The Murder of Henry "Indian Henry" Huff by John Keski

Description

Sometime in the 1910's, Indian Henry, a Ute raised by white settlers in the Paradox Valley, was shot and killed by his friend, the Finish immigrant and miner John Keski. The shooting took place in a boarding house in Bull Canyon that was owned by W.L. Cummings and run by Laura Foster. According to the stepchildren of Keski, Earl Foster and Ella (Foster) O'Brien, their mother Laura Foster was playing cards with Keski, Henry and other men. Keski and Henry were very drunk, and, after everyone had dropped out of the hand except for them, Keski led an ace that Henry trumped with a spade. When Henry got up to leave, Keski became irate and accused him of cheating. He shot Henry outside of the building. Earl Foster was sent to a place called the Wedding Bell to get first aid help for Henry, who did not die immediately, but the man refused to come until morning time. Another doctor sent for by Ella Foster did not get there in time, possibly due to prejudice against Native Americans. Henry did not get medical attention in time and died. Earl Foster, who was a teenager, recalled looking under the table the next day and seeing the single dollar bill that the shooting had been over. He also looked at Henry's hand and saw that it was filled with spades, and that Henry had had no choice but to trump Keski. Keski served eight months in prison for the crime, and Laura Foster divorced him.