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Show BATTLE MAY BE STARTED BY DAYBREAK Special to The Triii-?. k BLl" FF, I ' t a h . Feb. 25, via P o o r p s , Cr,io. a decisive batile betwee:; t ii' J1': utes and the N.-beker posse impends tonight. Every efiort by the govern-men; govern-men; a tret us a nd Indians to fo: ce Oid pL-lk, Ilaic.n. Posey and t'ue other ootlaws to surrender has failed, and Marshal Nebek.-r is pipidly losing pativ nee. lie ha -5 ca.icd a meeting cf his men and Ui reiiresentatives of the Indian bureau for toniylii, and it is juacticaily certain tiiat he will order an attack before sunrise sun-rise tomorrow. He has laid plans to encircle the Indians, In-dians, who, forty-eight strong, are intrenched in-trenched in Butler's canyon. Two Navajo scouts from , Shiprock agency gained access to Polk today and talked with the outlaws. They brought ha 'k a message to the posse from Polk ti.at he and his men would hahi 10 the huish. Thy tolcl rl:e Nava jos tiiat t he white men had kihed sve: al ot thir men in the lighting Sunday and that they were determined upon revenge. Thc-squaws Thc-squaws and children have been moved out of Posey's camp and sent farther down the river. The men have prepared for battle and want no weaklings in camp. Renegades Desperate. The Navajos said that Polk and Hatch were going to hold them prisoners and only permitted them to get away from the camp when they promised to return to their agency and not go to Bluff, The Piutes told them to warn all other Navajos Nava-jos to remain out of the range of their rirles. Indian Agents Jenkins and Creel returned re-turned tonight from a visit to friendly Indians near here and reported that 115 had promised to go to the southern Ute reservation in Colorado. These Indians have lived in this section for many years, but are listed with the southern Utes. The body of Piute Jack, who was killed ! in the fighting Sunday, was found late this afternoon buried in the sand. He hrau from his wickiup at the outset of 1 the lighting, firing at Sheriff Gingles with his revolver, but was struck as he reached the water's edge at Cottonwood creek and fell Into the stream. The Indians hurried ly buried him and fled. Marshal Nebeker, determined to end the constant menace to white settlers and their property in this section, has told the agents of the Indian bureau to do their best with the Indians in effecting a surrender tonight, because he is planning to take the field tomorrow and make a finish of the band. A heavy circle of guards has been placed around'the Piutes' position, making escape almost impossible. The plan is to tighten these lines, surround sur-round the Indians and capture them at dawn tomorrow. This will not be accomplished without a fight, however, and the batt le" promises to be more sanguinary than that of Sunday. Sun-day. The hills are covered with Piute spies who have been watching every movement of the posse today, and a party arriving here last pight, en route from Moab to Witherall trading post at Kay-enta. Kay-enta. Ariz., reported that thev saw three signal fires in the vicinity of Comb and Butler. , When this was reported to Marshal Nebeker he declared himself convinced that only a fight could bring the Piutes to terms, and so fiotified the guardians of the Indians. These renewed their efforts ef-forts today to clear the field of the friendly friend-ly noncombatant tribe members and the agreement of the 115 Utes to cross the line into Colorado was the result. Scouts Are Active, The day here has been one of constant con-stant activity. Scouts have been going out at intervals and everybody has been preparing for the battle that is expected in the morning. The federal representatives, representa-tives, although they hope for peace, have virtually given up hope of capturing the Polk band without bloodshed and have so informed the authorities at Washington. Telegrams between the national capital and Bluff have been going to amd fro practically all day, the attorney general and the Indian commissioner being kept In constant touch withthe situation here. Marshal Nebeker is beginning to show the strain. He is convinced a light is inevitable, in-evitable, Is anxious for it and shows it in his manner. The point where the Indians are located lo-cated is about six miles to the southwest south-west of town and if they succeed in evading evad-ing the 'new circle1 of guards posted by Marshal Nebeker they will have to cross the San Juan and retreat southward or move westward, exposing themselves to the fire of the posse. |
