OCR Text |
Show demanded that $5 for every 100 head of sheep owned by them be paid to him at once; failing to do so they were to move out immediately. The Navajoes had no money; their prayer for time in which to procure money or to ascertain their rights was denied, and in default of the payment of the arbitrary and unlawful sum fixed by the sheriff, the Indians were forced to gather np their belongings and move. Snow was falling (a deep snow already covered the ground), the weather was bitter cold, and the ewes were lambing. The Indians pleaded for a reasonable time within which to remove, but were denied. Their houses and corrals were burned and they aud their flocks were rounded np and pnshed north toward the Little Colorado River with relentless haste, the posse keeping women, children, and animals in a fright by an intermittent fire from rifles and revolvers. When the river was reached it was found to be so deep as to require the sheep to swim. The posse surrounded the fiocks and pushed them into the water, and nearly all the lambs, with many grown sheep, went down the stream or chilled to death after crossing, and many died afterward from the effects of exposure. The loss to the Indians was equivalent to several thousand dollars. From the above fmts it is apparent that the order for an assessment was a mere pretext, and that the real intention was the expnlsion of the Navajoes from a region continuously used by them almost from time immemorial. Mr. Tipton believes this outrage to be the ~nlmination . of a scheme concocted by two sheep ownersliving in that locality (one of whom was a member of the board of supervisors), who desire to secure control of the entire range. In forwarding the farmer's report the acting agent stated that on the 5th of January last the sheriff of Ooconino County had been informed by him that t,he Indian Office had decided to allow the Nava-joes to use the unsettled pnblie lands until the development of the irrigation system should afford them sufficient tillable lands on their reservation. He recommended that snit be instituted for damages, and that the Indians be given permission to repasture their flocks where, for so many years, they have been accustou~edt o keep them. Jnne 24 last the matter was reported to the Department with request that it be carefully considered in order to determine whether the parties guilty of this unprovoked and cruel assault might not be held accountable therefor and be compelled to make restitution for the losses sustained by the Indians. A copy of office report was sent by the Department Jnne 25 last to the Attorney General with a view to insti-tuting snit for damages against the officers of Coconino County. No reply has been received. On the same date a copy of office report was also sent to the governor of Arizona, who replied Jnly 7,1897, that he had written the sheriff of Coconino County, giving him a full statement of the romplaints against him and demanding an explanation of his wnduct. |