Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-04-05
HE TANNED THE BULLY
UNCLE SAM tIOYT'S EXPERIENCE WITH
A BAD UTE CHIEF.
Two Exciting Adventures In which
the Thicving Redskin WAS beaten
ana which Iind the Eject Of Maxi
Ing Him Respect one WHITE Man.


"In 1861, after the war was over"
said Uncle Sam Uoyt, II went out to
what is now known rs Colorado to en-
gage in mining. There were a good
many Indians out there then, mostly
Ules and branches of the Utcs. Ourny
was the head of the nation. and he was
one Of the best Indians that ever lived.
When Ouray died. he was succeeded by
IA terror named Colorado. He was n
Ute too. They named the state Of Colo
RADIO after him when it was admitted to
the Union.
"Colorado bad not killed 50 many white
people ~ II good many Indians. but he
was vicious old fellow just the same.
Every one was afraid Of him. fle was
the greatest thief that ! ever knew, even
among Indians. He was bully too.
Colorado would come up to man and
ask him for his plug of tobacco. When
it was given to him, he would probably
cut off enough for a ppeful or chew
and give it to the man and keep the rest
for himself. Horses. provisions. mining
implements fact, everything that was
in the outfit of the early pioneers was
levied on by he thicving old Ute.
81 had been warned against him when
] went ont there and with n partner To-
Gated in n gulch near Lcadvilc but as
knew Indian nature pretty well | didn't
scare. We had been working about two
weeks when one day. shortly after noon
Colorado and a band of seven or eight
ties came over the mountain pass. We
had pretty fair stock If grub and most
of it was laying out in The open, covered
up with an old tarpaulin The Indians
came up to where We were. with Colo
RADIO M their head. The Ute chief con
sidcred me an intruder, and | knew that
he was hunting for trouble. ! was ready
for him, though, when he came. The
whole gang stood around and looked at
US for a moment. Then Colorado stepped
forward.
"'Got biscuit" he asked as he looked
az mo out of his Squinty little black eyes.
Me want biscuit Must have biscuit
Ives. | have biscuit, | answered as l
pulled up the dap of the tarpaulin and
showed him half a dozen that had been
newly baked.
Ugh! Ne want biscuit Must have
biscuit, grunted Colorado as he stepped
forward to collar The whole batch.
81 gave him SHOVE and stood between
him and his prey.
"'No; you can't have biscuit. I've got
plenty of biscuit but | won't give Colo
TuNb one. NOiOIdup - IL lIl"l.
"Thc Indian stepped back and looked
at me. He had blood in his eye, for L
was humiliuting him before the other
bucks.
"'Wiil have biscuit he exclaimed as
he lurchcd forward again. XII white
man If no give biscuit
AT the same time he made reach for
his gun, which he had laid down on the
ground. pulled out my SIX shooter and
held it right in his face. The Indian then
looked al me for moment in aStOnish
ment. | 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 gUttura chuckle. Colorado
only joke. Heap friend of white man
II saw that had him guessing for a
minute but l knew that he was only
waiting for chance to kill me. AS he
turned away | saw the hoof of II deer
sticking out from behind his blanket. I
stepped forward took hold of it and gave
it an awful yHnk. | pulled down one Of
the finest launches of vcnson you ever
saw. Colorado vas SO astonishcd that he
did not have sense enough to even speak.
'NeniSon.' | cried. want veuison.
Must have venison.
laugh. least Of all at their superors, but
l saw an irrcpressible smile on the lips
of the bucks who composed the rest of
the party They did not laugh outright,
for if they had Inundated Colorado by
making him ridiculous he would have had
all their scalps within week.
"Colorado. however, saw that the joke
was on him, and he told me to take all
tho vcui.on wanted. | 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 | gave them
some biscuits. hut | let them know they
could gain nothing in the future by try
ing to run over me.
shortly after that, perhaps two weeks
later, | was ont prospecting. | was GO
ing along II narrow ledge that overlook
cd a prccipcc 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 prccpice while the other
went by.
II just got about half way across the
ledge when ] saw party of (tcs, head
cd by Colorado. coming in the opposite
direction. | made up IVY mind that /
Nolllu Uhl pass Oh inc ON sue lbl 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, | answered as l
pointed over against the wall of the cliff.
"Colorado grew ugly in minute and
drew his knife whipped out my old
Colt and aimed it Mt his head.
"'You stand thcre' | said ms I point
ed to the outside. All your men must
stand there and let me pass on inside
He did MS | told him. and the rest
followed suit | went on home without
having any trouble with them.
after that Colorado seemed thorough
ly suhduod. He knew that | was not
afraid of him. and he knew that | would
tell him the truth. He treated other men
, as mean rs over, but several times he did
mo favors that he would not have done
for n brother Indian, and always laid
If to the fact that had treated him in
the proper manner the first time | had
any dealings with him" Wa shington
Post.