The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-18
Indian Lad Pleads Not Guilty in
Sheep Herder Murder.
U. S. DEFENDER; PROSECUTOR
Indian Bureau Fights for Inter
eStS of Its Ward.
Slender Youth to Face I'm
friendly Utes.

Denver. Colo, June 18.-Tse-Ne-
Cat, a slender Indian youth of II
has pleaded not guilty in the
federal district court to the charge of
numbering Juan Chacon, Mexican
sheep herder, year ago, in south
western Colorado. Trial was set for
July 6.
1t was the charge of murder against
Tse-Ne-Gat that sent a marshaPs
posse to Bluff, Utah, to arrest Tse-Ne-
Cat. who. surrounded by renegade
Piutes, led by Old Polk, his father, re-
fused to submit to arrest and engaged
in a running fight for several weeks
last winter-a fight ended by surren-
der to General Hugh L. Scott, chief of
staff of the United States army
Tse-Ne-Gat, who has been a federal
prisoner in a local hospital under
treatment for advanced tuberculosis.
inquired eagerly today for John
Scott" otherwise General Scott, who,
he believes, will aid him in his trial
Utes Against Youth.
Picturesque Ute indians are wit
neSseS against TSe-Ne-Gat.
Uncle Sam is both prosecutor and
defender of this typical child of the
Wilderness" AS a ward of the gov
eminent it is the duty of the Indian
bureau to look after his interests In
keeping with the promise of fair treat
ment made to the Piutes by Brigadier
General Hugh l.. Scott, who single
handedly settled the Piute uprising,
there was a distinct feeling around
the federal building today that Use
Ne-Gat, or TSe-Quit, ultimately will be
freed. The Indian entered court clad
in overalls, an old shirt, with In
dian blanket wrapped around his body
below the waist.
When the time comes for TSe-Ne-
Cat to testify in his own defense, he
will mount the witness stand and
probably say:
Juan Chacon. Mexicano. he my
friend MaybesO he dead-me not
know. Me get from him cigarette.
Me no kill my friend
Tse-Ne-Gats English is very limit
ed. He neither understands the Ian
guage well nor can he speak it. An
Indian interpreter from the Ute tribe
probably will be called upon to aid
the authorities.
But there is one word Tse-Ne-Gat
understands. 1t is friend" The way
he says, Me no kill my friend and
eral Scott as my FRIEND" puts new
life into the word.
His Story of Uprising.
His description of the uprising is
as follows:
Cowboys come. Indian heap 'fraid.
Cowboys shoot tent, break him down,
kill Indian man. We run way. Cow
boys come again, we run more. No
horse-we run and walk. Indian
man, squaw walk. Kids, he walk, too.
NIO Tar MOUNTAINS I1edp COlQ-nO
grub. Indian heap scared.
Then John Scott General Scott)
he came He make straight talk He
tell Indian not get kill Me and my
pa and six Indian man come back, go
to Salt Lake. John Scott, he fine
man, good man. He my friend. Me
alone-no like be alone. Me want
friend"
And that is the entire story of the
cause of the Piute uprising. according
to friends of the Indian. The Piutes
were ignorant of the ways of the
whites and were afraid of the cow
boys. There is nothing of the rene
gade or desperate about Tse-Ne-Gat.
On the street here his wonder over
every evidence of civilization is child
like, and at the same time pitiful.
His sleek, black hair falls in two
braids in front over his chest. Use
Ne-Gat is six feet tall, a powerful
physique.
He is confident of acquital, describ-
ing the trial thus:
Big talk Heap big talk. John
Scott he tell me. He say big talk