Year: 1879

peal. No one moved or spoke for


few moments, when Colorow lighted


big pipe, "the pipe of peace" Eacl


Indian present drew his knife and laiC


it on his knees, the question of peace OF


war being the one pending. Colorov
passed the pipe to the next man with


out smoking and it went round. Wher
the circle was finished. he Jumped tC
his feet, Strengthened up to his full


height, pulled his belt around until
his knife-sheath was in front, pulled
his knife out, threw it with force on the
floor, quivering and ringing. Instantly
every Indian present dropped his hand
to his hip and laid his hand on his knife
or pistol. The whites did the same


and the two parties stood fronting and
defying each other for some moments,
each waiting for the other to make a
forward move. There were but six
white men, while there were twenty
five Indians in the room; there were
fifteen soldiers in an adjoining room.


Finally, Ouray spoke, 1--WE cannot de.
liver up to you those Indians unless they
are tried in Washington; they must not
| be tried in Colorado. Colorado people
are all our enemies, and to give them
up to be tried in this State, would be
to surrender them to be be hanged.
We will bring these twelve men
here for you to see, and those
whom you decide guilty shall be taken
to Washington and the President shall
determine the guilt or innocence.
Douglas will have to go we know; he
was in the White River troubles and
you shall decide who else. Upon this
condition and not otherwise will we
surrender the guilty Indians"


This was said with great arrogance
and boldness. 0uray said it would
take about a week to bring the men in.
Hatch told him he would accept the
proposition so for as bringing the par
Elephants in the massacre in, but as for
taking them to Washington, he had to
telegraph for permission to Schurz.
Colorow and Jack were Immediately
dispatched to bring in the twelve named,
including Douglas and Perscine, saying
they would be back in five days.


A later dispatch says developments
prove that the casting of his knife upon
the floor by COlorow expressed his vote
for war, but the fact of the other In
dians retaining their knives overpow-
cred his vote. 1t was noticed that, as
soon as it was perceived that no other
Indians wished to follow the example of
Colorow, two Utes arose from their seats
in the Council Room and went out,
giving away the talking to the Indians
outside, who Immediately mounted
their horses and rode away. They had
evidently been waiting for the signal
which would call them to arms, and at
no time were any of them distant a
hundred feet from the council room.
Every Ute at the Agency carried with
him more arms than any two soldiers
of the regular army could muster,
Winchester rifle and two revolvers be-
ing about the allowance to each man.


Yesterday brought out also the fact
that Ouray's respect for the President
is due to his thinking that the Great
Father is elected by and rules over the
whole world. In one of his speeches
he made that assertion. and Mr..
Iownsehs, the Interpreter, not
exactly understanding what he
meant by it, repeated the
question, his answer showing the fact
plainly that he considered Washington
the center of the universe, and Presi-
dent Hayes the ruler of all Nations. He
has not been undeceived, and will not
be by this Commission, as it is now
plain that his friendship for the whites
is assumed for policy, and he thinks, if
necessary, the armies of the world
could be called to crush his tribe.