Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-17
STEELE'S STORY.

eSEn6 letter IRON COl. JOnn w. Steele,
special agent of the postofice department,
who was, probably, the last strange white
man at White River Agency. In the letter
Col. Steele says:
"On the morning of Sept. 10 I started,
with two mail carriers, for the agency. We
rode over the route followed by Maj. Thorn
burgh's command, and at noon rested at the
mouth of the canyon, where the battle has
since taken place. Here at tent occupied
reservation, We met number of Utes, one
of whom asked where was going. I told
him to the agency. After short talk with
other Indians, he told me We must 90 back.
l made no reply, but, leaving one of the
carriers at the tent, proceeded up the can
yon in which the Indians laid the ambus-
cade for Maj. Thornburgh's command, to-
ward the agency. The Indians followed US
to the agency. I afterwards learned that
they belonged to Ute Jacks party.
"We arrived at White River agency about
O'Clock P. NJ, and found a number of In
dams there, some of whom
SEEMED GREATLY EXCITED.
soon learned that the agent, Meeker, had,
short time before my arrival, been vio-
lently assaulted by Ute chief named John
son, sand severely, if not dangerously, in
jured. The white laborers told me that
they had been fred on while blowing in the
field, and driven to the agency buildings,
but that they we're not much scared, as they
thought the Indians only wanted to prevent
the work, and fired to brighten them. Find
ing Mr.. w. 81. Post, the agents chief clerk
and postmaster at White River, in his Office,
I|proceeded to transact my business with him.
While engaged at this the Indians began to
congregate in tho building. Mr.. Post intro
duced me to Chief Ute Jack, Washington,
Antelope, and others. Ute Jack seemed to
be the leader, and asked me my name and
business. told him. He inquired-if 1
came from Fort Steele, and if the soldiers
were coming I replied that knew moth
ing of the soldiers. Jack replied:
NO FRA1D OF SOLDIERS;
Fort Steele soldiers no fight; Utes heap
fight He again asked my name, and when
was going away. I replied, I'm the morn
ing Jack said: Better go pretty quick
I offered him cigar, and repeated that
would go in the morning. He then inquired
for Mr.. Meeker, and said to Mr.. Post: 'Utes
heap take to me. Utes say agent pillow no
more. Utes say Meeker must go way. Meek
or say Utes work. Ute no like work; Ute no
work; Ute no school; no like SCHOOL, and
much more of the same sort.
"About o'clock went to Agent Meeker's
quarters, and found him propped up in his
arm chair with pillows, evidently suffering
severely from I'M uries received from the as
sault of Chief johnson. After short talk
we discovered that We had formerly been
fellow townsmen, which opened the way for
free conversation about mutual acquaint-
ances, after which Mr.. Mkeker said: I came
to this agency in the full belief that could
oivilize these Utes; that I could teach them
to work and become self supporting.
thought that could establish schools, and
interest both Indians and their children in
learning. I have given my best efforts to this
end.
ALWAYS TREATED THEM KINDLY BUT FIRMLY.
They have eaten from my table, and received
continued kindness from my wife, daughter,
and all the employees about the agency.
Their complaints have been patiently listen
ed to, and all reasonable requests have been
granted them, and now the man for whom I
have done the most, for whom I have built
the only Indian house on the reservation and
who has frequently eaten at my table. has
turned on me, and without the slightest
provocation, and would have killed me but
for the laborers, who got me away. No In
dian raised his hand to prevent the outrage,
and those who had received continued kind
ness from myself and family stood around
and laughed at the brutal assault. They are
an unreliable and treacherous race
"Mr. Meeker further said that previous to
this assault on him he had expected to see
| the discomfort die out as soon as the an
nuity goods arrived; but he was now some
what anxious about the matter. In reply to
an inquiry, he said that the whole complaint
OF the Indians was against blowing the land,
against work and the school. I told him I
thought there was great danger of an out
break, and thought he should abandon the
agency at once. To this he made no reply.
''Shortly after Ute Jcak came into the
room where We were sitting, and proceeded
! 70 oateohlse me nearly a. before. He then