River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-10-27
WHELPS OF HE'LL.
Characteristic Treachery or the
White River Utes After Getting
Their Money.

Ihefr Money.
Yesterday morning a member of the
commissioners party, which went to
Utah to pay the White River Indians
their money, returned to Denver, and
tells an interesting story of how the
Utes reached The agency, and then
turned their backs upon it.
"About the middle of the month. }"
said he, ''the White Rivers. numbering
about 600, some $50 of whom were
braves, arrived at Uintah, under the
command of Colorow, Fabby and
Wash. They began to show their dis
content at once, and held two pow
vows on the day of their arrival. The
chiefs were not present on the first
day, but on the day following Color W
attended the council. On the day be-
fore the commissioner gave the Indi-
ans their money, while Mr.. Meacham
was at the Thornburgh agency, at the
junction ofthe White and Green rivers,
man named Taylor, an interpreter
who accompanied party of Uncom-
pahgre Indians on their way to Thorn
burgh, brought the startling announce
ment to Uintah that the Indians were
preparing to make raid and massacre
every member of the party. The cause
of this bloody desire ON the part of the
Indians was a rumor set afoat by one
of the petty chiefs of the Uncom-
paghres. This report was to the effect
that the commissioners did not intend
to give them their money; that it had
been promised them merely as blind
to induce them to leave Colorado.
Their antipathy to Colorado men was
strong; they would have nothing to do
with a Colorado man, because they be-
lieved he intended to cheat them.
Taylor, the interpreter, very fortu-
nately learned of the plot in time to
warn the Commissioners, or a massa-
ere would probably have taken place.
Colorow was sent for, ana tC him the
Commissioner denounced the report
that the Indians were to be cheated, as
false, and promised that they should be
paid their money the next day. Colo
row talked to his braves and showed he
had unlimited influence over them by
inducing them to give up their scheme
to raid the camp and wait peaceably
until the next day for their money.
Twelve thousand dollars were divided
among them. The entire amount was
in silver dollars, which had been con-
veyed to Uintah in two kegs. The In
dams knew where this money was con-
cealed, and intended to take possession
of it after they had killed the Commits
sioners. 1t is said that the Indian who
fired the blood of the White Rivers by
the report that they had been fooled
into leaving their own country was one
OF the Uncompahgre chiefs who took
an active part in the Meeker massacre.
He knew what he said was untrue, and
there is no doubt that his only object
was to instigate the White Rivers to
join the Uncompahgres in an uprising.
'The Uncompahgres told Commits
sioner Mears that he was Colorado
man, and they didn't want anything to
do with him, and threatened to scalp
him if he did not at once leave the
Indian country. Mr.. Mears took his
departure, and with an escort of two
men started for Uintah, from which
place he proceeded to Fort Bridger,
where he took the train for Salt Lake.
He returned to the Thornburg agency
with Captain Hawkins and his COM
mand.
"As soon as the Utes had got their
money they began to talk about going
back to Colorado. Forty.eight hours
after Commissioner Meacham had paid
out the $4,000 in silver, there were
only thirty Utes of the 600 in the tribe
remaining at Uintsh. The others were
on their way to their old home on the
White river. They had a good many
objections to the new Utah agency
They said the grazing was not good,
that the hunting was poor, but the
main, though not often expressed, OBJ
lection was that there was heap gold
in Colorado. Utah'no good
Colonel Meacham did all that he
could to induce the Indians to remain
in Utah. But they were sullen and de-
termined. They could not be coaxed
Upon receiving their money some of
the Indians at once began to squander
it. They threw it about with a reck-
lessness born of sudden wealth. Many
of them, however invested their shin
ing dollars in rifles, revolvers and aid
munition. Some of them spent all
their money in Salt Lake City in the
widest frolics that ever an Indian in
dulged in.
'Colorow, the big Chief of the White
Rivers, did not go immediately back to
the White river. He is now hunting
with few of his braves in the White
mountains in Utah. Chief Jack is with
the Indians at the old agency 1T White
river. Commissioners French, Russell
and Mears are now at Thornburgh
agency, which is about forty miles
south of Uintah. Commissioners Meach-
am is now on his way to Washington.
The braves are well armed, and have
had several councils since they were
paid off. 1t is feared that there will be
trouble. "-Denuer Republican,
Sickness a Disgrace