Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 2.djvu/189

Rh think we are just as capable of doing justice to these Indians as a man who has forsworn his oath to the United States. We won't give up the keys."

The question with these three men was, then, what to do with the Indians? The Oregonians decided to try them themselves, and told the Indians if they were found guilty they would be shot. They were to be tried under the same tree they had been driven to when they first arrived in Coloma.

A great crowd of people gathered at the house where the Indians were confined, and as soon as the door was opened the Indians appeared, taking an observation of the crowd before them. They were headed by the Indian spy from the mill, and he gazed wild-eyed as if looking for some chance of escape. "All of a sudden, with a strange scream or shout, he sprang from the door onto the ground upon all fours, and zigzagged his way right and left through the crowd, under the legs of the astonished spectators, with Smith after him with gun in hand. The spectators quickly scattered for fear of being shot, when Smith killed the spy. The other Indians instantly followed him, and were wiggling their way in the same manner. All was confusion; but finally all the Indians were killed while trying to escape except two, who fled to the mountains. The names of the three persons who had the prisoners in charge were Flem Hill, Jack Smith, and Crock Eberman.

Things went on quietly for a few days until another Oregonian was murdered about eleven miles from Coloma. Then we had to raise another army. Fifteen started out this time. They soon came to where three Indians were mining, and they immediately dispatched them. This was in accordance with an agreement made by the Oregonians that all Indians would be killed on sight until all were destroyed, or else sufficiently subdued to stop