Show The Ute Indians Were Moved V Because of Meeker Massacre Steamboat Pilot In tho the days of the first settlement of ot Colorado the confederated tribes of the Utes were the power pow pow- er over much of the mountain region of of Colorado Their sway was over I the entire western western slope and andi also I much of the southern part of the state including the Huerfano region and nd the San Sari Luis valley While they were not warlike yet they resented the Intrusion of or settlers eUlers and prospectors prospectors pros pros- and there could be bo no substantial substantial sub sub- development until they hey were removed and it was no easy task to get them to agree to move They loved this vast region of mountain and valley abounding in game and furnishing an ideal range for their nomadic life In the tho winter they congregated very largely in the tho southern part of f the slate state and In the I spring and summer followed the i game back to the higher altitudes Originally the reservation of of- the Utes in addition to an indefinite agreement that they owned all the western slope elope comprised San Luis valley east of the summit of the Con- Con j divide but in the treaty of or 1868 they surrendered this to the whites in consideration of an annual annuity with the tho further assurance that thereafter their holdings practically practically practically comprising all all' the western vestern I slope should forever remain their reservation This reserve comprised acres or about third one-third of Colorado V Then gold was discovered in the San Juan Jua l and 1 prospectors rs began crowding them again In the treaty of 1873 they sold to the whites 4 acres of mineral land mainly mainly mainly main main- ly the tops of the mountains retaining retaining retaining retain retain- ing the valleys The Tho excuse which finally put the Ute out out of of this vast territory ter territory territory ter- ter was the Meeker massacre massacre In 1879 It was wag sufficient ground for tor the government to break its treaty The Utes were divided one reservation being established in southern Colorado and the tile various tribes of the northern part of f the state moved to the Uintah reservation reservation reserva reserva- tion in Utah Even Even at that it was difficult to move them and eastern sentimentalists insisted upon beating locatIng locating beat beat- ing them in the Grand and Gunnison Gunni- Gunni son valleys where now are large and audi prosperous prosperous clUeS cities It If they had been Deen located there it li IS IS' c certain there would have been further trouble It n was Otto Mears pathfinder and state builder who forced the tho removal to Utah It was an important action because it opened up Ul among other sections I the country in which we are living This was all Ute territory and would have open or-en impossible impossible im mi- possible If If they had not peen moved While nominally confined to the White River RiTer reserve they retained the right to hunt in this section and hUl hundreds of them annually visited Steamboat Springs for the benefit of the waters and also because it was an all ideal hunting ground In 1879 after the trouble on White river and Milk 1 creek creek feelings ran high in Colorado and if It the advice advice advice ad ad- vice of hadi had been hark bark harkened ened to the entire and White River Iver tribes would have be been n killed in return tor for the death of Meeker and Thornburg B But t it was I I recognized mat tuat tao might have been prevented had those on the scene been better acquainted with Indian nature atod superstitions When Ouray heard of the White Whiteriver Whiteriver riv river V r outbreak of his he was iris s II c 1 a ar art i l ir indignant ignant He sent w rd iVd to Dou Douglas and Jade Jack to quit juit fighting The wood was sent by Ouray's wife Chipeta of whom Gene Field then an editorial writer on the Denver Tribune wrote r But But give her a page in history too loo Though she be rotting In humble shrouds And write on the whitest of Gods God's V white clouds Chipeta's name in eternal blue The government appointed a a. commission commission com corn mission to treat with the Indians and bring back the captured women of the Meeker household households Pursuant to in instructions from the commission General Charles Adams and Capt YoV W. W V W. Cline Chine his escort left the Uncompahgre Uncompahgre Uncompahgre Un- Un agency on October 10 10 1879 bound for the tho camp of the hostiles on In the Grand river mesa But it was not until October 25 that the camp which contained the kid kid- Women was found The camp was on Mesa creek in Plateau valley now Mesa county V An old squaw silently led them to the tent in which the women were wore kept Ouray's message had llad much to do with this work of rescue Chipeta accompanied the woman on their long journey from the Indian camp to Ouray's home of which Miss Meeker wrote Chief Ouray and his noble wife did everything tomake to tomake tomake make us comfortable We were wore given the whole house and found carpets on the floor lamps on the tables and a stove with a fire tire brightly burning Mrs Ouray shed shied tears over us It Il was stated at the time that General Adams was the only white whiteman whiteman man living who could have gone to the hostile Indians on such a mission under the strained conditions that between them and the whites He found the captives well and apparently apparently apparently ap ap- ap- ap I unharmed and they had been prisoners for tor nearly a month No direct reprisals were made but butI I T today Itis especially easy to see h how w harsh has been the tribes tribe's punishment t. t Their Theil superb lands have been tak taken n from them and they were removed from a section which had belonged t to them and their forefathers fore Core fathers f r generations V the final of h will given a in ln a succeeding article it if well rell to relate i the final outcome e P the he massacre The conclave wilh G Generals Gen Gen- n- n H Hatch kh and nd Adams at its head i ad negotiated with the Utes to give up those concerned in the murdering Owing of the ie White Whit Whiteriver Whiteriver river ag agency ncy this conference took place at the he agen agency y General Hatch told Ouray that the attack o on oi Thornburg might be called a fair fight and no harm was intended intend intend- ed to b. b be lm done those who took part in it but those who had murdered Innocent unarmed men at the ag agency ncy should be tie given up for trial and p punishment nl if it guilty The wom women n had named 12 WhIteriver White Whiteriver river Ute Utes whom they knew had taken taken taken tak tak- tak- tak en part I in the he massacre Ouray objected ob- ob b. b the testimony of women ag against men It was contrary contra contra- ry to Indian custom An attempt was made madO to g get t tho tIlO Indians to corroborate the testimony of the women women t but ut no one could be found round to testify that they knew anything bout about it J L. L V juray ills nis people with ability s rd the White river Utes had all been Cen concerned directly or indirectly in the massacre and a man could not be compelled to testify against himself Both Hatch and Adams became tired at last and ordered ordered or or- dered Ouray to have the twelve men named by by the Indians brought in for trial or they would move move forward their army General Hatch had a a. military force In the southern part of the state slata It was a stormy meeting meeting meeting meet meet- ing and from its very nature a close call to th the deadline of a hand to hand con conflict lct The following details of the conference conference conference con con- ference were written at that time Um A death I. I silence fell tell upon every every- thing Nothing was said and no one moved for tor a few Then Colorow lighted ed a long pipe and each Indian present drew a long bong knife and arid laid it il on his his- knee In tho the council c the Utes when the question ques- ques Lion Llon of peace or war war- warIs Is hanging Inthe in inthe inthe the balance this practice is followed follow follow- ed during the discussion on and should war be decided upon the blades of ot the knives are locked together Inthe in inthe the he air and a war song sung In Inthis Inthis this his instance just as the th-e pipe had gotten around the semi circle of ol In Indians In- In Colorow who had lighted the pipe and passed it to the next man without smoking himself rose from his seat glanced at the Utes and amI drawing himself up his full height jerked his knife from the sheath and cast it on the floor in front of him liim him where it struck and quivered Each Sach Indian lan present dropped his hand down to his waist and laid it upon upon his knife or revolver Each while white man did the same and the two tWI parties remained in this position lon the glittering gage of battle and each waiting an aggressive aggressive sive sire movement on the part of the other Had Hatch not made the direct issue then and there nothing would have been accomplished But for foran foran foran an instant nt his boldn boldness es placed the commission in terrible danger The result hung on a thread and one word would have precipitated a terrible terrible terrible ter ter- ter- ter contest which would have ended ended end end- ed in the d death ath of or every white man manin manin mann in n the room Twenty-five Twenty Indians to six whites were terrible odds and the 15 soldiers in the thc next room could not have gotten into the room In n time to rescue rescue the endangered commission Finally Ouray spoke We cannot deliver up to you those these Indians unless they are to be tried in n Washington The Colorado p people ople are all our enemies enemies' and to give our men inca up to be tried in this state stath would be as if we gave them up knowing that they would be hanged instantly 4 We Vo will bring these men for you to o see and those whom you decide to tobe tobe toe be e guilty shall be taken to Washing Washing- ton on and the president shall determine determine determine deter deter- mine their guilt or innocence Dougas Douglas Douglas Doug- Doug las as will have to go None of us win will deny that he lie was engaged in the White river troubles and you shall decide who ho else Is to go Jack and Colorow wore Instantly sent bent off by Ouray to the camp of the hostiles s. promising that they would have lave the twelve Indians in five days and all the other Utes Ules except Ouray left eft the room Immediately Then Ouray arose spoke again reiterating his statement that the he Utes could not get got justice in Colorado and could only get it In Washington You three pointing to Hatch V Adams and Valois the legal adviser are are all my enemies I am one against three I have not one ono friend among you You will not give me justice ustice and that is why I want to 10 go goo goto goto to o Washington where I will have at nt least east one friend referring to Carl Schurz secretary of the interior Colorow and Jack were exonerated ed for bringing on the fight with Thornburg and freely freety confessed it w when en they learned they would suffer gutter I nothing So they undertook to Continued on Las Laal Page V |