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Show FORTY YEARS AMONG THE INDIANS. 175 heart, and when hungry men came to him crying for something to eat, that he made Indian agents of them and sent them out here to the Indians. They did not think this was right for they needed all that the govern-ment gave them and there was nothing to spare for the agents to steal without leaving the Indians hungry. Tabby said thatsome of " Brigham's Bishops" helped the agents to steal and this made the Indians mad, causing them to raid upon the Mormons and to excuse themselves by saying that if the Mormons did not help to steal their provisions they would have enough ; but as it was, they had to steal Mormon cattle, and when the Mormons followed them, sometimes they had to fight ; but would just as soon get the beef without killing any-one as to have to kill them. The question may be asked was there any truth or reason in this ? I thought at one time of writing up some facts that can be proved, giving circumstances and names which would clearly show that the Indians had reason to talk as they did. If blood was shed and the cause originated through the speculative act of some man who ought to have known better, the day of reckon-ing will come without my calling them to account in this little history. ( After becoming acquainted - with the condition of affairs at the Uintah and the White River agency, I made up my mind to act as a friend to the Indians in trying to get something done to better their condition. That there had been a great deal of neglect and crookedness going on for years, no one could doubt. Reports were circu-lated that some of the government officials, prior to this time, had encouraged the Indians in stealing cattle from the Mormons, thinking that if the Indians supplied them-selves with beef they could better appropriate what |
