Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-12-11
A DRAMATIC SCENE
Between the Peace Commits
sioners and the Utes.
The Council Chamber Almost
Turned into q Bloody
Battle Field.
Twenty-Five Chiefs With Drawn
Dsggers Confront Six
White Mon.
The lndiaas Finally suhsite, Promising to
Yield Their Criminsis fos Trial
as WAshingson.
LIVELY SCENES AT rHE COMMISSION

Lively SCENES AT THE COMMISSION.
DENVER. Dec. 8--A special TO
the Tribune from Los Pinos repre-.
sents that Saturday witnessed some
decidedly animated occurrences at
the Commissioners meeting. After
Jack had decline TO inform the
Commissioners what Iadlans had
been concerned 10 the White River
massacre, the Indians retired to
Oursy's house to debate what course
To pursue. No Indians appeared
at the Agency until Saturday, but
seem 60 have been engaged in con
Quoting the widest dances and 10
making fierce speeches. A mao
wassent from the Agency to Ouray's
with feed for the horses of the La
dams, and discovered. from the noise
on the inside, that the Indians
were greatly excited. What he saw
Of them were bedecked 10 feathers
a. d war paint, ano he was 80 fright
eued that be turned back and did
not deliver the hay.
Saturday at IL o'clock the Utes
came into The Agency and took seats
on the side OF the agency building
including Jacs, Coloiaw and twelve
other Waite River Utes, of course
Oaray being among the Indians
pre- seLt.
GEN. HATCH SPEAKS.
When the Indians aud the COM
missioners had taken seats Gen.
Hatch addressed the lndiaus, set
ting forth the full demand and the
patience Already exercised with the
Utes. To-day. The said is your st
chance. We will wait no longer.
We want your final answer, and we
want no evasion" The list OF Utes
charged by the Agency women with
taking part in the massacre was
then read, and the question put ty
Gen. Hatch. "Wll you surrender
the men whose names are on this
psrer, to be tried, and if gully pun
ished, if innocent acquitted" The
question was put twice. After con
.ulations evasive answers were 70.
turned both times. When the ques-
ton was asked the third time Cursy
replied without consulting the
others. "How do we know tina,
these Indians were at White River
at the time Of the massacre ? And
even if they were there, we do not
know they we're concerned 10 it.
Those women mentioned the nam As
which came first to their lips. We
don't depend on what they say"
THAT is what we depend on" said
Hatch. Adams then addressed the
Indians, making speech of over
an hours duration, saying among
other shiogs,tha he commission did
not want to punish Colorow, Jack
and the others who took part in the
Thornburgh fight, but the cowardly
logs who participated 10 the msssa-
Gre of unarmed men at the Agency;
closing by saying, I'VE want those
Utes, and we will have them"
THE INDIANS CONSULT.
The Indians held consultation in
low tone of voice among them
selves, but did not seem inclined to
reply at all, when Hatch again rose
and asked if the guilty Indians were
to be surrendered, saving he had
made Last appeal. No one spoke
for few moments, when Colorow
lighted big pipe, "the pipe of
peace" drew his knife and laid it on
his knees, the question of peace or
war being the one pending Colorow
then passed the pipe to the next man
without smoking, and it went round.
VERY DRAMATIC.
When the circle was finished he
jumped to his feet, Strengthened up
to his full height, pulled his belt
around until the knife sheath was in
front, pulled his knife out. threw It
with force upon the acor quivering
and ringing. Instantly every Indian
present dropped his hand to his belt
and laid his hand on his knife or
pistol. The whites did the same, and
the two parties stood fronting and
defying each other for some mo
ments, each waiting for the other to
make the forward move, There were
but six white men. while there wer
twenty FIVE Indians in a row. Fiji
teen soldiers were in an adjoining
room.
oURAY's SPEECH.
Finally Ouray spoke: ave can
not deliver up to you those Indians
unless they are tried in Washington.
They must not be tried 10 Colorado.
Colorado people are all our enemies.
and to give them up to be tried in
this State would be to surrender
them to be hung. We will bring
these twelve men here for you to see
and then when yeu decide. the guilty
shall be taken to Washington and the
President shall determine their guilt
or innocence. Douglas will have to
go. We know he was in the White
RIVER troubles and you shall decide
who else. Upon this condition and
no other will we surrender the guilty
Indians" This was said with great
arrogance and boldness. Ouray
said at will take about a week
to bring the men in I" Hatch told
him that they accepted the PROPOSE
ton so far as bringing the partio
ipants in the massacre in. bu, a. for
taking them to Washington he had
to telegraph for permission TO
Schurz. Colorow and Jack were
Immediately dispatched to bring 10
the twelve named, including Dong
las, saying they would be back 10
five DAYS After they had taken
their departure Ouray again spoke,
relterating his statement that the