The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-03
GEN. LAwTON AND THE INDIANS.
His Practical Friendship and Good
Management of the Ute Trouble.

Management of the Ute Trouble.
| Washington Letter in New York Post
While the white people in this country
are mourning the death of Gen. Lawton,
there Will also be sorrow among some of
| the Indians of the Far West to whom he
was known not only as a brave enemy in
war, but as a just and considerate friend
in time of peace About Inc last incident
of Importance in Iawton's relations with
the Indians was connected with the So
called ute invasion" of Utah. late in 1894.
The Eastern press was then peppered with
dispatches. some from Colorado, where
! the Southern Utes had their reservat ion,
and where the people were most anxious
! to get rid of them, insisting that Chief Ig-
nacio and his band should be left in Utah
for the winter, as a means Of appeasing
| their i'll will toward the Colorado whites
and others from Utah representing the
] Indians as bent -on a bloody errand, and
/ sure soon to open a new race war. Gov
| West of Titan was in a particularly des-
perate state of mind Although "a pro,
Tossing Gentle he joined with the rural
Mormons of the neighborhood where the
! Indians were camped, in representing con-
ditions IS very serious, and in asserting
the need of using che military power to
| avert the shedding of innocent blood.
SECRETARY Hoke Smith had a good deal OF
| confidence in the agent for the Southern
Utes David F. Day, and as Day reported
TO him t.lat the Indians had taken with
| them their women and children, and,
therefore could not be bent on warlike
| errand. he declined to call upon the Sec
rotary of War for the troops which the
Mormons considered a necessity. He did
confer with his colleague, however, in an
informal way, the result of their confer
ences being that Lawton. then lieuten-
ont colonel, was detailed to inspector $
duty. and ordered to confer with Day
and report what military action was need
ed When Lawton and Day came together
il was the meeting of two of kind as
to policy in dealing with Indians. Day
said: II am ready to stake my life on
the peaceful purposes of my Indians
| They have no idea of going TO war. and
| those Mormons know it. All the Mormons
are aiming al is to induce the government
to send troops into Utah, so that the
| farmers can turn in handsome bills to the
! government for food provided and prop
! erty destroyed Why shouldn't you and |
go over there and bring the Indians back?
| That will save time and trouble for every
hody and expense TO the government.
| Iawton assented and as soon as the
necessary preliminaries could be arrang-
ed the two men set off on horseback, with
| some pack mules carrying a camp equip
| age and rations for the trip. They were
soon on the trail, and a few days riding
| brought them to the place where the In
dians were encamped. pow-wow was
called and Day and Lawton presented to
| the Indians sensible view of the situa'
! ton telling them that they were trans
| crossing the law, in a technical sense AZ
least in going over to Utah without per-
mission. and that the Great Father
! H. II nil
went back. The Indians explained that
! they were hungry. and had come to Utah,
! not 10 commit any depredations on life
or property, but to hunt game. They re-
! minded the white emissaries, also, that
| Congress had once feld out to them a
promise which had never been fulfilled.
| that they should be removed to Utah as
a permanent place of residence where
| they could hunt without molestation. Dav
and Lhwton told them that they had no
| responsibility in connection with the acts
| Of Congress, but had come simply with
the message from the Great Father
which they had just delivered, and they
| advised the Indians, as the part of friend
| ship, to turn peaceably about and go back.
The Indians reluctantly obeyed although
the journey across the bleak mountains
| with the impediment of tfle women and
children caused them much suffering, and
| loss Of quantity OF their live stock
| Day and Lawton had brought rations
enough with them to help out in the emer-
gency and few weeks later Ignacio and
his band were once more on their Colora-
do reservation, without che firing Of a gun
or more than the most trlhing expense &c
| the government.
The Mormons. naturally were much dis.
turbed i'm mind over the peaceful endina
of the affair. from which they had ex-
pected to derive great profit; but this did
! not prevent some of them from handina
in extortionate bills for imaginary goods
and chattels destroyed by the Indians
which Agent Day had the satisfaction oil
indorsing N. g." when they were re.
serred 20 him from Washington