Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/653

 mission, consisting of Colonel Elliott, captains Mendenhall, Hasbrouck, and Pollock, and Lieutenant Kingsbury. Major Curtis was appointed judge-advocate. The trial began on the 5th of July. The witnesses for the prosecution were Meachani, Dyar, Eldery, Anderson, four of the Modocs who had turned state's evidence, and the interpreters. Jack made use of his witnesses only to try to fix the blame of collusion upon the Klamaths. Three of his witnesses alleged that the Klamaths assisted them, and that Allen David had sent them messages advising them to hostilities; but this, whether true or false, did not affect their case. When he came to address the commission, he said that he had never done anything wrong before killing General Canby. Nobody had ever said anything against him except the Klamaths. He had always taken the advice of good men in Yreka. He had never opposed the settlement of the country by white people; on the contrary, he liked to have them there. Jackson, he said, came to Lost River and began firing when he only expected a talk; and that even then he ran off without fighting. He went to the lava-beds, not intending to fight, and did not know that the settlers were killed until Hooker Jim told him. He denied that Canby's murder was concerted in his tent, accusing those whom General Davis had employed as scouts. If he could, he would have denied killing Canby, as in his last speech he did, saying it was Shacknasty Jim who killed him.

Only six of the Modocs were tried, and four were. hanged, namely, Jack, Sconchin, Black Jim, and Boston Charley. Jack asked for more time, and said that Scarface, who was a relative, and a worse man than he, ought to die in his stead. Sconchin made some requests concerning the care of his children, and said, although he did not wish to die, he would suppose the judge had decided rightly. Black Jim sarcastically remarked that he did not boast of his good heart, but of his valor in war. He did not try