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About Herald and news. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1942-current | View Entire Issue (April 11, 1963)
90th Anniversary Of Modoc Massacre Observed PACK I A JIERAID AKD ,NWI. Klamath Falls. Ore. Thursday, ApHI II, 1 Superintendent Irvin Kerr of the Lava Beds National Monument reports that April 11, 1963, will mark the 90th anniversary of the attack by Modoc Indians, led by their chief, Captain Jack, upon Die L'.S. Peace Commission during the 1873 Modoc Indian War in the Lava Beds. The ill-fated Peace Commission had the difficult task of negotiat ing a peace with Captain Jack's victorious and insurgent Modoc band of 160 men, women, and children entrenched in the Lava Beds. During the Battle of Lost River mear the present town of Merrill. Ore ), on Nov. 29. 1872, ths Modocs thwarted the army's attempt to arrest them and force their return to the Klamath Res. ervatjon. After their escape the Mo)ioc sought safety in the nat ural fortress in the Lava Beds which became known as Captain Jack's Stronghold. On Jan. 17, 1873, the 55 men of the Modoc band scored a sensa tlonal victory over more than 325 army and volunteer troops who attacked the Modocs Stronghold. The Modocs suffered no casual. tics while they killed 16 and wounded 49 attacking troops. Following this startling defeat, President U.S. Grant's adminis tration yielded to the humanitar ian demands of Easterners to seek a peaceful settlement with the Modocs. Accordingly, the Peace Commission was appoint ed and sent to the Lava Beds to end the hostilities and to relocate the Modocs on a protected reservation. The Peace Commission was headed by former Oregon Super intendent of Indian Affairs 118691 Alfred B. Mcacham, and included the Reverend Elezcar Thomas of Pctaluma. Calif., and Klamath ' Reservation Sub-Agent L. S. Dyar. ' Military adviser and guiding figure of the Peace Commission was Commanding General of the Military Department of the Co lumbia, General Edward Canby. Canby had gained fame as the Civil War commander of Union forces in the New Mexico Ter ritory, conqueror of Mobile, Ala., and military governor during the ' Post-Civil War reconstruction pe riod. .Confident with their recent' vic tory over the army, the Modocs ' attempted to dictate to Peace Commission messengers from the beginning. General Canby re fused Jack's demand that the commission negotiate only in the Lava Beds and without a mill tary escort. When it appeared that Captain Jack was not willing to compromise. Army Chief of Staff William T. Sherman tele graphed advice to Canby to set an example with the Modocs so that "no other reservation for them will be necessary except graves among their chosen Lava Beds." On April 1, 1873, General Can- by moved his reinforced troops to the Lava Beds for a show of force. This movement of troops brought a quick agreement from Captain Jack to meet face to face with the commission. At the first meeting with the Peace Commission, on April 2 the Modoc chief demanded that the soldiers leave the Lava Beds He demanded Lost River for a Modoc Reservation and a general amnesty for those Modocs indict ed by Oregon authorities for mur dcring settlers along Lost River A rainstorm broke up the meet ing with an agreement to erect a tent for shelter and to contin ue the talks. Immediately after the meeting, Frank Riddle and his Modoc wife Toby (Winemai, Peace Commission interpreters, cau tioned General Canby to watch for treachery. Canby, however, ignored the warning. On April 5, the Modocs met the commission at the tent to re sume talks. Captain Jack com plained about the nearness of the army troops and said that he feared Commissioner Thomas as a religious leader. He advised that if the army would leave and concede Lost River to the Modocs, there would be no more trouble. Finally, Jack asked for the Lava Beds as a reservation. He was advised that if he would sur render to the army, the Peace Commission would try to have the Lava Beds reserved for the Mo docs. The next meeting was scheduled for April 8. On April 7, Toby Riddle (Wi nemai was sent to Captain Jack's Stronghold. Toby reported that she was secretly warned by a Modoc friend not tn go to the peace tent again. When she re ported this to the Peace Com mission, only Commissioners Mca cham and Dyar heeded her warn ing. On April 8. Jack sent word that he would meet the commission at the tent with six unarmed Mo docs. As the Peace Commission party prepared to leave the army camp for the tent, an army sig nalman reported six Modocs at the peace lent and at least 20 others hiding in nearby rocks General Canby refused to let the commission leave camp that day. The Modocs then sent a messen ger requesting a parley for Fri day, April 11. On the night of April 10, the Modocs agreed to kill General Canby and the Peace Commis sioners at the next day's meeting, believing that killing the leaders would cause the army to with draw and leave the Lava Beds to the Modocs. On the fateful Good Friday, April 11. 1873, the Modocs arrived early at the meeting tent. Frank and Toby Riddle's con tinued warnings of disaster were discounted by General Canby and Reverend Thomas. Commission ers Mcacham and Dyer, however, armed themselves with derrin gers. Arriving at the meeting tent, the commission party found eight Modocs, two of whom were armed. As talks began, the Modocs re vealed an ominous attitude which alarmed Commissioner Dyar and Frank Riddle, both of whom moved to the edge of the group. Sensing imminent danger, Toby Riddle casually stretched herself out on the ground into a more protected position. Suddenly, with a signal to tnc other Modocs, Captain Jack drew a concealed revolver and shot the surprised General Canby. At the same moment, Boston Charley 6hot Commissioner Thom as. Dyar and Frank Riddle im mediately ran for the safety of the army camp. Hooker Jim chased Dyar until Dyar drew his concealed derringer, whereupon, Hooker Jim ceased pursuit. Frank Riddle reached the army camp close behind Dyar. With the killing of Canby and Thomas, Schonchln John and oth er Modocs wounded Mcacham who fell, apparently dead, among CANBY MASSACRE APRIL II, 1573 f r ( 1 Klamath Fall6 r mmm t STUONGHOLD CfV Canby s ju S-i CKOSS Jffi ''SESV'" rQ ;tsPCAT. JACK' ft If ITfcONSKOLO 7J J . LAV BEDS f; V MONUMENT I ! A! y . Y" FAVIO KOAD 4At0 KOAO the rocks. Boston Charlie was in terrupted in his scalping of Mca cham, when Toby Riddle (Wine ma) shouted, "The soldiers arc coming!" This bluff saved Mea cham's life, for the Modocs has tily retreated to their Stronghold before the troops left camp. Violating the truce by their attack upon the Peace Commis sion, Captain Jack and his band were doomed to relentless pur suit. However, three more costly and violent battles were fought in the Lava Beds before the Modocs could be captured, and Captain Jack and three others hanged for their treachery. The place where General Can- by fell was marked with a rock monument. Atop the monument a cross was later erected which bore the inscription "General E. R. S. Canby was murdered here by Modocs April 11, 1873 Superintendent Kerr points out that most of the battle areas of the Modoc War, including the site of the Canby Cross where the Peace Commission was attacked are located at the Lava Beds National Monument and are pre served and protected by the Na tional Park Service as a part of the nation's historical heritage. Kerr added that the Lava Beds National Monument is open the year-around and people are in Canby's Cross Erected At Scene Of Slaying , Editor's Note: Following is a reprint of a story published In the Herald and Newspn April 11, ; 19(8, on the 75lh Anniversary of the Canby massacre, written by former managing editor of the Herald and News, Malcolm Kp Icy, regarding the placing of the Canby Cross. H'lllld:! OPENS 6:4 NOW! The Legendary Conflict of MANKIND'S MIGHTIEST MORTALS I S J if ISTEVEwiREEVES OUEf. OF THE CORDON hmih) SCOTT tiltminCOLOR Clntnillttfl : PAW MOTIONS BARED! ; Tht y hod I two won JO fight... - rtt with . h tnmy - ono ono -wifh oo thy fklrWl tf.- By MALCOLM KPI.EV Sunday, April II, murks the 75th anniversary of the Canby mas sacre, sanguinary Modoc Indian War drew the nation's awed attention to the rugged Modoc Lava Beds near Tule Lake. A lonely wooden cross, held up right by a pile of stones, stands today at the scene of the mas sacre, exactly as It was placed there 66 years ago by Lt. John S. Parke of the United Slates Army This wcathcrbcaten monument, easily accessible from the west side Tulclako road or from the Lava Beds road by way of Newell, is worthy of a pilgrimage by those aware of its significance and interested In the Indian war that made the most stirring chapter in the history of the Klamath country. The story of the war and the massacre lias heen often told, but few may know how it hapcn that the cross was placed there on a windy September day in IIW2. Lieutenant Parke thus marked the .spot on his second visit to the Lava Beds, Fortunately, the lieu tenant was a writer of no poor ability, and alter making tun trips into the historic area, wrote CANBY'S CROSS Still well preserved, the original cross that was placed on the spot wher Gen. E. R. S. Canby was killed by Modoc Indians on April II, 1873, stands guard over this historic spot. It was placed here in 1882 by Lt. John S. Parke of th United States Army. The inscription, still essentially the same after these 81 years reads, "General E. R. S. Canby was Murdered Here by the Modocs, April II, 1873. Inrical Section of the Army War College. A copy is owned by Don C. Fisher, present custodian of the Lava Beds National Monu ment. Parke first visited the Lava Reds in WHO, just seven years after the end of the war. going into the area from Gillom's Blulf on horseback. (It was wild, un- a complete account for the His- scltlod counliy then, with no roads NOW PLAYING! DOORS OPEN 6:45 "It could be the most v lernryiny motion picture I have ever made!" ALFRED HITCHCOCK flSIMHRPI lMs" I t : L i 5 .-St-. 7 'Inuflir TfiBttf ROD TAYLOR -JESSICA TANDY SUZANNE PLESHETTE m,..TIPPI'HEDREN VUI HUNU hat ALfRCO HI1CK0CII. Dtwit. Wt Jii"H4 "THI IIRDS" kt tn tram IK. ir.rt, W "THI IIRDi" toiih r 7 CO t4 9:11 such as are available to the mod ern trawler). The lieutenant was accompanied on Ihc trip by John A. Fairi'hild, whose ranch was 22 miles west from the Lava Beds. On that occasion, he first saw the scene whore Gen. K. R. S. Canby and Dr. Kleicar Thomas were killed at a peace conference with the Modocs. Parke himself gives a graphic account of the meeting of Indian leaders at a council lent with the peace com missioners, which included Canby, Thomas, a Methodist minister: L. S. Dyer, Indian agent, and A. B. Mcacham, Indian superin tendent. This occurred on April 11, 1K7;1. Although warned by Frank Rid dle and his s q u a w, Wincma. that the Indians intended treach ery, the peace commissioners went out to the tent a mile in front of the Army encampment near the present entrance of the Lava Beds National Monument. In the course of the interview, they were attacked : Canby and Thomas wore killed, and Mcach am was wounded. Dyer escaped SORRY! Because of the Weather Conditions SHASTA DRIVE IN Has Been Forced to Postpone Its Opening Watch This Page For New Grand Opening Date to the Army camp. Winema, who had befriended the whites through out, was present at the confer ence as an interpreter, and a shout by her, probably a false warning that soldiers were com ing, saved the lives of Mcacham and Dyer by frightening the In dians away. Lieutenant Parke, on his first visit in 1B80. was tremendously impressed by the significance of the scene of this incident. He found there an old board, with an inscription almost obliterated by Ihc elements, lie wrote: "It was with a feeling of awe that I stood on the spot so still and quiet then, which now is sel dom disturbed hv human foot stops, and on which lew eyes ever rest save those of some wild bird as he wings his flight over its bloodstained rocks." The Army ofliccr recalls his sec ond visit as follows: "My second visit to the Lava Beds was prompted by a desire to see that the exact locality of these stirring events, and esjieci ally the place where the council lent stood, should be so marked and when this historic place comes lo be visited by the inter ested and the curious, it may not ho of such uncertain location as to he a matter of speculation and discussion, but that the visitor may say when he visits Ibis spot, 'This is where (loucial Canby and Dr. Thomas wore murdered by the Modocs.' "Accordingly, on being ordered to Fort Klamath in IXK2 on some temxn'ary duty. 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