Page:Oregon, her history, her great men, her literature.djvu/202

 the interpreter* Riddle, with Winema, yAkO was Riddles Indian wife, made good tbeir escape; and, fortuiiatel]r> Meacham^ recovered to live many years.

Modoc War Ended. Captain Jack's signal, "All Ready,** with the assassination which followed. *'was the Indian declaration of war. A vigorous campaign was then opened against the Modocs intrenched in the Lava Beds, which resulted in the capture of the band, including Captain Jack and his associates, in June^ 1873. The treatment of the captives vmrn a new departure in the Indian policy of the United States. The principals were tried for murder in a civil court, and seven of them convicted and sentenced to be hanged. Four of the assassins of Canby and ThomaSi Captain Jack, Sconchin, Boston Charley, emd Black Jim, were duly executed at Fort Klamath; the others vrere respited and sent to a reservation in Dakota, where th^ were kept under close guard."— Scribner's U. S. History.

lAfter his recovery, Colonel A. B. Meacham, who was a citizen of Oregon, w^t to Boston where he lectured as a champion of the AmericsB Indians whom he believed had been grossly mistreatsd by

the whites. At once he found many ardent sympathizers, among whom were Wendell Phillips, the distinguished orator, and James Redpath, founder of the RedpathXecture Bureau. Influenced by the encouragement he received, Mr. Meacham continued his lectures and published a book called the "Wigwam and Warpath"; or "The Royal Indian in Chains," in which he dwelt to a large extent upon the history of the Modoc War, condoning the course of the insurgent Modocs and their leader. Later a dramatic company was ergSBlsed with Colonel Meachnrti as lecturer and James Redpnth as personal manager. Frank Riddle the interpreter and a number of prominent Indians, among whom was Winema, were chosen as performers. Because of his personal experience on the warpath and his thorough acquaintance with the character and history of the redman, Captain O. Applegate was placed in charge of the Indians. Major and Mrs. C. B. Raymond of Boston financed the oiterprise. The lecture tour which embraced the principal cities from Sacramento to the National Capital, resulted in creating a more favorable sentiment for fair and intelligent treatment of the American Indians. After the lecture tour Colonel Meacham made Washington, D. C, his headQuarters, and devoted his remaining years to the publication of a paper called the 'X^ouncll Fire," which espoused the cause of the redman.