 |
Stockade where Utes were held during Posey War. The building behind the stockade is the first rock school house built in Blanding. The Utes were first held in the school basement. |
During the next few days, a temporary prison was constructed, and the Ute
people lived there for several weeks until word was received that Posey
was dead. (Morris, Barbara) When the Utes found out about his death one
month later, they all cried really loud, as they mourned his loss. (Morris,
Thomas)
When the Utes were in the temporary stockade prison, they did not know
of Posey's hiding place. Only his closest relatives took food to him. They
did not take it directly to where he was hiding since they did not want
to lead the posse to him. They would leave food in an open area and build
a large fire. Later Posey would come and get the food in his own time.
A fire was made by his relatives to show that the food had been left for
him. The Mormons thought that Posey was building the fire to show his people
where to bring food. Posey came to get his food only at night, and the
fire led him to it. (Cantsee, Myers)
Stockade where Utes were held during Posey
War. The building behind the stockade is the first rock school house built
in Blanding. The Utes were first held in the school basement.
One evening his mother, Pahnah, and wife, Kahdia, attempted to deliver the food, but this time they only found the food which had been left the day before still in the tree. They tracked Posey to his hiding place in a cave nearby. They found his body and his dog laying dead beside him. The fire had not been built the previous night, which had alerted his people that he might be in some great danger. Posey's fire meant a lot to his people; it was a sign and symbol of life.
According to Posey's nephew, Myers Cantsee, Marshall Ward and Posey's sons, Jess and Anson, together with Jack Fly and Jim Mike, found Posey's body next to the spot where his campfire had been. There were still biscuits on the fire which Posey had been eating. His dog lay dead at his side with signs of flour around his mouth indicating Posey had fed the biscuits to his dog also. There were no marks on the dog which could have caused his death. Posey's wound appeared to have been healing and was not severe enough to have killed him. Posey and his dog appeared to have been poisoned by an unknown enemy.
Frances Posey stated, "He was over there in the cave. Someone sprinkled coyote poison on the ground and in the flour and Posey made biscuits and ate the bread and that's how he died." (Posey, Frances)
Stella Eyetoo, another White Mesa Ute, confirms this opinion: "They put poison in the flour and when he was hungry, he made it into dough and ate...and that's what killed him." (Eyetoo)
In the spring of 1923, Posey met his death in a little cave west of Comb Ridge. This ended his thirty-day hide out.
Ironically, Posey's death was not final. Some of the white people of the area opened up his grave three times to satisfy their curiosity and to make sure he was really dead. They did this in spite of testimony from U.S. Marshall Ward who had promised, "I have given the Indians my word that I will not tell where Posey is buried. But I assure you that he is dead." (Bronson, interview 5)
This testimony was not good enough, for at least three different groups went out to Posey's grave and dug him up. One group of young men rode out to Comb Wash to see for themselves. They tracked the Indians' and Marshall Ward's tracks and came upon Posey's grave. George A. Hurst, Jr.'s account reads:
"...we commenced to dig....When we had gone down about three or four feet, we were sure there was something buried there. At this point, Joe said, 'I'm satisfied that he's in there, I have had enough.' I made the statement that if he was in there I was going to see him. We kept digging and in a few minutes we were successful in getting hold of the blankets that he was buried in and Vel and I pulled Posey's body up out of the grave." (Hurst 253)
The next time Posey's grave was disturbed, was when Agent McKean from Towaoc came with a coroner's order to see if Posey was dead and to verify to the government of his death. So once again Posey's grave was opened. (Bronson, interview 5)
Posey's grave has been dug up at different times since Agent McKean dug it up, and Posey's body is not in the original grave now. The white people say the Utes dug him up and hid him, and the Utes say the white people took his body away. (Cantsee, Myers)
 |
| Scotty, Posey's half-brother. Taken in bullpens (stockades) in Blanding after Utes were gathered up during the Posey War. (San Juan Historical Commission photo.) |
Posey: A Leader of the Witapunuch Utes continued
Return to beginning of Posey: A Leader of the Witapunuch Utes
Return to Posey's Table of Contents