Show written for this chii paper AMONG THE BLUFF san ban juan county utah nov 1893 1 I thought too ac count of a short trip among our na viloe frieda might be ot of interest tu to the nu menus numer us readers of the NEWS mr robert mitchell bell government scout and packer since 1868 and the writer left here on the aib alt across the reservation eer about sixty miles through a rough cough and sandy bandy with the greatest frea test variety of scenery ancient eliff cliff dwellings of all sizes and carlt variety ly sumo come apparently inaccessible our road foad was in a southwest direct direction ioa partway bartway along the trail and sometimes a wagon road to f A AT T the object of our trip was to get the body of a i i aurig man supposed to be irom rom st loul louis mo who was killed toy by the Nava joes joe or one of them about march 1893 shortly after the sau J aun guld gad boom while men were scattering in every direction this man was traveling alone and while preparing his supper at atje ane camp tire fire he e was shot in ID the back seemingly without provocation so say the indians he had bud a good rift riding ling horse tour four burros well packed with all ail the saddles and equipments for a hard trip he had a good gun and revolver and was well clad he was tall and portly dark complexioned and somewhere in the gwenth 9 of his we age by arrangement we met captain F W silby and lieutenant E H piu pium in ther aner the now agent with a d detachment tach ment of thirty men packers dooks ook etc and four police aud and for government interpreter a na cajoe who has been to school for years they reluctantly took us to the dreaded spot where ane body was dep but after they showed it to us ua they went away quite a distano ul ui stanon stano and mr mitchell Witchie ll began aig digging glair the ane abdy was covered with a shallow covering ot sand aana and quite a quantity of rock the bate bad on his bis clothes hat she to etc with a brown red lined ducking clatl coat a black and a grey blanket nicely folded with a rope so 0 o adjusted as to make him convenient to carry which evidently had been done or nearly six mile miles from where he receive I 1 the fatal blow that ended his days to in a place now DOW where it was hoped it would never be found out after finding some decaying blanket and other clothing the next was the finding of an 18 carat gold ring and a small mall book that was badly no doubt his bis diary hut but it was in such a condition tiou that it could not be read at the time we were only able to gather up the bones as the body was in a bad oon dillon to handle though we tue shoes were in a perfect state of preservation the disposing deposing of this matter Is to lo the hands of judge joe JOB F barton who will act in accordance with the instructions of a sorrowing borrowing mother plummer Is ia determined determine to have the murderer woo has hu hid up for ane present the lu dianis are willing he should be dealt with according to lu law this agent has haa great influence amongal we the indians indiana he la Is kind and determined and they like and respect reaped him very much and alace the ibe indiana were turned over to the military department part ment it has baa resulted in much better belter regulations and niven given better satisfaction both to the indians indiana nuu all ail frontier settlers than alien it was in the bands or 01 the interior department I 1 asked plummer about the ute removal tiou he said it would be preposterous aud and autio iuie eliy the two iwu tribes say auy nearer together they aiulu encourage each other olber in committing depredations says tie lie I 1 they are too near together dow and might possibly I 1 ln ito lu I 1 u a fight against law and order plummer aid to the indians in my litia rinh send your children to school edu educate catt them I 1 am your friend I 1 will wili not force you to send them to school but 1 invite you to do BJ a the government appropriates per head toi every avery child you send sand lor for food aud clothing and I 1 shall only think you are fools if you keep beep your children la horning truing cattle ho horden rises etc do a t talk about fighting this is 18 only childrens childre fiPs talk why fight your best fiendt dt ask your y 0 u r leading lesil I 1 u g men maul four to u r teen of whom I 1 took to abw worlds world is fair what they saw they eau can tell you about the intelli geBOe ot of the americans anu where your chil childrous drou can dome come if you educate them and also about the host ot of people they saw 4 here followed a long talk by two of the me men who hid been with him then said thieves robbers and murderers murd eiers will be promptly attended to mud and ou need not wink think to bide nor try to tool fool us in these mat matter tov here his voice raised aaa his bis gestures avowed he be meant what tie lie eaul 1 I am oot dot a long 1009 talker but I 1 mean dean what 1 say ja he addressed adu reseed them as hie bis frieri um and brethren a aua kingmen ki namen numen which took very well this thin to is a new departure from their usual way of being talked to and the indians appreciate it too the said in short shore we belli belie to v you you are like a clap 01 01 thunder we hear you a long way off you mean bat you say we would like a school at bluff or nearer to where we liv we do oot not like our chil children drar sent a long way kofl where we never see them ll 11 this with a ew foolish aud and childish ri quests requests ended the talk with their agent with the appointment of a chief of this division of ull and with instructions to the Int indians natis to listen to ibe chiel men 0 bluff aau the interpreter it all avowed that lieutenant enaut plummer appreciated the influence of the people and their struggles gleo to keep ehe che indians indian at tience leace mr mitchell an old eld time lime acquaintance or plummer Pi ummer also reo the steady patient course of the people here or ar being at tended with good effect altogether it was a beneficial trip to all hando bands and will result iu in good to the traveling bublic ic the writer will soon bu authorized zed to give permits to omme we bhe reservation which will make it sate to so travel and will save eave both life mud and property and will odo aleo be the of identification in case of au an accident as a that there mere will out not bt any buch state of doubt as to identity as ae in the case above mentioned please call on rne me tor for permits aud and directions direction water etc I 1 will wait on the public eastern papers please copy s C L indian interpreter P 0 bluff san juan county utah |