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Show REPORT rn COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AXFILES. 91 agent, several of the better class of Indians from different parts of the reservation brought ugly news about By-a-lil-le's escapades and the discontent he was causing among their people. The superin-tendent induced some of the most influential of them to visit By-a-lil-le, have a friendly talk and try and persuade him to give up the business of an outlaw and the leadership of bad men; but the conference bore no fruit. The visiting Indians said that By-a-lil-le and his followers, who were heavily armed, bivouacked in the brush and sought a fight, and that during the talk firearms were discharged to intimidate the visitors. Do-hi-e, a prominent Navaho who died about September 1, 1907, after a short illness, had told his friends that By-a-lil-le was a witch who had caused his illness by shooting invisible darts into his body, Indeed, belief in By-a-lil-le's malevolent power was so widespread that the superintendent said that the police could not be induced to arrest him, that if arrested there was not a sn5cient force to hold hi, and that no Indians west of the " Four Corners " would enlist on the police force, so great was their fear of By-a-lil-le's influence. He accordingly recommended that two troops of cavalry be sent to arrest By-a-lil-le or to be stationed near the outlaw's camp to overawe his followers and give the Indian police confidence that the Government would protect them in doing their duty. On October 12 this matter was brought to the attention of the Sec-retary of War, who three days later directed the commanding gen-eral of the department of the Colorado to cause two troops of cavalry from Fort Wingate, N. Mex., under an officer of experience and good judgment, to move northward to Aneth, Utah, ostensibly on a prac-tice march, the object being to show the Indians that there were troops within call should they resort to violence. The force was to be well supplied with ammunition and with baggage enough to enable them to prolong their stay near Aneth should it become necessary. Troops I and K, Fifth Cavalry, four officers and 74 men, accompanied by 1 officer and 2 men of the Medical Department and 3 Indian sc'outs, left Fort Wigate on October 23,1907, at 8 a. m., under command of Capt. H. 0. Williard. At Shiprock they were joined by the superintendent and his Indian police. Captain Williard reported to the commanding o5cer that on Octo-ber 27 his force reached Four Corners, about 32 miles from Ship-rock, where one of By-a-lil-le's men named Sisco was found. He was placed under arrest, and all other Indians entering Four Corners that day were detained under guard. It was ascertained from friendly Indians that By-a-lil-le and his worst men were then near McElmo Canyon on the south side of the San Juan, about 17 miles from Four Corners and 4 miles east of Aneth, and it was decided that they must be surprised and captured forthwith if a serious conflict 63268-09-7 |
