Читать книгу Shaman's Dream: The Modoc War - Lu Boone's Mattson - Страница 66

Meacham was impressed by the list of particulars. If you believed Jesse Applegate’s accusations about Knapp, the agent had been busy: drunkenness, neglect of duty, incompetence, cohabiting, general libidinous conduct. And even laudanum: there was that charge, too. It was only October of ‘70, less than a year since he had met Knapp, but the appointment was over. The press of Ashland and Jacksonville had been liberally planted with rumors about the captain. The Applegates had not gone quietly from the reservation. Meacham reckoned that he wouldn’t relish having Jesse’s pen thrust in his direction any more than the agent had.

Knapp, for his part, hadn’t been reticent. He had written Ely Parker that spring:

I made a bitter enemy of the old agent by relieving him, and it is through his influence that these reports have emanated. If I had taken the advice of the officers at Fort Klamath and other persons on this Reservation, I would have discharged all the old agent’s relations, five in all, and would have saved myself trouble. I now see my error in retaining them. I have shown great leniency in not reporting him for not transferring the funds and records promptly…. I have discharged two of his sons and would the third, but he is not under my orders.

Knapp’s complaints extended to Meacham. They boiled down to charges of collusion. Knapp appealed for justice to the Secretary for Indian Affairs, but the most Meacham would say in his own behalf against his agent when queried was that Knapp was young, a soldier, without experience in Indian matters. He was morally unfit to lead a people who were eager to learn and thirsty for knowledge of ‘White Man’s laws.’

No matter the truth or falsity of the accusations, it hadn’t helped Knapp, Meacham knew, that he was rumored to be of the Copperhead persuasion. Lower-class; Irish extraction; maybe still anti-abolitionist at heart. Even could be a member of the secret society that had spawned John Willkes Booth.When he had been informed of Knapp’s going, Meacham had moved as quickly as he could, before someone in the East could produce a new disaster.

“Urgent: Allow me to select agent. I need someone I can trust.”

And the second miracle had occurred. They let him.

He wired his brother: “Leave everything. Must have your support immediately as agent at Klamath Agency. Wire back when you will meet me there.”

For the present, Ivan could handle Yainax and the Snakes. Then someday, if all proceeded as he now envisioned it, Ivan could also handle the Modocs.