The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-10-15
FACTS OF THE CASE.
HISTORY of the UTE TROUBLES
How the Utes Began Their Shindy-
Nobody to Blame but Them
selves s-Unadulterated
Cussedness.

L
to the Denver Tribune regarding tn
beginning of the troubles at Whit,
River agency:
"We arrived at White River egenc,
about @ O'Clock p. M, and found |
number of Indians there, some of whom
seemed greatly excited. soon Learned
THAT the agent. Mr.. Meeker, had shor
time before my arrival been violently
assaulted by Ute chief named John
son, and severely, if not dangerously
injured. The white laborers told me
that they had been fired on while plow
ing in the field and driven to the agency
buildings, but that they were not much
scared, as they thought the Indians only
wanted to prevent the work. and fired
to prevent them. Finding Mr.. W. H.
Post, the agents chief clerk and post
master, at White River in his office, /
proceeded to transact my business with
him. While engaged at this the Indians
began to congregate in the building.
Mr.. Post introduced me to Chiefs Ute
Jack, Washington, Antelope and Others.
"Ute Jack seemed to be the leader,
and asked me my name and business.
told him.
sHe inquired if came from Fort
Steele and if the soldiers were coming.
replied that l knew nothing of the
soldiers.
"Jack said: No 'fraid of soldiers;
Fort Steele soldiers no fight; Utes heap
fight
HE again asked my name and when 1
was going away. / replied: in the
morning.
"Jack said: Better go pretty quick. )
81 offered him cigar and repeated
that would go in the morning.
'sHe then inquired for Mr.. Meeker,
and said to Post: Utes heap talk to
me; Utes say agent plow no more;
Utes say Meeker must go way; Meeker
say Utes work. Work. work. Ute no
like work; Ute no work; Ute no school;
no like school, and much more of the
same sort.
"Jack asked Mr.. Post when the Indi-
an goods would be issued.
"Post replied: In two moons.
"Jack said the goods were issued at
the Uncompahgre agency; that four In
dians had come from there and told
him.
POST replied: Guess not
''Mr. Post then remarked to me,
Every fall there is more or
less discomfort among the Indians,
which finally dies out. This year there
is more than usual. Jacks band get
mad last week because would not is
sue rations to some Uinta Utes who
had come here, and all the bucks re-
fused to draw their supplies. The
squaws drew for themselves and chill
dren.' 1 asked if the miners were not
making trouble with the Indians. Post
replied he had not heard any complaint
from the Indians about miners or set
tiers; that they were kept off the res
ervation and made no trouble.
1.-THE whole complaint of the Indians
has been about plowing the land and
being made to work, and requiring the
children to go to school, and that very
recently they have shown great anxiety
to have the Indian goods distributed,
and complained about that; that he
could not distribute the Indian goods
as they had not all arrived at the
agency.
''Mr. Meeker came in for short time
while we were talking. About 8 O'Clock
L went to his quarters and found him
propped up in his armchair with pill
lows, evidently suffering severely from
injuries received from the assault of
Chief johnson. After short talk we
discovered that we had formerly been
fellow townsmen, which opened the
way for free conversation about mu-
tual acquaintances. After which Mr..
Meeker said: 81 came to this agency
in the full belief that could civilize
these Utes. That could teach them
to work and become self-supporting. l
thought that 1 could establish schools
and interest both Indians and their
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