Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-11-05
INDIAN TROUBLE OVER.
INDIANS APPEAR ENTIRELY BLAMELEss.


Dir. Seymour B.Young and Elder A. o.
Woodruff, the latter Of the Council of
Twelve Apostles, returned from vernai
last evening, whore the attended
the quarterly conference of the Lat
ter-day Saints of the Uintah stake. In
conversation with News" man DR..
Young said today concerning the re-
cent killing OF Utah Indians on the
Colorado side of the state line:
During our stay In and near Vernni
We learned something Of the trouble
between the Uintah and Uncompahgrc
Indians and the Colorado officials. We
took pains to make particular inquiry
of the government officials as to the
exact cause Of the killing and present
status of affairs. We Were informed
that the Indians. who are very indig-
nant over the tragic trend of events,
fasten the responsibility upon cow
boys rather than upon the Colorado
game wardens. The killing occurred
while the Indians were encamped in
the game park which they have been
in the habit of visiting every fail to
lay In a supply of deer meat for win
ter consumption. According to the
treaty with the government 1t was
specially agreed that the Indians when
should be permitted each fai!
TO so In search of game
as have already stated. And accord
ing to all we could ascertain the In
dams were, in pursuance of this agree
meut, simply In the park on peace
full hunting expedition and that, too,
with the full consent OF the govern
ment. 1t was while there that i've
white men, cowboys, rode into their
camp and ordered them away. In
the disturbance and excitement that
followed, an Indian squaw became en-
ragged and SELLING gun struck one of
the white men over the head. When
this occurred big Tom" an Indian
brave noted for his pacific tempera-
ment and friendliness towards the
whites, sprang forward and was
bounced upon by two of the cowboys
who. held him while third shot him
dead In the melee that followed, an
other Indian was killed, together, II Is
said, with a papoose. Two squaws We're
also wounded.
inclined to hostility 1t need only be
said that there were close on to one
hundred and fifty of them in camp,
we'll armed. Had there been war
like disposition among them they
would not have found 1t difficult to
dispatch the FIVE aggressive white men.
| The fact that they did not retaiiate
speaks volumes In their favor
After the killing the Indians not
| knowing what would next follow beat
hasty retreat towards the uneom-
| pahgre reservation taking the wounded
squaws back with them. ne of them
| died on the way and when that news
was disseminated they gathered about
and INDUCED In their usual doleful la
| mentutions for the dead, This caused
| great excitement and, 1t Is said, they
went up into the mountains, kindled
| fires and engaged in war dance.
| 1--WE also made careful inquiry from
| Mr. Whitlock. who resides Just south
/ of the Duchesne military post and
/ from Mr.. Caldwell who lives sixteen
| miles west. These men are Mormons
and understand and speak the Indian
| language. They had conversed with the
| Indians regarding the killing and gave
I substantially the same story as re-
| lated at the Post. They did not feel that
| they were in any particular danger as
/ the Indians were friendly with them
/ and with the Mormon people generally,
being satisfied with the treatment they
/ had always received They were as
sured that the only danger lay with the
younged Indians who are more war
] like than the older ones. The people
ut White Rock however, were appre-
hensive and all sought temporary re-
| fuge at the Fort.
at was generally thought that " the
Indians could be prevented from get
ting whisky the trouble would much
mere quickly subside and with this
idea in mind the government Officials
at Fort Duchesne threw a strong MILL
tary guard about the STRIP piece
of neutral ground on which the only
saloon In that section Is located The
precaution was a good one and doubt
less did much toward preventing fur
Their trouble"
Elders Young and Woodruff left the
government agency on Tuesday last
and were assured that all trouble was
over for the present at least and that
travel could be safely resumed.