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Show I REPORT OF COMMISSIONEB OF INDIAN bFFAIRS. 121 I Ridge Reservation. They were sent under escort of two Pine Ridge policemen to rejoin Captain Johnson's party.. I COLORADO UTES W SAN JUAN, UTAH. Several years ago some Ute Indians left the Southern Ute Rema-tion in Colorado and went into San Juan County, Utah, where they nre accused of having caused great damage and annoyance to the citi-zens by stealing property, killing stock, and putting women and children in fear. The superintendent in charge of the reservation investigated the stories as best he could, but the testimony submitted was so contra-dictory that the office could reach no conclusion whether the whites or the Indians were to blame for the alleged troubles. On January 11,1908, he was instructed to try to persuade the absentee Indians to return to their reservation, or to settle down somewhere and take lands under the fourth section of the general allotment act as amended. He was told to explain to them that white men who had no fixed abode but wandered at will without any definite way of making a living, were arrested and kept in confinement, and that, though the Washington Government would regret very much to see them treated in this way, yet if they committed depredations on white citizens the President might send soldiers to remove and punish them. Complaints con-tinued, and on the suggestion of the superintendent, Special Inspector Chubbuck was instructed on May 1 to visit the several bands, investi-gate thoroughly the complaints made by the white men, and inform the Indians that they must live in peace with their neighbors, observe the rules laid down for the good order of the community, and heed the advice of the local o5cers; and that the Government, however able and willing to protect persons who were trying to make an honest . living and be law-abiding, whether whites or Indians, would take no part in the protection of lawbreakers and disorderly characters. Mr. Chubbuck's report of August 24 shows that many of the alleged depredations were committed years ago, and that the whites were in the wrong in some instances and the Indians in ,others. It also shows that the Indians went into that country first, and have rights there which some of the whites, particularly the cattlemen, have not been disposed to respect. Mr. Chubbnck suggested several ways by which troubles between the Indians and the whites might probably be avoided, all of which will be considered with a view to workii the problem out. a Since this was in print, Onptain Johnson hua telegraphed that the entire band of Utea reached the Ulntah Agency on October 21, and were turned over by him to the acting agent there |