American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-12-20
The indian Commission at Los Pinos
AN Exciting Scene.

DENVER, Colo, Dec. S.--Specials to
Tie reiiver Tribune from Los pinos. dated
me 9th, represent that Saturday witnessed
some decidedly animated occurrences at the
COMMISSIONER 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 pur=
sue. No Indians. appeared at the, Agency
Until ,Sati,riagl bit Seem IL hare ben eh-
gagged AT Ouray's i'll conducting
THE Widest DANCES
and in making fiery speeches. A man was
sent from the Agency to Ouray's with food
for the horses of the Indians. and discovered
from the noise on the inside that the Indians
wer- rr-ntl- c-cited Those --ho" he .sv-
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
building; Jack, Colorow, u other White
among the Indians present. When the In
dians and Commissioners had taken their
seats, Gen. Hatch addressed the Indians,
setting forth the full demands of the Com
mission, its right to make the demand and
the patience already exercised with the Utes.
"To-day." he said, "ts your last rhDneei
WE WILL WAIT NO LONGER.
We want your final answer, ard we want no
evasions." The list of the Utes charged By
the Agency women with taking part in the
massacre was then read, and the question
put by Hatch, "Will you surrender the men
whose names nre in this paper.. to be tried,
and the guilty punished and the innocent
acquitted." The question was put twice,
and after consultation eyasive an
swers were returned both times. When
the question was repeated a third time,
Ouray replied, without consulting the other
Ute.. "How do we know that these Indian.
you name were at White River ut the time of
the massacre? or; even if they were there, we
do not know they were concerned in it:
These women mentioned the names which
ZANE fret TO their lips, Whether they knew
them to be guilty not. We can not de-
pend on what they say.'' " That is what we
depend on" said Hatch. Adams then adj
dressed the Indians, making aspeech of over
an hours duration, saving, among other
things, that the Commissioners did not want
to punish COlOrow, Jack and others that took
part In the Thornburgh fight, but the coward
ly dogs who participated in the massacre of
ing, awe want those Utes, and we will
have them.b The indians held a consulta-
ton in low tone of voice among themselves,
but did not seem inclined to reply at all.
When Hatch again arose and asked If the
guilty Indians were to be surrendered, saying
he had made his last appeal, no one moved
or spoke for few moments, when Colorow
lighted big pipe-the pipe of peace. Each
Indian present drew his knife and laid it on
his knees.
being the one pending, Colorow passed the
pipe to the next man without smoking, and
It went round, When the circle was finished
he jumped to HIS feet, Strengthened up To his
full height, pulled his belt around until the
knife-sheaih was in front, pulled his knife
out, and threw it with force on the floor,
Quiyering 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 par
ties stood fronting and defying each other for
some moments, each waiting for the other
to make q forward move. There were but
six white men, while there were % Indians
i'm the room; and Is soldiers in an adjoining
room. Finally Ouray spoke: ave can not
deliver up to you these Indians unless they
are tried in Washington; they must not be
tried in Colorado; the Colorado people are
all our enemies, and to give them up to he
tried in this State would be TO surrender
them to be hanged; we will bring those
twelve men here for you to see, and then
whom you decide guilty shall be taken to
Washington, and the President shall deter
mine their guilt or innocence. Douglas will
have to go; we know he was in the White
River trouble, and you shall decide
who else. Upon this condition,
the guilty Indians.'' This was said with
GREAT ARROGANCE AND BoLDNEss.
Ouray said it would take about 4 week to
bring the men in. Hatch told him he ac-
cepted the proposition so far rs bringing tho
participants of the massacre in, but rs far
taking them TO Washington, he had to tee-
graph for permission to Secretary Schurz.
COlorow and Jack Immediately dispatched
to bring in the II named, including Douglas
and Persune, saying they would be back in
five days. After they had taken their de-
partlIre Ouray again spoke, rciterating his
statement that the Utes could not get justice
in Colorado, but could only get it in WASH
ington. "You three (meaning Hatch,
Adams and the legal adviser, Valoi,) are all
my enemies. l am one against three. You
hate me! You are all Colorado or New
Mexico men and Frence devil. I have not
one friend among you. You will not give
me justice, and that is why / want to go to
Washington, where can have at least one
friend"