The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-12-09
WAR WHOOPS.
THE rIrE OF PEACE uxsMoKED
Colorow BrnndIshes the ScaIping-
Knife Before the Commission
The Ute Chiefs Talk War
Ouray's Speech.
Washington, Dec. s.-Secy. Schurz
received the following dispatch this
evening:

render of those recognized at the mas
sacre. The list includes Chief Doug
las. The Indians went into council
last night and are still in council
They will answer tomorrow. TIL,
present indications are that they will
accept the ultimatum-the surrender
of the guilty and the annihilation of
tribal relations The Indians consider
death incidental to surrender and trial
The struggle among themselves has as
sumed serious proportions. The influ
ence so far is in favor of surrender. A
trifie, however, may change this at any
moment.
lSigned, HATCH,
Commissioner
Secretary Schurz, in response to an
inquiry, stated that he felt quite san
guine that he would receive intelligence
tomorrow that the indians had yielded
to the pressure and determined to ac-
cept the conditions imposed by the de-
partment.
Denver, Dec. Specials to the
Denver Tribune from Los Pinos, dated
Dec. 6, represent that Saturday wit
messed some decidedly animated occur
rences at the commission meeting.
After Jack had declined to inform the
commissioners what Indians had been
concerned in the White river massacre,
the Indians retired to Ouray's house to
debate what course to pursue. No In
dian appeared at the agency until Sat
urday, but seem to have been engaged
at Ouray's in widest dances and in
making fiery speeches. A man was
sent from the agency to Ouray's with
feed for the horses of the Indians, and
discovered from the noise on the inside
that the Indians were greatly excited.
What he saw of them were bedecked
in feathers and war paint, and he was
so frightened that he turned back and
did not deliver the hay. On Saturday,
at II, the Utes came into the agency
and took seats inside the agency build
ing-Jack, Colorow, and twelve other
White river Utes, and, of course, ,Ouray
being among the Indians present.
When the Indians and the commissions
ers had taken their seats, Gen. Hatch
addressed the Indians, setting forth
the full demands of the commission, its
right to make demands, and its patience
already exercised with the Utes. " To-
day." he said, is your last chance we
will wait no longer. We want your
final answer; we want no evasions." A
list of the Utes charged by the agency
women with taking part in the mas
sacre was then read, and the question
put by Hatch: win you surrender
the men whose names are on this paper
to be tried, and if found guilty, pun
ished and if innocent, acquitted ? u
The question was put twice, and after
consultation evasive answers returned
both times. When the question was
repeated the third time, Ouray replied
without consulting the other Utes
"How DO we know that these Indians
you name were at White river at the
time of the massacrep Or even if they
were there we do not knowIthey were
concerned in it. These women men.
tion the names which came first to theiI
lips, whether they knew them to be OF
not; we cannot depend ON what they
say.n "That is what we depend on, ,
said Hatch. Adams then addressed the
Indians. making IL speech of over ar
hours duration saying, among Other
things, that tie commissioners did moi
want to punish Colorow, Jack. and 9th
ers that took part in the Thornburgf
fight, but the cowardly dogs who par
ticipated in the massacre of unarmet
men at the agency closing by saying
1--WE want those Utes and we mean Il
have them.'' The Indians held con
sultation in low tone of voice among
themselves, but did not seem inclined
to reply at all, when Hatch again aros'
and asked if the guilty Indians were t
be surrendered, saying he had made th'
last appeal. No one moved or spok'
for few moments, when Colorov
lighted big pipe, "the pipe of peace.
Each Indian present drew his knit
and laid it on his knees, the question o
peace or war being the one pending
Colorow passed the pipe to the mex
man without smoking, and it wen
around. When the circle was fnishe,
he jumped to his feet, Strengthened u
to his full height, pulled his belt aroun
until his knife sheath was in front
pulled his knife out and threw it wit
force on the floor, quivering and ring
ing. Instantly every Indian presen
dropped hand to belt, and laid his han
on his knife or pistol. The whites di
the same, and the two parties stoo
fronting and defying each other fo
some moments, each waiting for tn
other to make forward move. Their
were but six white men, while ther
were twenty-five Indians in the room
fifteen soldiers in the adjoining room
Finally Ouray spoke: "Wef canno
deliver up to you those Indians unles
they are tried in Washington. The
must not be tried in Colorado; Cole
rado people are all our enemies, and
give them up to be tried in this Stat
would be to surrender them to b
hanged. We will bring those twelv