The Lost River Murderers

Hooker Jim: Hooker Jim is the one member of the Lost River Murderers who admitted to the killings; he said that he had killed three of the victims, including Henry Miller, the only one he knew by name. He was recognized by both Kate Schira and Sarah Brotherton as one of the murderers, indicted by the Jacksonville Grand Jury, and appears on the Jacksonville Sentinel list (JS List) compiled after the war.

Curley-Headed Doctor: Named by both Hooker Jim and Kate Schira as one of the murderers, and included on the JS List. He may have been the Old Doctor indicted by the Jacksonville Grand Jury.

Long Jim: Named by Hooker Jim, Kate Schira, and Sarah Brotherton, also on the JS List and indicted by the Grand Jury.

Probable

John Schonchin: Named by Hooker Jim, and also on the JS List (as Schonchin's Brother). On the other hand John Schonchin denied being one of the murderers, and Kate Schira used to tell how when she and her mother were hiding from the Modocs John Schonchin saw them in the bushes, but said nothing to the others.

Slolux: Slolux, alias George Denny, alias Lalockell, is mentioned (under that last name) by Hooker Jim as one of the Lost River Murderers. Perhaps he's also the Little George of the JS List. However, neither Sarah Brotherton nor Kate Schira mention him.

William: William, alias Whim is mentioned by Hooker Jim; as the Wild Gal's Man he is also included on the JS List. This is the same guy that tried to warn the peace commissioners about the planned assassination at the Peace Tent. Neither Sarah Brotherton nor Kate Schira mention him.

Dave: Dave would be on the Virtually Certain list if we could be sure that the Rock Dave mentioned by Kate Schira was the Dave that was the Curley-Headed Doctor's Brother (mentioned by Hooker Jim and on the JS List). A "Dave" was indicted by the Jacksonville Grand Jury for the murders.

Peter Schonchin: On Hooker Jim's list. He was not identified by Sarah Brotherton or Kate Schira.

Billy: On Hooker Jim's and the JS lists.

Humpy Jerry: Identified by Kate Schira and Sarah Brotherton as one of the party of murderers, but not apparently on Hooker Jim's list. The Grand Jury indicted him (as Humpy). He was Captain Jack's brother.

One-eyed Mose: Identified by Kate Schira and Sarah Brotherton as one of the party of murderers, but not apparently on Hooker Jim's list. The Grand Jury indicted him. His wife, One-eyed Dixie (not to be confused with Artina Choakus), acted as a go-between during peace negotiations.

Possible

Kol Kolick: Identified as one of the murderers by Hooker Jim. He is also supposed to be the one who mutilated Hovey's body after the Second Battle for the Stronghold. Otherwise a rather shadowy figure; could he be more familiar under some other name?

Big Tail et al: The following names appear on the JS List but are otherwise largely unknown or unidentifiable: Big Tail, Big Tail's Boy, Little Jim (also indicted by the Grand Jury), Long Jim's Father, and Wild Girl's Brother. Also a Little Charley (otherwise unknown) was indicted by the Jacksonville Grand Jury.

Boston Charley: Boston Charley was indicted by the Grand Jury and is mentioned as one of the murderers in various modern histories, but doesn't appear on any of the lists used here. He was in Hooker Jim's village at the time of the attack, and certainly could have been one of the party, but his absense from the various lists raises some doubts.

And finally

Two men who are known not to have been in the party are Scarfaced Charley and Steamboat Frank. Nonetheless both have been named as among the murderers. Scarfaced Charley was on the other side of the river and fled to the lava beds with Captain Jack and the rest, and had nothing to do with the murders. Steamboat Frank was with the Hot Creeks who tried to go onto the reservation, and were turned back by a Linkville mob; he had no connection with the Lost River Fight or the murders that followed. Nonetheless Scarfaced Charley was named as the leader of the murderers by the Jacksonville Sentinel, Robert Bogart (of the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Jacksonville Grand Jury. And Alfred Meacham named Steamboat Frank as one of the murderers in Wigwam and War Path.

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Page Updated Mon Dec 11, 2000 11:37pm EST