Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1880-09-23
HOW OURAY DIED.
Particulars OF the Great Chiefs Last
Illness.

Particulars Of the Great Chiefs Las
Illness.
Anlmas City Southwest.
Ouray, Chief of the confederated Utt
nation, died at the Southern Ute Agency
on Pine river, twenty-one miles from
Animas City, at II o'clock a. m, last
Tuesday from Bright's disease of the
kidneys.
Ouray came down from the Los Pinos
agency to influence the Southern Utes
if possible, and to induce them to sign
the pending treaty. His arrival at the
agency was unheralded and even un.
known for several hours, until Mr.. Will
Burns, one of the interpreters, accident
ally obtained the information nom an
Indian. Mr.. Burns Immediately start
ed in quest of Ouray's tepee, and after
few minutes search discovered it a
few hundred yards north Of the agency
buildings. Entering the tepee Mr..
Burns found Ouray lying upon some
blankets and dressed in the usual Indian
costume of breech-clOut and leggings.
Noticing that Ouray seemed to rest
uneasy, as if suffering from some NAL
ady, Mr.. Burns made inquiries, Ouray
replying that he was sick, and had been
feeling unwell since leaving the Uncom-
pahgre agency. Mr.. Burns then asked
him if he wished n doctor, hut received
no reply. Mr. Burns however, went to
the agency and reported the facts to
Col. Page, the agent, who, in company
with DR.. Smith the agency physician
paid visit to Ouray, who seemed to be
growing rapidly worse. Upon consulta-
tion, it was decided to send for Dr.
IIopson, of Animas City, courier be-
ing Immediately dispatched for that pur-
pose. DR.. HOpson paid two visits to the
sick man, the last one being on Sunday,
22d. Sunday morning DR.. Lacy, of the
UncOmpahgre agency, arrived. While
Drs. Smith, Hopson and Lacy were try
ing to alleviate Ouray's distress, his
medicine men were holding incantations
and pounding his abdomen with their
fists, alternating this heroic treatment
by bucking his breast with their heads.
From Saturday until Tuesday, when he
died, Ouray fingered ina comatose state,
from which he was aroused only at in
tervals. Late Tuesday evening it became
evident that Ouray could not live many
hours, and DR.. IIopson left for
Animas City. Tuesday morning wore
along, and Ouray still lived, but in
dying condition. Seven o'clock came
and an Indian came to the agency build
ing and asked for DR.. Lacy, who accom-
panied him back toward Ouray's tepee
When nearly there, another Indian step
ped from the tepee and silently motion
ed them back with his hand. Ouray was
dead. At this time nearly a thousand
Indians were camped in the vicinity
Within ten minutes every tepee was
down, and the Indians had moved their
camps more than mile away such was
their superstition in regard to the place
Of death.
No sooner had Ouray died than his
attendants sewed the body in a buffa-
10 robe, slung il across the saddle ami
NAL he usually rode, and the cavalcade
of death started for the place Of burial.
Only a few Indians were in the pro-
cession, and those Uncompahgres. None
of the Indian commission or agency
employees were allowed to be present, |
and what took place at the burial re-
mains unknown, as the body was Ia
ken across the hills in a sOutherlv di- |
rection for several miles. The body |
may have been buried beneath a pile Of |
stones or hung up to sway in tree,
either custom being in vogue among
the UteS. Five horses were killed that
he might ride to the happy hunting
grounds Of his fathers.
Every attention possible was paid to
Ouray during his sickness and every eff
fort made to save his life. but Of no
avail. Ouray left the Uncompahgre
agency on the l4th and arrived al the
southern Uteagency on the 18th of Au-
gust lie was accompanied by Chipeta,
his sQuaw. Ouray was about forty
seven years old at the time of his death.
None Of the Southern Utes visited Ou- |
ray during his sickness, and after his
leath they kept aloof. The Southern ;
rteS have always derided Ourays title I
rs head chief, and scoffed at his preten- 1
led dominion. II was stroke Of i'll {
ldyised policy which brought Ouray (
lown to the Southern Ute agency at an {
moment. Strange ~ ii may d
cem, the death of this Indian was 4
fastened by the exposure of the trip, al /
hough a yirulent and incurahle dis {
use was slowly, but surely, extinguish- !
ng the vital spark. {
Ouray tried To pattern after the man |
lerS and customs of the whites and q
his assimilation was the primary cause |
VI his death. Rich food an eXhilarating I
were too much for him. {
At his home near the UnCompahgre I
Igency, he lived in an adobe house ,
ichly carpeted and furnished, including
| piano. Mexican servants answered ,
he tinkling of a silver bell, and horses .
md carriages were at his command. !,
lie dispensed hospitality in a princely !
way, and was generous even to prodi- :,
,ality. He had all the instincts of an a
ndian, but followed the customs of i
he whites. In standing upon the verge
# civilization and reckoning to his &,
barbarism, he produced and !
PRESENTED striking and unique figure. :
lie was the hope of the humanitarians, =
nd his death left them only the =
reechclout and paint. n
Iorn of Arapahoe and Ute parents, his :
was the gift of the govern a
lent, and not the birth-right by sue n n
eSsion. n
A Romantic Adventure. q
ew York Special Dispatch Il
Recently Miss Lillian Lawrence, of d
> - = = n = = r. l.,