Jefferson Charka Davis Riddle

“ I little suspected you when I agreed to kill Canby when you forced me to do that cowardly act, that you would turn traitor to me, for your freedom and money. This proves to me that you men are cowards. You realize that life is sweet, but you did not think so when you men forced me to promise that I would kill that man, Canby. I knew life was sweet all the time; that is the reason I did not want to fight the white people. ”

“ No, you men answer me not. Do we Indians stand any show for jus- tice with you white people, with your own laws? I say no. I know it. You people can shoot any of us Indians any time you want to whether we are in war or in peace. Can any of you tell me where ever any man has been punished in the past for killing a Modoc in cold blood? No, you cannot tell me. I am on the edge of my grave; my life is in your people's hands. I charge the white people of wholesale murder. Not only once but many times. Think about Ben Wright. ”

“ Jack, you will never save your people. You can't do it. Are you blind, my chief? Can't you see soldiers arriving every two or three days? Don't you know the last soldiers that came brought big guns with them that shoots bullets as big as your head? Then you say you are going to win your point. Never! The Commissioners intend to make peace with you by blowing your head off with one of them big guns. You mind what I tell you, Jack, the only way we can get an even start with them peace-makers is to kill them next council; then all we can do is to fight until we die. ”

“ The government ought to care for my young people. See the good land and the size of my country that is taken away from me and my people. If I wanted to talk more, I could do so and tell you facts and prove by white people that would open the eyes of all of you that are here today about the way my people have been murdered by the whites. I will say, not one white man was ever punished for their deeds. If the white people that killed our women and children had been tried and punished, I would not have thought so much of myself and companions. ”

“ That desire for revenge has cost us dearly in blood. I went in the cause of humanity at a great sacrifice of my time and at great personal risk, asked no pay for my time, but did expect a return of my cash expenses, but even that has not been allowed by the Indian Bureau. My conscience is clear, and I knew the blood of the murdered white men or Indians will not cry out in judgment against me. I only wish that the war was prosecuted by those in person who are. ”

“ I know life is sweet, but I shall kill in selfdefense every time if I can. I cannot help it. I know that I and all my people are doomed. I cannot hold out long in these rocks against the soldiers with the few men I have. I know that you, Judge, are a forerunner of some great men that intend to make some kind of offer to me which I am unable to tell at this time, but I will say I cannot promise anything, whatsoever the offer may be." Winema had told him what their mission was before the council took place. ”

“ Shall I run every time I see white people? If I do, they will chase us from valley to mountain, and from mountain to valley, and kill us all. They will hunt us like we hunt the deer and antelope. Shall we defend our wives and our children and our country? I am not afraid to die. If I die in war against the white people, I will die for a good cause. Is there any one present that can say I am lost, or is there any one here that can say I am not saying what my heart tells me to say?"
After he said his last words he stood like one in a dream. Legugyakes [2] got up. ”

“ It is the nature of mankind to mourn the dead. I say again, let us not cause the soldiers to repeat what they did for us in our fight with them on Lost River. They killed our women and children. If any of us are to fall with a soldier's bullet, let them commence. My men, if the soldiers commence on us, we can fight better, stronger and braver. You know why, because we will be righting in self-defense, for I have the promise of the peace-makers that there shall not anyone be hurt as long as the peace councils are going. I promised them as a man ”

“ General Davis: "Oh, I'm not afraid of Black Jim. He won't come here to kill me. I got soldiers here. You see he won't come."
"Canby him say that same kind talk," spoke Bogus Charley, "Injun kill him all same. Injun not afraid of soldiers when he get mad. No, no. Injuns always say, 'If I commence to fight any kind of people I will fight, fight if there is ten against one. I shall not run as long as I have any chance to get my man.' That is the way we all talk and that is the way we all look upon war. Die fighting is our rule. ”

“ Thomas: "Capt. Jack, you never could get along with the white people in this country because there has been blood spilt here by your people."
Schonchin: "I thought that we was not to mention anything that happened in the past. We are only to talk of peace."
Thomas: "What I just said and what took place in the first fight will never be forgotten."
Jack: "Why, if that is the case, we never will make peace or we never would be safe in any country."
Canby: "Listen to me, you Indians have got to come under the white man's laws. The white man's law is strong and straight." ”

“ Eyeing the general closely, he says "Two of them are there, pointing over his shoulder, in the Lava Beds, alive today. You ask me to come out under a flag of truce. I will not do it. I cannot do it."
Canby: "That was wrong."
Jack: "Your white people at Yreka did not say it was wrong. They gave him a big dinner and dance at night, called him the hero."
Meacham: "Jack, we are different men; we are not like Wright; we want to help you people so you can live in peace."
Jack: "If you want to help us give me and my people a home here in our own country; we will harm no one." ”

“ I am a leader of my people. My people are only a handful. I have listened to the chosen words of the Mocloc Chief. He predicts the truth: we shall all be killed in time by the white men if we run every time we see them. I am not going to run. I am going to fight. I will get some of them before they get me. I say, fight! I am going to lead my men to the first white man's camp I see. I will see what they will do when they see their women and children killed, lying around dead, food for the coyotes, bugs, ravens and buzzards. ”

“ The soldiers will never quit us. This country is big, but it is small for the white people. We can not go any plac'e and hide and escape the white man, for they are many; they are like the running waters. It is well enough for us to say that we are not afraid of death. I have often said that, but I tell you when I take the matter up, I see I used my words in too much haste. Life is sweet. I know it. You all know it. You can't deny it. The soldiers and Bogus Charley, Hooker Jim and Shaknasty Jim will be here tomorrow to take you all to Fairchild's Ranch. ”

“ I never have fought white people yet, and I do not want to. Some of my old men are scared of what you ask me to do." Jackson said : "It is good, Jack, that you do not want to fight whites. If you believe what you say, Jack, and you will give up your gun, I won't let anyone hurt you." Jack looked at his own men and ordered them to lay down their guns. Every Indian stepped up smiling, and laid down his trusty muzzle-loading rifle. Scar-Face Charley laid his gun down on top of the pile of guns the Indians had stacked, but he kept his old revolver strapped on. ”

“ Jack said: "Tobey, I have thrown myself and life away today. I did something today that I thought I would never do, but I have done it. I killed an unarmed man. I know I will be killed, but when I fall there will be soldiers under me. Tell Gillem, if he wants to find me, to come right over yonder," pointing in the direction of his cave. "Tell him not to go way off in the mountains to look for me. He won't find me
in the mountains. I will be in my camp with my people. Tell
The Modoc Stronghold after its Capture. ”

“ Fairchild told the Indians that Frank Riddle and Winema would explain to them just what the Great Father in Washington wanted to do for the Modocs. Steele and Roseborough also said: "Our interpreters will tell you everything, Jack. Riddle is a good man, Jack; he will not tell you anything that will lead you and your people into trouble." Riddle said: "Jack, I am glad to be here among you people tonight. I am sorry you are in trouble, but trouble is known the world over. There is thousands of people that is living quite peaceable and happy lives that have been in war. ”

“ The whole camp was in slumber. The Indians little thought that that evening would be the last they would enjoy on this earth; their talk was, they were all glad that they had found a friend. Capt. Jack's father said he was tired dodging the whites. He seen a great future for his son and their people.
Long before daylight, if any of the Indians had been on guard they could have seen Ben Wright's men all up and looking after their arms. They could have seen men making their way down the river towards the Natural Bridge, carefully picking their way through the tall sage-brush. ”

“ I promise you if you do not kill me at the first volley, I will return the fire, for I just as leave may die fighting my own men as to die fighting soldiers. I know I will be killed anyway, in battle, or I know I shall be hung if I am captured, so you see I am not afraid of death. You men are the very men that drove me to kill General Canby and now you want to blame me for Ellen's man's death. Let me tell you that he died in action on the battlefield like a man. ”

“ John Schonchin, leading man, was assisted by Black Jim. Schonchin told his men he knew peace was out of the question, as the Commissioners would not agree on anything that he, Schonchin, suggested. He jumped up and shouted his speech thus: "My people, I am old. I have been trapped and fooled by the white people many times. I do not intend to be fooled again. You all see the aim of these so-called Peace Commissioners; they are just leading us (Muckluxs) Indians on to make time to get more soldiers here. When they think there is enough men here, they will jump on us and kill the last soul of us. ”

“ The Indians being at home in the Lava Beds, knew the natural fortifications. They had the advantage over their enemy. The volunteers and soldiers fired volley after volley into the rocks and fog, but never an Indian could they see. They fired at the sound of the Modoc shots. The fog lifted up high in the afternoon just for a minute or two. The troops and volunteers greeted it with loud cheers. The bugle called charge. Every man went forward with his gun grasped tight, eager to sight a Modoc. ”

“ After the Black Jim men made their war speeches, one man that was sitting pretty well back from the sage-brush fire got up and came forward. His name was Weuim. [11] He said: "I am a Modoc. I'm one of you. I object to the way you decide. You are wrong. Schonchin is not head chief. Capt. Jack is our head chief. I have not seen him tonight. We shall not, must not, reach any agreement or plot against any one or parties when he is absent. Let us hear Capt. Jack's idea or opinion on what you men have decided to do." Black Jim said: "All right, Weuim, I will go and fetch him here." ”

“ My people are just as good as these Indians here. I am not afraid of them, but I shall not fight them. I am going back to my own country. If I stay here I will be killed. I know it, for I cannot stand for what the Klamath Indians do and say. I just as well die in my own country." Next day in the forenoon, Capt. Jack and his entire band of Indians was back on the banks of Lost River on their old camping grounds. Some of the Modocs visited their friends, the settlers, and told the settlers that they could not get along with the agent and Klamaths. ”

“ He knew something was wrong among his men. He did not know that Schonchin, his sub-chief, had been talking war. Finally he said: "Weuim, I just do not know how to commence, but will say I have a hard fight ahead of me in the coming councils, to save my men that killed the settlers, or to win my point to secure a piece of land in this country for our future home, but I am going to do it without any trouble. All I have to do is to hold the councils and stick to my point. I shall win, at least, I think I will. All I ask you people to do is to behave yourselves and wait. ”

“ Give up your gun. Go with Charley and me to the soldiers' camp. Fight no more. You will get justice, believe me. I tell you the truth. You know it is better to meet Scarface Charley and I here than to meet your enemies. I gave myself up some time ago, also all the others. We are all right now. We get all we want to eat."
At this stage of Bogus Charley's talk, Capt. Jack jumped to his feet and said: "Bogus, say no more. You have said enough. You say you seek me as a friend. I know you are a Modoc, and so is your companion," pointing at Scarface
Charley, "but you are not my friends today. ”

“ The chief said, "All right, Frank, I believe you. I know you to be a good, honest man. I will go with you and Winema tomorrow." Frank and Winema sit up nearly all night with Jack and others telling them not to fight any more. Jack promised them he would not fight, if he was not forced, but "If I am forced to fight Twill fight as long as I am able to stand up. I am not afraid of the men that want to talk with me, them soldiers I mean. I think they want to lead me into a trap like Ben Wright did with my people when I was a boy." ”

“ Now you see these fellows walking all through the grounds at Fort Klamath, Oregon, free men. They were the first men that gave up their arms on Fairchild's Ranch, California, and were employed as government scouts at $100 per month. There is, kind reader, human devils in all nations. These men done more to close up the Modoc War than the army of a thousand men. They are now real live heroes, and they feel it, too. If anything is yet wanting to make this scene complete, it is fully made up by the soldiers who enjoy a safe look into the eyes of the Modoc chief, Capt. Jack. ”