OCR Text |
Show Qtoriesof GREAT j Indians! J By ELMO SCOTT WATSON k Copyright. -IMS, Wmern New.pup.r uu.uu. SCAR FACE CHARLEY, LEON. IDAS OF THE MODOCS "NB April dny In 1873 a pnrty of 70 s soldiers commanded by Copt. Evon Thomas suddenly found themselves In a death trap In the lava beds of northern California. Within a few minutes the murderous fire from a hidden hid-den enemy hnd dlsnblcd more than half of tho command. As suddenly ns tho Indian fire hnd begun, It stopped nnd, tho survivors heard n voice shouting to them : "You who nre not dend had better go homo ; we don't wnnt to kill you nil In onp dny I" K was the voice of Scar Fncs Chsrley, the lender of n Modoc war party. With a force of only ill war rlors he had killed 02 and wounded '18 of the soldiers. Wearied of tiie slaughter, ho allowed the remainder to escape. Afterwards he snld: "My heart was sick at seeing so many men killed." Tho career of Scar Face Charley (Chlkchlknm Lupnlkuelntko "Wngon Scnr Faced"'), culled tho "Lconldas of the Lava Beds," In jho Modoc war, wns ono of strange contrasts. At the opening of tho conflict he hnd visited the homes of ninny settlers nnd, warning warn-ing them that war wus coming, told them to stny quietly In their homes nnd he Modocs would not molest them. Ho Imd tired the opening gun of tho war when soldiers "Jumped" tho Modoc camp In November, 1872. When Captain Jock, the chief, want-ed want-ed to ntuke penco Chnrley was one of the wnrrlors who taunted him and forced him to continue fighting. Then ho protested against tho murder of General Canby and Doctor Thomas calling It "unworthy of tho heart of n Modoc." When he saw that the Modoc cause was hopeless he surrendered sur-rendered to the military and enlisted is a scout. One night Black Jim and Curly Headed Doctor, two of the most warlike war-like Modocs, denounced him ns a traitor trai-tor nnd threatened to kilt htm. Walking Walk-ing over to the flro nnd standing there In the full blnze of the burning logs, ho said : "Men, put on some more wood for I wnnt Blnck Jim and tho Doctor to have n good light to shoot roc by." His bluff wus not culled. Chnrley continued In the service of tho soldiers until they had run Captain Jnck to enrth. When tho chief and Ave others were tried before a military court for murdering tho pence commissioners, com-missioners, ho was ono of tho witnesses wit-nesses who spoko most earnestly In behalf be-half of the condemned men. At the close of the Modoc war Chun Icy with his people as military prisoners prison-ers were deported to Oklahoma whero the "Wngon Scnrfnccd" died December Decem-ber 3, 18IXJ. |