
coming" she exclaimed. The muir
derers Immediately fed. The tragedy
of the lava beds was over.
When the soldiers did arrive they
found three Of the four commission
ers stretched upon the ground Candy
and Thomas were dead. Meacham,
although suffering from three bullet
wounds and a knife slash, was still
breathing family. Eventually he was
nursed back to health by Tobey Rid
die, his friend, and restored to his
family at Salem, Ore. 'The Poca-
hontas Of the Lava Beds" despite the
brutal blows she had received at the
hands of her tribesmen, was not seri-
ously injured and lived to an old
age until February 20, 1920, when the
Influenza epidemic swept the rem
nants Of her people on the klamath
reservation in Oregon.
The Modoc treachery which scored
such terrible success at the time
was also terrible defeat for them.
The bullet which struck down General
Candy killed their best friend. All
over the country cry for vengeance
went up and demand for the exter-
mination of the Modocs was uttered.
Driven from hiding place to hiding
place by the soldiers under Gen. JEFF
G. Davis, who succeeded General Can
by, Captain Jack and his warriors fed
through the lava beds like hunted
animals
Then some Of his men turned trail
tor. Scar-Face Charley, who had
fired the opening gun of the Modoc
war and who had been one of those
who had called Captain Jack a cow
ard, became scout for the soldiers.
Finally they ran the Modoc leader to
earth. He and three others were
placed on trial for the murder of the
commissioners and on October 3, 1873,
Kintpuash, Schonchin John, Black
Jim and Boston Charley paid the pen
atty for their crime on the scaffold at
Fort klamath.
After their capture General Davis
prepared to hang Captain Jack and
the other murderers of the commits
sioners Immediately. But an order
from Washington stopped him and
finally they were placed on trial be-
fore a military commission, charged
with violation of the laws of war; in
their attack upon a peace commission
under flag of truce. although the
prisoners were not represented by
counsel, they were given a fair trial.
When the sentence of death was
pronounced the Modoc leader made a
speech, pitiful in it's futility, in which
he declared that the soldiers had
made the first hostile move when they
attacked Scar Face Charley's camp.
He also pointed out that the Modocs
who had betrayed him to the soldiers
and then turned states evidence to
save their own necks were the very
ones who had forced him into the war
when he had tried to hold out for a
peaceful settlement of their difficult
ties.
On the scaffold there was a dra-
matte scene In which the natural dig
nifty of the Modoc leader asserted
itself and the manner of his dying
atoned somewhat for whatever short
comings there had been in the manner
of his living. There was a harsh
clanking of iron as he rose to speak
for the last time for himself and his
people. LET me die like a man, not
like a dog" he exclaimed. Il am not
afraid to die, but am ashamed to go
this way, with my hands tied behind
me-"
There was also an incident which
added d touch of grim humor to the
scene. A jealous minister, who stood
beside Captain Jack, tried to comfort
him. "You must not be afraid to die"
be said. 'You are going to beauti-
full land where you will never want
for anything" preacher" replied the
Indian, s'the country right here is good
enough for me. You say the other is
fine place and suppose you want
to go there. I'll give you % ponies
if you will take my place. / don't
want to go right now" The minister
he tily declined.
Soon after the execution 40 Modocs
were removed to Indian territory as
prisoners of war. About 20 years ago
all but 40 of them had died. The
white mans doctors viii tell you that
they died of various diseases, but the
Modocs say that many Of their kins-
men died because their hearts were
breaking with longing for their old