The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-01-15
A Thrilling Incident OF the Peace
CommigSIOn.

After Jack had declined 10 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 till Satur.
day; but they seem to have been engag-
ed at Ouray's in conducting the widest
dances, and in making fiery speeches.
A man was sent from the agency to
Oursy's with food 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
we're bedecked in feathers and war-paint,
and he was so frightened that he turned
back, and did not deliver The hay.
On Saturday at noon the Utes came
into the agency, and took seats inside
the agency building. Jack, Colorow and
twelve other White River Utes, and, OF
course, Ouray (having been among the
Indians) we're present. When the In
dams and the commissioners had taken
seats, General Hatch addressed the
Indians, setting forth the full demands
Of the commissioners, their right to
make the demands and the patience
already exercised with the Utes. To-
day, he said, SIS your last chance. We
will wait no longer; we want your final
answer, and 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
General Hatch, will you surrender the
men whose names are on this paper to
be tried and, if guilty, punished, if in
nocent acquittedH' The question was
put twice and, after a consultation,
evasive answers were 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 mnssa-
creH or, even if they were there, We do
not know they were concerned in it.
These women mentioned names which
came first to their lips, whether they
knew them to have been present or not;
we can not depend on what they say
THAT is what We depend on said
Gen. Hatch.
Gen. Adams then addressed the In
dians, making a speech of over an hours
duration, saying among other things,
that the commissioners did not want to
punish Colorow, Jack AMI others who
took part in the Thornburgh fight, but
the cowardly dogs who participated in
the massacre OF the unarmed men at the
agency, closing by saying, we want
those Utes, and we will have them
The Indians held O council then in q
low tone of voice among themselves, but
did not g inclined to reply at all,
when Gen. Hatch again rose and asked
il the guilty Indians were to be sur
rendered, saying he had made the last
appeal.
No one moved or spoke for a few mo-
ments, when Colorow lighted abig pipe,
the pipe of peace
Each Indian present drew his knife
and laid it on his knees, tho question Of
peace or war being the one pending
Oolorow then passed the pipe to the
next man without smoking it, and it
went around the circle. When the cir.
Gle was finished, he jumped to his feet,
Strengthened up to his full height, pulled
his belt around until the knife sheat b
was in front, aud snatching the knife
out, threw it quiyering and ringing upon
the floor. 1t was a vote for war;
Instantly every Indian present laid
his hand upon his knife or pie..
toll, the whites following their example.
The two parties stood fronting and defy
ing each other for some moments, each
waiting for the other to make a forward
move. There we're but six white men
in the room, while the Indians num-
bered twenty-five, though there were
fifteen soldiers in an adjoining room.
Finally Ouray spoke: we can not de-
liver up 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 be tried in this state would be to
surrender them to a mob who would
hang them. We will bring those twelve
men here for you to see, and those whom
you decide guilty shall be taken to
Washington and the President shall de-
termine their guilt or innocence -
Douglass 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 twelve men, The chief spoke with
great arrogance and boldness. Ouray
added that it would require about q
week to bring the men in. General
Hatch told him he accepted the propo-
sition as far as bringing the men in was
concerned, but as for taking them to
Washington he would have first to tel
egraph Secretary Schurz to get permits
sion to do SO before he could agree to
take the Indians East.
A Kentucky widow recently planned
q second marriage without taking the
pains to inform her son, a lad Of twelve
years. While the ceremony was in pro-
gress the urchin escaped from the nur-
sery. aId approaching the gentleman