New-York tribune., 1915-02-22
Citizens of Bluff, Utah
and Posse in Peril from
Piute Outlaws.
FIERCE FIGHTING
COSTS SEVEN LIVES
Whites in Two Battles Repulsed
by Redskins. Who Threaten
10 Burn Village.

(T-AySOE, NlbN, Itu' 80 -
,rto arrived here a. o'clock tonight
,spor,ed that the outlaw Indians, with
,,bom two battles were fought to-day.
l,d courleteIv surrounded the town
~ Bluff and were prepared TO massacre
,,. inhabitants and burn the buildings,
.one hundred In ali A general mas
.s,re IS expected II the Indians are
80, dv,veu of. Tse-Ne-Gat and his
-s,bsr. Old Polk. the leaders OF the
1-s,srs. have declared their intention
n killing al white men that are capt
ured
4 ,slI for help has been sent to the
Indian police at Shiprock Agency, ~ NJ
Tho Indians are keeping up contin-
,,l attack on the whites. demand
.or federal troops is 10 be made.
So far as is known, seven Indians
and one OF the deputies OF the posse OF
United States Marshal Nebeker, Of Salt
Lake City. were killed in two battles to-
day.
Three Indian. and one deputy were
lued in the first battle this morning
and three more we're shot to death IN
the second. In the first battle, which
was fought just outside Of Bluff six
Indians we're made prisoners and TWO
Of the deputies were wounded.
The posse tried TO surround the
Indian position at daybreak, but the
Piutes heard them and opened fire Joe
Akin. A cattlemsn. Of Dolores, Col.' Tell
AZ the first volley. Firing continued
for some minutes, and two Indians
we're seen 20 fall dead.
Call for Help Sent Out.
Roth sides ceased firing and Mar
shal Nebeker sent Msncos } m'
Piute. who had joined the white men,
10 marley with the Indians and urge
them 20 surrender. After long pow
vow. Maneos Jim returned with the
message from the Indians, I'VE VIII
fight until death"
While the marshal was receiving inns
Information. a band of Piutes, about
forty strong, under a chief named
Coscv. came UP the San Juan River
and attacked the posse from behind.
The white men replied 10 the attack
and heat Cosey off, In the meantime
the Indians camped on the rocks out
side Bluff. reopened the attack and the
posse was caught between two hres.
One man. whose name is not known,
was shot through the body. Al last
reports he was still alive, but IN serI-
Gus condition.
The Indians under Cosey we're driven
of and in retreating they cut the teie-
phone wires. the only line of communi-
cation with Bluff.
4 general alarm was spread through
the country Posses we're quickly or
canizod here and at Monticello, and
other relief expeditions arc being
formed al Dolores, Cortez and Mancos,
Col.
I'm the Crayson posse, which started
out Immediately, were about eighteen
men. Tho Monticello posse, twenty
ruc strong, arrived here at . o'clock
and started out at once. They took
telephone outfit with them, intending
20 cut i'm on the wire at the closest
point 10 BluN.
Four Die in Second Battle.
The second battle between the band
OF Piute Indians. under the leadership
o. the outlaw Tse-Ne-Gat, and the
forces Of United States Marshal Nebe-
ker. was staged in the mountain fast
nesses eight miles east of Bluff. A
scouting party Of five deputy marshals
encountered the Indians, killing three
Of them. The Indians retreated, but
soon returned, with additional forces.
and attacked the deputies. Outnum-
hered. the deputies took position on
the TOP Of a small mountain and dis
patched one Of their number TO warn
Marshal Lebeker Of their danger.
Immediately he started TO the res
cue Of the deputies. arriving at the
scene in time 10 save them from capt
urc and possible death. Then, for the
second time within twentyfour hours,
the whites and the Indians battled.
J our more Indians are reported 10 have
been killed and two others seriously
wounded. The whites, whose marks
manship is far better than that of the
Indians, again forced them TO retreat
90 their intreuchments in Cow Canyon.
In the second battle Marshal Nebeker
noted that the number Of Indians had
increased TO about l75.
An Indian girl, sister Of Tse-Ne-
Cat. was killed in the first battle be-
tween the posse The girl ran between
the opposing factions in an attempt 70
stop the battle. When the girl was
seen. the whites stopped firing, and
IL was a bullet from the guns Of her
own tribe that killed her. She died
instantly. Her body was removed to
Bluff when the Indians retreated.