Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1880 — THE UTE INVESTIGATIOM. [ARTICLE]

THE UTE INVESTIGATIOM.

Resume of the Testimony Taken by the House Committee on Ind ; an Affairs. Gen. Clinton B. Fisk, in his testimony before the House Committee on Indian Affairs, arraigned the Indian Bureau for incompetency, and charged it with responsibility for the Ute revolt. Among the reasons assigned by him for the rebellion of that tribe was that they were cheated out of their lands; that the Government failed to pay them their annuity; that from 1876 to 1878 supplies were not furnished them; that the sales of arms and ammunition on the White River reservation had been forbidden, and that Agent Meeker was an injudicious and unfit man. Commissioner Hayt denied many of the General’s assertions, and attributed the abuses in the servico to his predecessor in office. The testimony of Lieut. Cherry, who was with Maj Thornburgh’s command in the Milk creek fight, refuted most of tho statements of tho Ute savages respecting that affair. He was present at the conference between the Major and Jack, an 1 says that the former made it very clear that the troops would halt some distanco from tho agency, and not go nearer unless called on by Meeker. Tho first shot was fired by tho Indians, and was aimed at Cherry, but it missed him and kdled a soldier who stood beside him. The. Lieutenant declared that Thornburgh was confident from the first that the Utes meant to ■attack him, and was tempted at one time to hold several'of them then in his camp as hostages, but was afraid to assume the responsibility of such action.