The herald., 1894-11-20
THE MOQUI DIFFICULTY.
CAPTAIN WILLIAMS REPORT ON
THE TROUBLE.
Governor solomal Desires to Adopt tho
Customs sf the Whites but tho
Majority OF the Tribe
Obj ect to 1t.

DENVER, Nov. 20.-Csptain Constant
Williams OF the Seventh infantry has
forwarded to the headquarters OF the
department of Colorado the particulars
of the trouble with the Moqui Indians.
The Moqui Indians are few in number
and dwell in the mountains of Arizona
about $50 miles from Fort Wingate, the
nearest military post. They are peace
full and industrious tribe. but ignorant
of all matters outside their own little
villages. 1t is even said that they be-
lieve they are the Only people in the
world, with the exception of the four
companies of United States cavalry that
appeared on the occasion of their late
outbreak.
Governor Solomal obtained some pro.
gressive ideas from visit to Washing
ton with two other Moquis about 10
years ago. On his return he described
the immense number of people, the rail-
roads and gigantic buildings he had
seen. The Indians thinking he was
crazy placed him in confinement for
some time. solomal nas never aban-
doned his desire for reform, and has
katu0I6Q hOOut llA lOllO WOIo VIM W LIZ
prise about one-third OF the Moquis.
Captain Williams, to ascertain the cause
of the disturbance, visited the villages,
and found that it arose from second
attempt OF Solomal to adopt the customs
of the pslefaces.
A meeting OF the two factions was held
in the square of the village. and the
chiefs of the contending factions stated
thoir Snlnpn al uoid hn
wanted his children to go to school and
be brought up as the white children are
When ne and the others had done, the
hostiles had raised objections. had
seized some OF their corn fields and
threatened to seize others. They had
even gone so far as to threaten to expel
them from the town. So Solomal had
asked for the cavalry to be sent.
The hostiles numbered about two
thirds OF the tribe, and they were led 10y
one Lomahungyoma. They were op-
posed to progress of any kind and want.
ed to follow in the stepe of their fore.
fathers. After Solomal had finished mis-
speech their chief rose to reply. He
su bstantially admitted the truth OF Sol
omai's statements, saying that his fol-
lowers did not want to be civilized, nor
have their children 60 to school or
to wear white mans clothing or to eat
white mans goods. They had seized
the fields at Moencopee because they had
belonged to them in former years and
had been unlawfully taken away. In
the spring he intended to take away
more of the fields of the followers of
Solomsl. He also said the difficulty
could be settled in no other way than by
the coming of United States troops.
Therefore Captain Williams said he
had deemed it necessary to ask for two
troops of the United States cavalry to
be sent there. 1t is believed that the
trouble will be over in few days. but
it will take some time for the news to
arrive, as the Indians are at q consider
able distance from any town.
Army officers say that they are the
most religious people in the world, hon
orable and upright in all their dealings.
They speak a language of their own, but
each separate village has dialect
which they alone understand.