The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-09
WHY MD iNS FIGHT.
Hsw the Utes s-e Abused md Robbed By =
Dishonest Agent.

LARAMIE W. r., Nov % Since writing
YOU in regard to the Ute Indians and their
agent. Dun orth. dditonal facts have come to
my knowledgc. which pro 'eed 10 give. which
IN he suNstnn,at'd by reliable Witnessed. On
GRIND river n ~ miles south of the White
II YER Agency. is u band Of eight or tn lodges,
who nre d,s 'eninnts of the ROYAL family. and
who have fnrmrd. in n small wnv ns long or
longer thnn any of the Indians of tho present
day can remeinbrr raising u little corn and
wheat and q i"w potatoes. us ne ruin instru.
mrnts of their own ,mnnuinture., This last
spr M they "nme 70 the ~ "n"y and asked Tor
harness. ploughs, hnrrows. and seed. in order
that thoy might farm to- more advantage.
Tho trentv with the Ute fni1ns stipulnt g
that thryNre to be- Furnished with agricultural
implements and soed Whenever they desire To
farm. and the agent IL furnished . farmer 70
teach them to cultivate the ground Danforth
gav" them mn old plough. utterly worthless. q
yoke of oxen lone of which died shortly after
the Indians got them home, from old qVe) and
u little seed all Of which they packed on two
ponies to their homes beyond tho mountains
received YOU hers from the Indinns ut prices
for which new harness. a.. could have been
iransa ton Of that Kind These Indians had
taken the trouble to trade their unhroken ponies
Ia white men for horses that would work. but
when they found on, how they had been cheated
and wronged they quit in disgust and left the
r"s"rvation. and some OF them are now at
Another not that IA hardly reconcilahc with
the pr 'iplns of Christianity j. ntorlh was
guilty Of TIT If nnt known .loS ,hat en- 10"
1
yearly. for tho services Of II white interpret r.
hnt instead ~ employing white man he hires
m Indian. pays him y small salary. and the In
dnn. adopting some name TINT Will pnss with
GU suspicion. signs vouchers Tor the whole
amount,
And again. instead Of issuing all Of the cloth
ing. n :. that belongs to the Indians, he retains
y portion and hires tn" Indians to herd stock.
& =. and paws them in their own goods N IL
said that II h. takes u dlslikoor becomes Offend
nd with mn Indian he reiue 8 to issue to him
his portion 81 the goods. The In ans have
every six days for tn" sprre Of six weeks to sign
the roll and depart without taking single AR
tirlr that they had signed for because Dsnforth
refused to give to some on" N their pnrty the
goods due him. OF had Intentionally Offend
cd some of them. knowing thor disposition.
Some time ago a nun ana his wife. with live
horses were crossing tn" reservation. and the
fat became known ut the agency. near which
they then were. The Indians sny and perhaps
truth fully too. that Mrs Danforth udy .sed them
| thr Indnnslto steal the stock belonging to
! these parties. and act them afoot. She has also
| white mon IN the reservation in no other wav.
| she would lnritc tho Indians to kill them. II Is
nm established fact and can be proven that he
| tDanforthl used Government teams and team
| sters IN haul freight from White river IN the
railroad and goods from the railroad 10 the
| which he received from four to Ave cents per
pound at the same time the goods mentioned
| in my former letter were lying at Rawlins.
awaiting transportation Ia the agency.
| How much Of our late Indian troubles might
| he trnced to the very same source MS those men.
! they know that they are being robbed and
| treated like dogs. and they cannot be- expected
| to rrmnin passive mu-h longer. The great
wonder is that they have not revolted long ago