Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-01-10
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LANCASTER, PA, January 10, 1880
wronus of the Irtes.

There are signs OF troupie petWcch VIC
white savages of Colorado and the Ute
Indians. 1t will I've remembered that
in 1857 the country was startled with
dire reports of an outbreak of the lte
Indians, and after being treated to wild
tales Of massacres of defenseless settlers
by fiendish redskins, the shameful truth
nppeared that the outbreak was one OF
white horse thieves and gamblers
against peaceable and law abiding ln-
dians. and the only massacre was by
body of Colorado militia. The facts OF
that episode of border history are briefly
recited in the current number OF the
Forum, and it is added that the Indians
have never been paid fer the horses and
sheep then stolen from them and prop
erty destroyed Gen. Crook, Indian Com
missioner Atkins, Secretary Lamar ana
Indian Agent Byrnes all urged the pay.
ment Of these just claims, and yet moth
ing has been done by wealthy Uncle
Sam to right the financial part of the
wrong done to the Utes. Old Chief
Colorow IS dead, and 1t would not be
strange If, brooding upon their wrongs,
the younger braves are less careful to
give their savage white enemies chance
to pick quarrel. The motives that
urge the border dcsperadoes are plain
enough. Not only may Indian live
stock be seized, but at the first sign OF
trouble bounties might be gained for
Indian scalps. In 1856 several counties
offered over two hundred dollars apiece
for Indian scalps. Then an Indian war
brings troops and troops bring money to
pay for supplies and various services.
1t is also shrewdly noted that Indian
wars usually mean more land thrown
open to the claims and speculations of
of the whites. In justice to the scalp
hunting counties 1t should be said that
the people had horrible memories OF
savage warfare that were not calculated
to develop merciful sentiments towards
old Colorow and his band. The oflense
now charged against the utes Is the
same that found the excuse for the dis
graceful attack upon them in 1886. They
arc said to he hunting In the state of Colo
RADIO, privilege allowed them at certain
!, seasons by United States law; although
the state has announced that If any Ute
lian crosses the state line, he viii be
shot ut sight. In 1857 the Indians sold
a score of ponies TO two well known
gamblers two of these ponies We're
claimed by white man who said they
had been stolen from him. The Indians
denied this, but gave the gamblers two
more horses. 1t was on the charge of
the theft of these returned ponies that
Sheriff Kendall, three months later,
attacked the Indians with force OF
Colorado militia. Meanwhile a game
warden went to their hunting camps
and watched for violations of the state
game laws. He secured warrants for q
dozenIndians and returned with astronn
posse, but instead of explaining his
errand and arresting his men, provoked
the Utes by seizing the little son of {
chief. The father interfered and wa
shot, and the Indians fed into thu
bush. The posse then attacked anothel
camp, from which all the braves wer'
absent. They insulted and drove out th'
women and children, and burned anc
destroyed everything. Colorow aske'
for an explanation and was ordered t
leave within fifteen days. While ol
full retreat, seven days later, he wa
overtaken by Sheriff Kendall and tn
force of state militia, and asked to wal
until the next morning. The mex
morning while at breakfast the Indian
were suddenly fired upon by the white
who had stealthily crept towards them
Chief Achee ran towards the line G
Colorado riaemen, imploring them no
to shoot until the women and childre
could be removed. He was shot. Ther
were only twenty-five fighting men 4
this body Of Indians, aud the whites
numbering one hundred aud eighty
fired on them for three hours, and the
seized their herd Of three hundre
ponies. That night Colorow was joine
by a hundred and fifty superbly arme
and mounted braves, eager for revenge
and Agent Byrnes with difficulty pc
suaded them to retire on the promis
that efforts would he made to secure th
ponies for them. a more potent argl
nent probably was the rapid approach
Of a small force of United States troop
Not only has no one been hung Il
those atrocities, but the first step hf
yet to be taken towards fulfilling th
promise Of Byrnes in cash or pone,
Instead We have the governor of Cole
RADIO proclaiming the rumor that In
dians are hunting in his mountains.