The Otis Conference - (3 April 1872) - History - http://maxpages.com/modocwar/Otis

Colonel Otis: I was sent into this Country to see what was the matter between you and the whites here, and ask you if you have any thing to say to me. I have got fifty soldiers over here. I was ordered to bring them. I have got plenty more soldiers behind if I want them. I am military chief of all the country round here, of all the posts--Klamath, Bidwell, Harney and Warner. I have heard bad news about your men going into houses where there was no one but women, fifteen or twenty men, all armed, and I want to know is what you have got to say about it? Are all your Indians present whom you wish to have here?

Captain Jack: Who was telling you that fifteen or twenty men of mine was trying to scare one man or one woman? I don't want to say anything first. If I see the man who told you this I will say something. I will tell the truth. What man is telling you this?

Otis: There are several men in this country, up on Lost River, who say so, not perhaps Captain Jack, but his men make the people give them flour hay and stuff.

Captain Jack: I want to know where that man is, that was taking about the hay?

Otis: A man down near the mouth of Lost River, Charles Monroe, complained that the Indians, fifteen or twenty of them, took his fence down and turned their horses in and they ate all his hay.

Captain Jack: He will have to come here.

Otis: There is no necessity for Monroe to come here. All the white men here know it.

Captain Jack: I will fetch all my men here and you can bring Monroe and let him point out the men who stole his hay. ...

Otis: If I bring out the white man and if he points out the Indians whose horses eat up his hay, what are you going to do with the guilty ones? ...

Captain Jack: I have got the white man's laws. The white man showed me how to punish my men if they do wrong. ... It aint only my people that travel up and down this river. There are some Indians not mine who travel that way too.

Otis: White men who know your Indians say that it was them.

Captain Jack: I don't tell no lies about this. I don't lie, my people aint been anywhere this winter, but to the fisheries.

Otis: I aint going to talk about this any more. I am going to tell you what I am going to do, and what I want you to do, and what you will do.

Captain Jack: After I get through with this, I wont see the white men anymore. I am going to stay at home and take care of my Indians. I wont leave any more.

Otis: It was the stories I heard that brought me into this country.

Captain Jack: White people say to me, 'Why don't you come to see me? What are you mad at?' They ask me to let them have my Indians to work for them.

Otis: What white men tell you this?

Captain Jack: People herding and driving cattle.

Otis: That's all right; if your men want to work and will behave like white men, I've no objection. ... The white men around here have lots of cattle. Some times they find one killed, the meat all gone and the bones are left, they think the Indians do it but do not know. I want you and your Indians to let these cattle alone, and not trouble them. If white men want to hire your men to herd their cattle, that's all right. You have lots of Indian ponies running around here, the white men don't trouble them, and I want your men to let their cattle alone, the same as they let your ponies alone. If you do this, all will be well. If your Indians are bad I shall have to punish them and make them good. You have lots of squaws, lots of children and lots of ponies; if you shall behave bad, we shall have to make war upon you. Then you will lose all your squaws, all your children and all your ponies. I will bring plenty of soldiers and Indians--Piutes, Snakes and Klamaths--they all will help me. I will whip you all. If I go away another Chief will come, and take my place. I don't come here to make you go on any reservation, but to make you behave yourself, and I am going to do it. That is all I have to say now. What have you to say?

Captain Jack: You are not the first white man I ever saw. I have seen lots of white men before. I have known these people that live around here a long time. I never kill their cattle. Look at my book, my book says that my men never meddle with their cattle. There is wild parsnip grows in my country, and that kills the cattle. Some times cattle going along and is poor and eats parsnip and dies. This is not the only country where cattle dies. I have been in towns and seen bones where cattle have died. I didn't make this parsnip that kills the cattle. If my Indians would eat this parsnip they would die too. I didn't make the country. You can see my heart. I don't have it in my heart to go hide away and kill anybody. My heart is straight. I have talked to the white man and say I don't want to kill you. You are a friend of mine a long time. You told me I must be a good man and keep a straight heart. What will I kill a white man for? I can't eat him. When I go to town white people tell me how to do right. I never have it in my heart to go and kill a white man. I want to be at peace. I am just like a woman. White men told me when they give me a gun that anything I killed was mine to eat.

Otis: You say that I am not the only white man you ever saw. I know that you fought them a long time; now you are at peace. Once you had a big band; now it is little; that is the effects of seeing the white man and fighting with them. The only way for you to do is just as the good white men tell you--such men as myself, Mr. High and Mr. Applegate--and not what other white men say, who know nothing. You talk well. If you do as well as you talk all will be well. I am going to bring my soldiers here, and sometimes go to Tule Lake--may stay here all Summer. I don't know how long. If you want to come in and see my Chiefs you can come, my soldiers will treat you well. If I aint there he can come and see the other chiefs. I want you to keep your ponies away from my horses. If my horses stray away, and you find them you must bring them back to me. Donald and Pete will be there all the time to talk to the chiefs for you. If the white men treat your men bad, tell chief and he will punish them. When your men do bad you must punish them; if you do not, I will take them some place, and put them in the guardhouse. Ochehoo and his Indians and the Klamath Indians come in my camp when they want and so can you. I shall go tomorrow and be gone about one moon. I shall leave three chiefs. You can go and talk to any of them if you want to.

Captain Jack: I want to say a few words. I wasn't here when there was plenty of Indians, and when the war was going on. ... You see my people around me here; they have grown up, since the whites came into this country. When my people was in the country with bad people, I didn't do as they told me. This is the first time you have ever seen me, but there is plenty of people in Yreka who have seen me. I have never had any talk with the Klamath Indians about what is right, but I always to go the whites. When you talk about cattle business you aint talking to me but to these old squaws. I am afraid to go eat anything that I find dead, but the squaws just skin it and eat it. You want to find out my heart. There is lots of people who found out my heart long ago. I have no bad feeling to the whites when they come into my country and use my wood and water and grass. I don't want to hide any bad feelings in my heart. I want you to see all I think.

Otis: ... You say that the water, the wood and the grass in this country is yours. It isn't so. When Mr. Meacham talked to you last summer, he said you could stay here and he would write to the Big Father at Washington to give you a piece of land here. I don't know whether he will or not. You must wait and see what the Big Father says.

Mr. High: Did you bring these white men here to say that your men did not kill the cattle, frighten the women, and let their horses eat the hay of the whites?

Captain Jack: I brought the white men along to say what I have been doing. ...

High (to Henry Miller): Do you know Captain Jack and his people?

Miller: I know a great many of them.

High: Do you think you have as fair an opportunity of knowing of their doings as the other settlers?

Miller: I think the best. ...

High: From your knowledge of these Indians do you think the settlers in danger of either life or property?

Miller: I do not.

High: Do you know of any depredations they have committed against property?

Miller: I have heard rumors of some, but do not know of any. ...

High: Did you ever see any impudence from them to the white men?

Miller: No more than there is between the whites themselves.

High: Did you give them any present or any thing else for your right to settle where you are?

Miller: I did not. ...

High: You say you were absent from your Ranch from July '70 to February '71.

Miller: Yes sir.

High: Had difficulties with Indians anything to do with your absence at that time?

Miller: Rumors that the Indians were destroying cattle and that the soldiers would be after them, rendered it impossible for me to get any one to assist me.

High: Do you know of the Indians killing any cattle?

Miller: No sir. I do not. ...

High (to Mr. Ball): From your knowledge of these Indians do you think there is any danger to settlers lives or property?

Ball: I have never apprehended any danger from the while Captain Jack has been their Chief--nor do I as long as he is Chief.

Otis: Mr. Ball, how far do you live from Charlie Monroe?

Ball: About six miles.

Otis: Do you know any circumstance of Indians taking Mr. Monroe's hay? If so, state them.

Ball: A portion of the hay cut was upon the land claimed by Captain Jack; this, Mr. Monroe was allowed to cut for a consideration. The Indians claim that Mr. Monroe did not live up to his agreement and they fed a portion of the hay to make up for what they had lost. I get this idea from having talked to both parties.

Otis (to Mr. Poe): The report is that the Indians have been disturbing you this winter. If so, state the circumstances.

Poe: Two Indians came to my house when I and my boys were absent. My wife and daughter were there; the Indians asked for a drink of water. My wife told them go to the creek and get. One of them took a cup and got some water. After giving some water to the other Indian he threw it on the floor. The Indians took from my house at that time a whip and carried it off. One of my boys came home shortly after this, and went after the Indians. He came up to them and demanded the whip, when they said they had not got it. Soon after my second boy came home and finding his brother had gone after the Indians he started to join him. The first boy had come up and drawn his six shooter and demanded the whip. The Indians declared they had not got it. They were told they did have it, because they were seen to take it. About this time the second boy came up and demanded the whip. Pistols were drawn. One of the brothers watched the Indians while the other found the whip and carried it home. One of them jumped at my wife and frightened her. They were reputed to be Modoc Indians. ...

Otis (to Mr. Bull): Have you ever been troubled by these Indians? If so, state the circumstances.

Bull: I had a horse running loose on the hills. One morning I went to look for him. At the same time my brother-in-law had offered two Indians two dollars and a half if they would catch the horse. I saw the Indians running the horse but they were unable to drive him in. I paid the Indians one dollar for what they had done and caught the horse myself. The Indians followed me to the house and acted as though they wanted the rest of the money. After they turned away they fired two shots in the direction of the house. This was in January.

G. S. Miller: I live in Langal Valley about twenty-five miles from here. About the last of July 1871 some eight or ten Indians had been riding over my hayland. They were riding up and down my best hay land trying to catch ducks. I got tired of this and went to Charlie (Indian) and told him I did not want the Indians to ride over my place that way, as it would spoil my grass, but they could come in on foot, as much as they wanted. He made no reply at the time. They then left with their horses, and went up the river.--they came back in about an hour. Charlie jumped off his horse, and attempted to go in the house, but I would not let him. He said--Do you like this place? I said I did, that it was mine. He said that it was his, he had hunted ducks there a long time. They then went away and told Mr. Vincent's boys that if they did break out, I should be the first one they would kill.

Otis (to Capt Jack): You have heard a few of the reports circulating through the valley, many more have come to me from settlers in this country wherever the Modocs go. This is not the way to do, and I want you to stop it. ... I will be back here in one moon and I want to hear that you and your men have been good, and behaved them-selves. I want you to remember what I say.

Captain Jack: I don't want any more white people to make any more bad talk about me, and make a fool of me. I want to be at peace. I am glad you talked to the white man and I'll talk to the Indian. If the Indian do anything, let the white man tell it straight. White men say somethings today that didn't happen. If any of my men come to me with false stories, I don't believe them. Some of my people say somethings they don't mean. If I see anything with my own eyes, I would talk to them about it. I don't know why the white man says things that aint so. I know a good many white men and they are all nice people. ... All this bad talk don't amount to anything for it aint the truth. The great Chief of Yreka tells me not to listen to bad white man's talk. I don't make it a business to go to the white men's houses. I seldom go to see them.

Otis: I don't know who you mean by the Great Chief in Yreka. Mr. High is your Chief and no one else has any thing to do with you. If you or any of your Indians get in trouble, he must go to him. He is Chief of the Modocs and Klamaths. You signed a treaty for that. Mr. Applegate will help you too. Go to him for good advice. I don't know anything about the Chief in Yreka. That is all I have to say. I am done.

High (to Charles Monroe): Please state the circumstances of your taking a Ranch on Lost River and the trouble you had with Indians relative to hay.

Monroe: In the winter of 1871 I went to Lost River with the view of taking up a Ranch. Captain Jack came to my Camp telling me that he claimed the Country for many miles around, but he had no objection to white men settling upon it. I then did settle, built a cabin and put in a garden. There was no agreement about any compensation for my occupying my claim. In January 1872 they came to me and demanded pay for the hay I cut on my claim; this I refused, and they went away angry and during my absence destroyed nearly all my hay on the West side of the riv-er--in all about twelve tons.

High: Do you think the lives and property of the settlers are in danger from these Indians?

Monroe: I do not think the property is safe. ...

High (to George Nurse): From your knowledge of Captain Jack's band of Modocs do you apprehend any danger to the lives or property of settlers from them?

Nurse: I do to both, from the fact that they have come to my place and fired into my barn knowing that there was men in it at the time. They have torn down my fences, and turned their stock into my fields. Armed parties have come and made hostile demonstrations causing fear in the minds of myself and the people here. They have stated to me that they claim the Lost River Country and if they white man wanted the water and grass, they would have to pay for it.

Statements made to Otis in Linkville after the Conference

Question (to Drury Davis): Have you been subjected to any annoyance or outrage by these people?

Davis: While William Angle and I was hunting for a location for a home on Lost River two Modocs were very saucy and impudent and examined the goods in our wagon, against our will. Insisted on going on our wagon to see where we camped that night.

Question: From your knowledge of these people do you believe there is any danger to the lives or property of citizens from them?

Davis: I do, both to lives and property. ...

Question (to Joseph Seeds): Do you know of any instance in which Capt Jack's men have set up a claim to land occupied by settlers?

Seeds: Yes. I had arranged to get hay from Mr. Whitney, a settler on Lost River, and when I went to get the hay in Mr. Whitney's absence, I was met by one of Captain Jack's men with a demand that I pay for the hay or leave it. Said the Indians must be paid for it as it was cut on their land. ... It was already loaded when the Indian made the demand, and I told him that I would fight before I would give up the hay, and then drove off with it. ...

Question (to Mr. Hudson): Have you as good means of knowing of the operations of the Modocs as other settlers have?

Hudson: Yes, I was driven from my home on Tule Lake through fear of them. ... Henry Miller, William Dingman, William Berry and I each located a ranch on Tule Lake--on the east side. In the Spring of 1870 Captain Jack's Modocs left the Reservation and came into the country which we were occupying. They were saucy and impudent and kept us in terror of our lives, and Henry Miller and the rest of us left our ranches about July of that year through fear of them.

Question: Do you know of any stock being killed by citizens on Tule lake while you resided there?

Hudson: Two cattle were killed. I believe the Modocs killed them for they were so insolent and were the only Indians in that part of the country. I know by the tracks they were Indians.

Otis to Odeneal, 11 April 1872 (excerpt)

I would recommend that the permission for captain Jack's band of Modocs to remain where they now are until the question of a new reservation be decided in the vicinity of Tule Lake, given by Mr. Meacham, be withdrawn, and that they be directed to go on the Klamath Reservation, as per treaty of October, 1864. That this order be given some time in the latter part of September, so that in case they refused, the military authorites could put them upon the reservation the following winter--the best time for "corraling" them, should they prove refractory--that at least two of their leaders, captain Jack and Black Jim, be removed from them and sent to Siletz, or any other place you might suggest. ...

The reasons why I make this recommendation, with reference to the Modocs, is, that where they are now they are very insolent, insulting to families, and the settlers are generally of the opinion that they are dangerous to both life and property. I do not believe they will live where they now are in peace with the whites any length of time, without the presence of a military force sufficiently large to make them behave themselves. There is now a force of fifty men and three officers in their immediate country.

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