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Show DEPARTMENT GF THE INTERJOR UNITED STATES INDIAN SERVICE 24755- 24 Consolidated-. Ute Agency, Ignacio, Colorado May 15, 1924 The Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C. My dear ^ r . Commissioner: c eplying to your l e t t e r cf- I-^ ay 2nd and other correspondence r e l a t i v e to the r e l i e f of Joseph H. Wilson and report thereon, I have tlie honor to enclose copy of Winchester Herald dated November 19 22, which shows on Page 18 a few f a c t s regarding t h i s encounter. Jordan Bean, the w r i t e r , seems to indicate that two Wilson boys were k i l l e d . The best information I can obtain shows one Wilson k i l l e d and the present Joseph H. Wilson as seriously wounded. Ha was l e f t for dead at the scene of b a t t l e and probably from this fact Mr. Bean concluded that there were two Wilsons k i l l e d. I enclose also a l e t t e r from Hugo Weston of Mancos, Colorado, who i s one of the old timers of the Moab section, I have made many i n q u i r i e s among the old s e t t l e rs and a l l of t h i s information indicates that Joseph H. Wilson was in t h i s Indian fight and was seriously wounded. Men who have seen him very recently t e l l me t h a t he has suffered very serious bodily i n j u r i e s . The bridge of his nose was shot away, one eye, and the loss of the use of a leg and an arm. As far as t h i s p a r t i c u l a r individual Wilson i s concerned, I believe that he should be reimbursed for these i n j u r i e s , if such can be done consistently, Iff however, such an action would act as e s t a b l i s h i n g a precedent, many other claims would undoubtedly be presented to the Government, The simple h i s t o r y of t h i s fight indicates that 12ie Utes and P a i u t e s , or both, were in the habit of stealing supplies and horses from the white s e t t l e r s around Moab and that after one p a r t i c u l a r raid, the s e t t l e r s followed them and overtook the Indians in a basin- shaped country, |
