Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1873 — The Modoc Tragedy. [ARTICLE]

The Modoc Tragedy.

Wboat is so badly ■winter-killed throughout the northern part of Indiana that there promises to be only one-fourth to one-third of a crop this season. If in other partsof the oonntry it proves to be injured as badly, people m.-ty expect to pay big prices for breadstuff for a year at least. The Brookston Reporter is the title of a new paper recently established at Brookston, White county, Inch, by Hr. M. H. Ingrain, who was tdr many years connected with the Democrat at Winamac and more recently founded the Crown Point RtrM. The new paper is a beautiful 24-column weekly, printed on new type and devoted to local interests. Brookston is one of the best business points ,on the Louisville, New Albany «fc Chicago rail road —the best between Lafayette and Michigan City—it is in the midst of a fine, well cultivated tract of excellent farming land, thickly settled with a thrifty population of intelligent people, Mr. Ingram is a gentleman, an editor of ability, a good printer, and no doubt his present enterprise will meet with the success its merit deserves. The Reporter is cordially welcomed to our exchange tabic, and its courteous proprietor has our best wishes. May he and his be liberally patronized and enjoy a long career of usefulness and prosperity. i' 1 ' A Madison county man recently visited the A nderson Herald office and piteously asked “why are our taxes so high?'’ As Brother Hardesty was a member of the State Legislature which passed an act requiring property to be listed at its true money value, or four times what it waß ever listed for bgfore, and at the same time failed to make a corresponding decrease in the per centage levied for State purposes, wo think that man was on the right scent for information. But Hardesty, like veteran politicians, evades the perfect truth and attempts to transfer the odium to the shoulders of the Democratic board of commissioners of Madison county. Taxes are high in Jasper county where there has not been a Democratic commissioner in sixteen years, and the only reason we can find for it is that Republican officers have somewhere lacked sound judgment in the management of public finances. Democratic politicians are bad enough, no doubt, when they become barnacles, but the “investigations” of the past winter have nnearthed enough peculation, inoompetency and official corruption among Republicans to prove that our party needs a thorough cleaning out. Not that its principles are bad or that the ranks are depraved, but dead beats, pcallawags, snivelling hypocrites, adventurers and thieves have obtained control to plunder the people. Hon. G. S. Orth, Representative in Congress at large, is authorized to nominate two cadets, one for the Military Academy at West Point, the other for the Naval Academy at Annapolis. In order that all may be afforded an opportunity to compete for these appointments he has given notice that a competitive examination will be had before a committee for that purpose at Indianapolis, on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 15th and 16th.

Candidates for the Military Academy must be at least five feet* in bight and between the ages of 17 and 22; (but those who served one year during the late war and have been honorably discharged are eligible up to the age of 24 years.)— Candidates for the Naval Academy must be between 14 and 18 years old., In addition to the foregoing, the candidates for both Academies must have requisite moral, mental and physical qualifications, and be residents of Indiana. The appointee for the Military Academy mus( report at West Point nqt later than the 25th of May, and for the Naval Academy, at Annapolis not later than the sth of June. Other qualifications being equal, Mr. Orth announces that he shall give preference to sons of soldiers or sailors in the late war.

Now ii there are any sanguinary yoathß in Jasper county thirsting for glory and fame on field or flood, let them immediately be put into training for this examination. No work, and hoard and clothes at Government expense during life, and a fine monument after death! Who wouldn’t be a soldier or sailor and wear a sword and epaulets op those terms ? <

The farce called the Modoc war, that has been played all wiuter among the Java beds of northern California, changed programme lsst Friday and introduced a terrible tragedy by which General Edward R. 8. Canby upd Rev. Dr. Thomas were treacherously butchered in cold blood, and Mr. Mcaeham probably fatally wounded.— Gen. Canby, Dr. Thomas, Mr. Meachani and Mr. Dyer as Peace Commissioners sent by the Government to treat with Cajtain Jack and hi£ band, had arranged a talk with savages and taking along one Frank Riddle and a squaw as interpreters met by agreement out.side the picket line, but within sight of their signal station. Meacham, Canby and Thomas made short speeches which were replied toby Captain Jack and Schonchin, when at a signal from Captain Jack his band turned upon the party and commenced shooting them. Gen. Canby was instantly killed with a bullet shot by Captajn Jack, which entered under his right eye. Doctor Thomas was almost instantly killed. Meacham was shot in his head and shoulders, but at last reports was still alive, though his death was looked for at any time. Mr. Dyer, Riddle and the squaw escaped unhurt. Although the signal officer gave the alarm immediately and troops were hastened on double quick to the scene of the massacre, the savages had time to strip the corpses of Gen. Canby and Dr. Thomas and make good their escape. - While a nation will menrn the death of General Canby as the loss of a bravo and noble son, treacherously killed while discharging his duty as a commissioner of peace, still wc cannot help thinking that the death of a prominent man was necessary to compel our Government into pursuing a safer, though severer, policy in its relations with those intractable, treacherous, worthless outlaws that infest the far West and call themselves Indiana The Peace Policy of President Grant may be well enough for peaceably disposed Indians, but such infamous renegade whites, half breeds and drunken Indians as compose Captain Jack’s band deserve to be shot down on sight, and a relentless war of extermination ought to be at once inaugurated against them. There is no good sense in dallying and oaaxing villains like those who compose Captain Jack’s, band of murdering robbers, unless it be with Minnie ball and cannon.