Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-11-02
UTEs GLAD no SEE JOHNSON
Indtans Greet Him Cordially ana
Promise No Trouble.

Indians Greet Him Cordially and
Promise No Trouble.
Captain Carter P, Johnson Of the Second
United States cavalry, who was sent to
Thunder Butte. the camp OF the runaway
Utes. has submitted his report to local
army headquarters. Captain johnson re-
ports the situation at the mouth OF Thun.
der Butte creek as quiet The attitude OF
the Utes is peaceful and they were glad
to see him. Captain johnson says he ex-
poets to be able to adjust all the differ-
ences Of the Indians amicably. He had
talk with the Utes IN council and they
told him their grievances. They were given
to understand by the agent at Thunder
Butte that their rations were to be cut in
half, which would be particularly distress
Ing to their women and children. They
also understood from Agent Downs that
they must send their children eighty miles
to school at Gettysburg and by a vote of
the council the Utes refused to do so. They
will agree to send their children to school
at the subagency at Thunder Butte
johnson Explains Error.
Captain johnson explained to them their
error In refusing to obey the orders of
Agent Downs who had exclusive charge
over them. The Ute council afterwards
agreed to abide by the same regulations
that governed the Sioux indians in such
matters. Agent Downs is acting as agent
for both the Sioux and Utes in that
vicinity.
II seems Agent Downs is not satisfied
with the promises of the Indians and urges
harsh treatment be administered to them.
In this proposition Captain johnson dis
agrees with him, and he thinks that at the
present status of affairs harsh or severe
measures would not be good policy.
Captain johnson met party or Utes on
bis way to Thunder Butte. The party was
unarmed and was glad to see him.
Major Sibley and his command Of the
Second cavalry had not yet arrived at
Thunder Butte when Captain johnson sent
in his report
From the best information at hand the
situation is simply this, according to Cap
tain Johnson
The Utes are required to subsist upon
what revenues they may obtain from their
holdings and allOtments in Utah, which
they imprudently abandoned a year ago
Being allotment Indians they are not ae-
corded annuities and their only maintenance
Is derived from what they cantreaiize from
the lease and rental OF their Utah holdings
Unable 20 Make Ends Meet.
These revenues are meager. and with the
usual improvidence OF the Ttdian character
they are unable to make ends meet. They
realize that winter is coming on ana that
they are up against it hard. They have
large number OF ponies among them, as
ponies are the basis OF the Indians esti-
mate OF wealth and prosperity. but they
have discovered that they are poor asset
at this late day
The matter is up TO the Indian depart
ment and it's solution is one Of the inter-
esting problems OF the immediate future.
as something drastic viii have to be done
before the snow tiies. All the army has
TO do in the premises is to watch ana
wait The Indians will not be fed by
the army, as there is no appropriation for
the purpose, and. In any event, the army
can do nothing until the Indians are
formally declared as conditional prisoners
OF war, as the Utes were at Fort Meade
last winter.