The Washington times., 1901-10-27
UTE INDIANS NOT AT LARGE.
Agent Myton Denies the Allegation
of the Governor of Colorado.

| An important communication relative to
the charges preferred by the Governor OF
Colorado and the game wardens of that
| State against the Ute Indians was re-
ceived yesterday morning by William A.
Jones' Indian Commissioner, from Indian
Agent Myton. who has charge of the Ute
| reservation in Utah.
Several weeks ago Commissioner Jones
received a communication from Governor
| Orman of Colorado, protesting vigorously
| against the action of the Indians who
he alleged had left their reservation and
come within the jurisdiction of the Col
orado authorities. The Indians. he stated,
were engaged in shooting deer contrary
to the law. So far. however. the Indian
! Bureau has taken no action in the mat
ter They claim that like protest from
the Colorado authorities is forthcoming
every year. and that when investigated
it was discovered that the game wardens
themselves have assisted the Indians in
violating the game laws.
| In his letter TO the Indian Commissioner
Agent Myton denies vigorously the
charges preferred against the Ute In
| dians. and says that the tribe under his
jurisdiction is being charged with Iawless
acts committed by Indians from various
other reservations. The letter is dated
Meeker, Colo. October q. and says:
L left the agency October I3 to come
to Colorado on-account of sensational re-
ports being sent to newspapers relative to
my Indians hunting in Colorado.
brought eight policemen with me- / find
very few of my Indians are in this State
Those here, however, have been ordered
home by me. l believe they vii! go. but
shall stay week and make sure of their
IL nrrU
Missouri and Navajo agencies hunt in
this state. and what they do is charged
to my Indians. Finding it impossible to
meet Colorado game warden, | wired
the game conlni ssioner that / would be
in this part Of the country and wanted
either him or one of his deputies to meet
me and tell me where / could find the
Indians that they said were hunting deer
in this State, but | have been all over
the country and cannot find a deputy
game warden. =
Agent sIyton devotes some space in his
letter to telling of the arrest of an In
dian by the name of Eggleston by one of
the game wardens. He says:
The facts in the arrest of Eggleston
and the other Indians are: A deputy game
warden arrested Eggleston. three Indians.
three women, and papoose, charging
them with killing deer unIawfully in
Blanco county. None of the Indians gould
speak English. but nevertheless they were
forced to stand immediate trial without
the aid of an Interpreter. They Were tried
verdict at 10 o'clock at night Of not
guilty. At II o'clock in the morning a
deputy game warden awoiSe the freed In
dtans ana informed them that he was
going TO take them to the agency. When
the party was about ten miles from
Meeker, Col. the Indians discovered that
the warden had lied to them and that he
was taking them to railroad station.
They broke away from the deputies. all
except EgglestOn. who Is an OLD man.
who is now confined in the jail at Glen
cod rifrer slar1s=
tered the property of the Indians II along
the road and much of 1t has been stolen
or destroyed
The Indian agent adds further that suit
should be brought against the warden in
order to make him pay EggiestOn and
the other Indians for the articles stolen
or destroyed. Myton asks the Commits
sioner to request the Department of Jus
tice to order the United States District
Attorney of Colorado to attend TO the case
for the Indians.
In conclusion, Agent Myton SAYS that
the citizens of Meeker. Col. are consider
ably wrought up. over the conduct Of the
game warden OF that State. As yeri-
hcatiOn OF mis- statement, he forwards to
the Commissioner a copy of the petition
signed by number of the leading citi-
zens of Ieeker and its vicinity. which
was sent by them to a justice OF the
peace in that town, asking him not to
grant game wardens warrants for the ar
rest Of Indians recently tried and acquit-
ted.
The action Of the game wardens in the
State of Colorado, says Agent A.3 ton h.
for some time aroused considerable Ill
feeling among the citizens of that State.
From present indications they viii doubt
less bring the matter to the attention
of Secretary Hitchcock. of the Interior
Department. under whose jurisdiction the
Indians and their respective II ryati0ns
come.
Commissioner Jones will probably for
ward Agent Mytons communication to
Secretary Hitchcock Monday together
with all official papers bearing upon the
controversy, in order that the head of the
Interior Department may acquaiut him
self with the condition of affairs that now
exists in that State.