Arizona citizen., 1872-01-27
THE APACHES INSOLENT.

lnSOlenC ana growing more so; also,
 that they feel confident since the ca
 joleries and bribes and buhoonery of
 Colyer and his tools began, they are
 masters of settlers and troops; that
 they have never acted as if it were
 their purpose to remain and at the
 same time act in good faith. Just
 coming fresh from Washington, Col
 yer's clownish parade with squaws j;
 his going through the Territory under
 armed escorts, waving all the time
 white flags; his sending out detach-
 ments of troops with peace emblems
 when no peace had ever been sought
 by the Apaches; the months of living
 at posts without any restrictions as to
 whereabouts; their present freedom to
 go abroad on stealing or other hostile
 expeditions and return with stolen
 property without fear of punishment
 and the knowledge that while citizens
 and Papagos were indicted, arraigned
 and tried for killing some of their
 people, some of their numbers were
 indicted for murdering citizens, and
 were never arrested, tried or in any
 manner molested, all combine to more firmly fix in the minds of tke uncon- quered and unpunished criminals, confidence in their superiority, and that neither the settlers or troops can or dare whip them. Never before have they had such series of reasons for increased insolence and bad deeds, and it is simply patent nonsense to say that the Apaches do not fully un- derstand all the circumstances here re- cited. If we could only credit them with being fools, we might think bet ter of them but no man truly ac- quainted with the Indians will excuse their damning deeds on the ground of their ignorance.
 The many months of protection, free feed and blankets, and large liberties, about posts, have better than ever fitted them for war. They are now better armed and supplied with ammunition than ever before, and above all, their confidence is strength |, ened that they are feared by all about them. Of near thousand at Verde, they have come and gone at pleasure, and at times all were in the mount aims; those at Date Creek perpetrated | the horrible Wickenberg massacre of six men; of the 400 to 300 in at Me Dowell, at latest dates all were gone, hnd at leaving, stole five horses belonging to citizens which were not recovered because of the time neces- sarily given by the Department com mander for the Apaches to come on reservation, or in other words, to roam about with freedom. Only a couple of aged squaws with amputated noses and their little children remained. Before leaving, they were extremely and ungovernable. WhenI the commanding officer expressed a desire to see the chief Delesha, he sent word that if said officer desired to sfe him he could call upon him and ge- gently when it was suggested that Crook was there and miGht wish to see him, a similar reply Was made, with the additional assurance that the noble chief had no business with the General. The interpreter It Mcdowell Is convinced that the Apaches are elated with their con scious victory and superiority for reasons before stated. No effort Is left untried by them to increase their stock of war material. Articles they will not sell for money or clothing or other like articles, they freely offer for two, three or other trifing number of cartridges. If is in sworn nroOf