The state herald., 1897-11-05
STORY OF THE FIGHT.
SEVERAL INDIANS WERE KILLED
Uintah Utes Now Turning Their Attention
to burning Houses -RRnchmen and
Cowboys Gathering to Give Battle to
tho Redskins.

Republican gives further information
about the fight between Indians and
game wardens, as follows:
Charley Mccormick arrived here this
evening with letter from Game War
den Wilcox to the Pilot. 1t was as fol
lows:
Vaughn's Ranch, Routt County, Oct.
25.-Yesterday myself and ten deputies
attempted to arrest Il party of utes who
We're loading eight ponies with deer
hides to send back to the reservation.
Worked with them four hours but as
soon as we would put them on horse
they would slide Off. Finally l ordered
lariat ropes brought, and was going to
tie them to horses. Al Shaw grabbed an
Indian and he picked up Il gun and
fired at Shaw. One of my deputies
threw aside the muZZle of the gun and
the butt hit n squaw in the leg. The
Indian then knocked Shaw down. AT
this time several other Indians opened
fire and the fight began. AT It's CON
cIrislon all of the bucks were either
dead or crippled. Three and possibly
five were dead on the ground. The 9th
ers were wounded. All settlers are
gathering into this place for protection.
w. II. WILCOX.
Your correspondent Interviewed the
courier, Mccormick, and elected the fol-
lowing facts: Last Thursday Warden
Wilcox and Mccormick went to the
lower end of the county to look after
Indian hide hunters. At Maybell post
office they heard that n party of abont
forty Indians were cncamped few
miles below killing game. The next day
Wilcox and Mccormick rode over 10
that section and found about 100 In
dians nj different camps hunting. They
found stacks of green hides and saw
carcasses of deer purifying in the hills
Mr.. Wilcox demonstrated with thcm
but they laughed at him. Recognizing
the futillty of attempting anything
alone, Wilcox rode back 10 Thompson's
ranch and dispatched a courier to Craig
for assistance. Nine men responded,
They were Jack White, Tom Arm
strong. Ad Brotherton, Al Shaw, Henry
Templeton. T.. B. Thompson. Amcs Ben
nett, J. T. Overholt and II man whose
name could not he learned.
With this assistance on Sunday morn
ing Wilcox. with his little band. rode
toward the camp OF Star. II Iintah sub
chief appeared to he in charge of the
party. About forty bucks and as many
Squaws were in this camp. Templcton
and Thompson. two ranchmcn who
We're acquainted with Star. went ahead
to talk to him. and the balance of the
party remained behind. The ranchmen
soon returned with the information
that nothing could be done: that the
Utes were ugly. and insisted that the
game was theirs and they would kill
all they wanted. Then Warden Wilcox.
who does not know what fear means.
rode at the head Of his little party di-
rect into the Indian camp They found
part of the bucks out hunting. and
about dozen men and large number
of women and children in camp. Star
was called for. and to him Warden
Wilcox attempted to reason. lie told
him that he had been appointed TO en-
force the game law. That he had made
white men obey the law. and now he
would enforce il against the Indians:
peaceably. If possible, but he intended
10 enforce IL.
star told him 10 'go to =" that the
game belonged 10 the Indians. and they
would kill all they wanted. All around
the camp Were green deer hides. many
or them being does and fawns. VIII
cox's instructions Were TO take offend
them fined and remanded to Jail. Then
II was proposed the agent would pay
the fine and deduct II 'frdni the red
mems annuities. He ordered some of
the deputies TO bring up the indiana
horses. and told them they must go
with him. Then The struggle began. lie
first dlsarmed them and searched the
camp for more weapons. hut none were
found. Then he would force an Indian
10 mount. but while looking for anoth
or the first one would slide or his horse
This farce was kept up n long time. 1t
was 10 o'clock when the party Of white
men rode into the camp. II was .
o'clock when Wilcox became tired Of
the farce and ordered ropes brought
This set the Indians crazy. Star rushed
toward Wilcox to strike him with n
stick. While holding him AZ bay an.
other Indian got behind Wilcox with n
knife, and attempted 10 stab him. Al
shaw saw the movement aDd rushing
In, grabbed the Indian round the waist
and whirled him To one side.
Just then n suuaw rushed up and
took Ballard rifle from under her
blanket and gave II TO the Indian. lie
stepped back, cooked the gun and fired
~ Shaw's head from distance of
eight feet, Another deputy. whose
name Is unknown. struck the gun ns II
was fired and the ball Just missed
Shaw's head and struck II squnw. Al
the report of the gun the squaws
rushed ont with rifles. from where oh
tnned no one knows. and the lndian ns
opened fire NJ short range. Seeing he
had missed Shaw the Indian brought
his gun down with all force on the
formers head. Shaw dropped Ike Il
log. ana all thought he was dead.
Jumping on Shaw's PROSTATE body
the Indian drew q long knife and
raised his arm for blow. Al that mo.
mcnt the whole upper portion 0f his
head wns blown on 10y n bullet NJ close
range from the rifle of the deputy.
whose name * unknown. by this ilmp
the lighting was general, Even the
spunws were armed and opened n gen.
crnl flrr. The battle was quick and
sharp. The white men Were cowboys
aud ranchmen. trained from childhood
To the Use of firearms.
The fusilade lasted ten minutes and
when the smoke NJ the battle had
cleared away not an Indian hut was
killed or wounded. or the white men
not one was hurt, although there were
many narrow escapes. Five Indiana
were dead on the ground and all the
others wounded. Star was one Of tho
latter II IN the opinion Of the deputies
that he had received q mortal wound.
No sprnw was hurt with the cxccp.
tlon OF the one wounded bv the In.
dlnn's bullet before mentioned.
The deputies withdrew 10 secure re-.
Inducements. They went 10 Thomp.
sons rnncl. nnd inklng that family.
moved on nye miles 10 The Vaughn
ranch. where coirlcrs wen" sent nui
for rcinforremnnis. Wilcox then
called for volunteers to 20 Ia tho
ranch of two Isolated settlers. both NJ
whose wives were sick. A man whn
A,u. L.IlllalnnDLl Ill. Anu..l... .--...--I-