OCR Text |
Show Without taking up the conversation of each indivic& al in this report I will simply state that they a l l agreed that these Indians had been a great source of trouble annoyance to thorn for a number of years. That upon several occasions two or throe Indians had coughx whixe men or boys oux on xho range and on xheir own ranches and whipped ohem v/ ith with xheir quirts ana ropes/, and xhax they had continually xurned xheir horses inxo the ' meadows and xhe sxach loxs of xhe whixe ranchors, and thax when xhese ranchers would drive xhe ponies oux xhe Indians • would come and drive xrem back. These acxions came very near resulxing several times in serious shooting affrays. They stated that the Indians had grown into the habit of coming to thoirhomes when the men were away and compelling the women to prepare meals for them and often times to give them surplus food to take away with them on t h e i r r i d e s . That of late years the Indians had oecome very insolent and over bearing in a l l of t h e i r r e l a t i o n s with the white ranchers and stock men to the country. Upon several occasions during recent years Indians have committed crimes and warrants have oeen issued for xheir a r r e s t and they immediately took to the h i l l s and avoided apprehension. The Indians had grown to Delieve that the Mormons were afraid of them and they were very positive that no Mormon would evor shoot ono of t h e i r number. ' j^ he crime leading up to xhe present xrouble was committed by xwo Indians, one known as Joe Bishops Boy and xhe other as Shanup's Boy. Both are young Indians in t h e i r early twenties. These two Indians, during the month of l a s t January, entered a sheep camp and drove xhe Mexican herder from xhe house and xook possession. They fed thus ax xhe camp and upon leaving xook some mutxon, oats and other a r t i c l e s . 1! he Mexican herder reported this matter to the sherriff at Blanding and a warrant was issued for the arrest of these two Indians. They could not bo locatod and Posey and the r e s t of his band remised to give them up. After considerable tall: to the Indians by xhe different a u t h o r i t i e s i t was f i n a l l y arranged thax xhese boys should come to Blanding end give xhemselves up. This they did and were t r i e d in the local jusxice courx and found. guilxy. I t was xhe intention of xhe courx xo pass a very lvight sentence upon xhese Indians. He xold me xhax xheir senxence was xo be ten days in j a i l . The t r i a l terminated about 12 o'clock and as the lav/ a of the otate of Utah prescribe that six hours- must elaps between the conviction and the sentence t h e boya were given over t o the charge of the sheriff, who proceeded from the courx house with xhem xo h i s own house xo, give xhem xheir dinner. Afxer leaving Xhe court house xhey refused to accompany him any further and in the scuffle xhax. followed Joe Bishop1s Boy grabbed xhe s h e r i f f s six- shooxerand xried xo shoot him, snapping Xhe gun three or four ximes which for some reason did not f i r e . Posey was in front of the Gourt house, as were several other Indians. The hoys then ran into the crowd of Indians and dared the sheriff to take xhem. |