The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-03
ATTITUDE OF THE UTES.


THE Tnoops-wHAT THEY WILL DO If MER-
GIrr ADvANoEs-THE UINTAH CONTINGENT
FRANK DREssERs DYING MESSAGE
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
RAwLIss Wy. IT, Nov. 2, 1879.
The HERALp's correspondent with General Aier-
ritt's command has sent the following by courier
who arrived last night
WHITE RIVER. Oct. 80 1s79.)
"Dlman. who came in yesterday from the uintan
Agency. by way of the hostile camp Of White River
Utes Bear River. and whose statements were mace
known to you By the last courier. started from here
on his return, but met by McLane, the inter-
prefer. and both returned together to Merritts
camp. McLane. who spent some time in the camp
of the hostiles claims to know their language well
enough 20 gather their meaning i'll conversation He
says they very anxious to know the disposition
and intentions Of General Merritt, and their con-
versation and gestures convinced him that Com
missioner Adams in his flying visit had not sue
ceeded in resssurng them or in getting any definite
promise from them in regard to their future be-
havior. In the meantime he has proceeded far
below the hostiles' camp to meet Ouray at the
Uncompahgre Agency.
CONFIDENCE OF THE UrEs.
ndent that they will be able to stand of or elude
the troops should the latter follow them up. They
say that If Merritt makes forward movement they
will make war in earnest. They threaten first to
strike for the Uintah Agency, burn 1t as
they burned Meeker's Agency on the White
River and kill all the employees there. leaving none
as the former instance to tell the tale. They
others will raid Ashley Ford for stock and de-
vastate every valley within their reach. Many Of
the hosties, according to McLane. also talked of
rading northward to the Union Pacific Railway
cutting the telegraph wires and tearing up the track
.McLane stopped at the hostile camp two nights
and two days. and like Dillman allowed, he
says. full liberty of the village. He saw several
Indians who were wounded IN the engagement with
rhornburgh. They joval. and laughed and
Tested about the fight They spoke coniden thy
they did to Dman of their expectation of assist
ance from other tribes. Diliman and McI-ane say
that the Uintahs number about one hundred
rors. and both feel sure that they viii join the hos
tiles II Merritt advances.
TESTING ADAMS rRurHFuLNEss.
CATER their arrival at the camp of the hostiles
Dllman and McLane wanted to return to the Uintah
Agency by the route they had traversed their
approach. TO this the hostile Utes would not con-
sent. but insisted that the two men should go
and report whether Commissioner Adams had told
them the truth In order to insure the return OF
both McLane and Dillman the Utes kept as hostages
the two Uintah guides who accompanied them from
the Uintah Agency and also kept ali their animals
which they General Merritts camp. Not
wlthstanding these hostages and the contingent loss
of their property, neither OF the two men
want to go back the White River Utes. They have
just been to General Merritt asking for escort
the Uintah Agency by another route. They say that
they afraid for their lives the the hos
tile camp, McLane averrng that his way hither
he discovered that the Utes had scouts posted in
every direction, and that they are aware Of every
movement made by every party and individual con-
nected with this command Some of the young
bucks among the hostile Utes are said to be I'M
placabe.
FRANK DREssER's DYING MESSAGE
OCTOBER 30-A pathetic fact has come to light in
connection with the murder OF Frank Dresser by
the Utes. Dresser is the young man killed in Coal
Greek Canyon 100 miles from the agency-that Is,
about midway between the scene Of the agency
into q cavern to die, but before death his
relief lie wrote the following lines . post near
the entrance to his tomb
#. q. Dresser, died October 1, 1879 Have been
$here twenty hours. All killed at the agency.$
$Send to mother -
There another word that could deci-
pher, between the words send and mother. Some
side clothing There were bullet wounds in two
three places. but the remains were not otherwise
dishgured"
In connection with the above despatch from your
correspondent at White River 1t be said that If
the Uintahs should be able to bring 100 warriors in
the field 1t would raise the present estimated force
OF the hostiles to perhaps $780, General Merritt has
IN armed force OF some j, 200 men.
On October % an Indian entered General Merritt's
camp to have a peace talk and when he informed
that General Merritt hac authority to make peace
lie gravely told him that II he would give up his
arms. ammunition, horses and mules he would be
allowed to leave with his After the Indian left
the camp numerous signal fires were observed in
the neighborhood. Two companies of infantry will
furnish escorts for wagon trains with supplies for
General Merritt.