Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-06-23
HE ! "A / THEBULLY
UNCLE SAM HoYT,sE xPERIENcEwlTH
A BAD UTE CHIEF.

the ThievinE Rcdskin Was Beaten
and Which Had the Effect of Max
ing Him Respect One White Man.
"In 1867, after the war was over"
said Uncle Sam Hoyt, II went out to
what is now known as Colorado to en-
gage in mining. There were n good
many Indians out there then, mostly
Ures and branches of the Utcs. Ouray
was the head Of the nation, and liz was
one of the best Indians that ever lived.
When Ouray died, he was succeeded by
a terror named Colorado. He was a
Ute too. They named the state of Colo
RADIO after him when it was admitted to
the Union.
Colorado had not killed so many white
people rs a good many Indians, but he
was a vicious old fellow just the same.
Every one was afraid of him. He was
the greatest thief that I ever knew, even
among Indians. He was a bully too.
Colorado would come up to a man and
ask him for his plug of tobacco. When
it was given to him, he would probably
cut off enough for a pipcful or a chew
and give it to the man and keep the rest
for himself. Horses, provisions, mining
implements-in fact, everything that was
in the outfit Of the early pioneers was
levied on by the thieving old Ute.
II had been warned against him when
l went out there and with a partner To-
Gated in a gulch neal Leadville, but as l
knew Indian nature pretty we'll l didn't
scare. We had been working about two
weeks when one day, shortly after noon,
Colorado and a band Of seven or eight
Utes came over the mountain pass. We
had a pretty fair stock of grub, and most
Of it was laying out in the open, covered
up with an old t%arpaulin. The Indians
came up to where We were, with Colo
RADIO Mt their head. The Ute chief con-
sidered mi IN intruder, and l knew that
he was hunting for trouble. I was ready
for him, though, when he came. The
whole gang stood around and looked at
us for a moment. Then Colorado stepped
forward.
Scot biscuit? he asked MS he looked
at me out of his squinty little black eyes.
Me want biscuit. Must have biscuit
eyes, I have biscuit I answered as I
pulled up the flap of the t%arpaulin and
showed him half a dozen that had been
newly baked.
"1Ugh! Me want biscuit. Must have
biscuit grunted Colorado as he stepped
forward to collar the whole batch.
II gave him a shove and stood between
him and his prey.
"rNo; you can't have biscuit. I've got
plenty Of biscuit, but I won't give Colo
RADIO one. Colorado is a thief
1.-The Indian stepped back and looked
at me. He had blood in his eye, for I
was humiliating him before the other
bucks.
"'Will have biscuit!' he exclaimed as
he lurcled forward again. Kill white
man if no give biscuit
Eat the same time he made a reach for
his gun which he had laid down on the
ground. I pulled out my six shooter and
held it right in his face. The Indian then
looked ut me for a moment in astonish-
ment. l told him to lay down his gun,
and he did it. Then he commenced to
laugh.
colorado no want biscuit he said as
he gave a cultural chuckle. Colorado
only joke. Heap friend Of white man.
II saw that l had him guessing for q
minute, but l knew that be was only
waiting for q chance to kill me. AS he
turned away I saw the hoof Of a deer
sticking out from behind his blanket. !
stepped forward, took hold Of it and gave
it an awful yunk. I pulled down one of
the finest launches Of vcnison you ever
| saw. Colorado was so %astonishcd that he
did not have sense enough to even speak.
"'Venison!' I cried. 4 want venison.
Must have venison.'
Indians, as a rule, are not inclined to
laugh, least Of all at their s%uperiors, but
l saw an irrepressible smile on the lips
Of the bucks who composed the rest of
the party. They did not laugh outright,
for if they had humiliated Colorado by
making him ridiculous he would have had
all their scalps within Il week.
Colorado, however, saw that the joke
was on him, and he told me to take all
| the venison I wanted. 1 did SO, for we
had not had any fresh meat since we had
been up in the mountains. Colorado and
the rest of the crowd left shortly after,
and when they went away l a them
some biscuits, but I let them know they
could gain nothing in the future by try
ing to run over me.
"ShOrtly after that, perhaps two weeks
later, I was out prospecting. I was 60
ing along n narrow ledge that overlook
ed Il precipice with a sheer fall Of GOO
feet. 1t was the only trail over the noun
tain. When people wanted to pass one
another, one had to lean up against the
wall of the precipice while the other
went by.
II just got about half way across the
ledge when I saw u party Of Utes, head
ed by Colorado, coming in the opposite
direction. I made up M mind that
would not pass on the outside, for I was
afraid that Colorado would revenge him.
self for his last humiliation by throwing
me into the canyon. When they came up
to ME, Colorado called out.
"'Stand here,' he said as he pointed to
the place on the outside.
"'You stand there I answered as !
pointed owe against the wall of the cliff.
Colorado grew ugly in a minute and
drew his knife. I whipped out my old
Colt and aimed it ut his head.
"'You stand there I said as I point
ed to the outside. All your men must
stand there and let me pass on inside
HE did as I told him, and the rest
followed suit. I went on home without
having any trouble with them.
"After that Colorado seemed thorough
~ subdued. He knew that I was not