Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-07-24
The Mexican Kickapoes.

COUNCIL OF L. 9. COMM sSIoS hrs WITH THE
KICKAPoOs, PorrAwATToNIEs.LuP ANs, AND
MRsCELLERos NEAR REMoLINo-rHKY WILL
COME TO THE UNITED STATES IL The Mkx-
CAN GOVERNMENT Is WILLING-THEN WANT
TO sTEER CLEAR OF TkxAs-oSE OF THE
CHIEFS sTrALs HORSE DURINe rHR coUN-
GIL.
Col. II. r. Clum, Acting Commissioner OF In
dian Affairs, to- day received the following com
municaton from Messrs. H. NJ. Atkinson and
Thomas G. Williams, special United States In
dian commissioners to remove the KickapooS
from Mexico TO the United States. The letter
is dated Zaragosa, Mexico, July IL, 1873:
1--WE have the honor to report that on the Z Ia
inst, the Indian chief Chequsm- ka-ko, and
Michael Thomas, our kickapOo interpreter,
returned to Fort Duncan, to notify us that the
Indian chiefs of the KickapoO, PottawOttomie,
Lipan, and Mescellero tribes of Indians were
assembled near Remolino, awaiting a confer
ence with the commissioners. We Immediately
started for the camp, and arrived there on the
morning of the 9th inst, and held a council
with them. There were present nearly sill the
with the head chief of the Mescelleros, who was
authorized to act for the Lipans.
They informed us that they had received word
from new Mexican commissioner that he
desired TO see their principal chief at Saltillo,
and that they 1ad sent one of their chiefs there
to see what this new commissions had to saw on
the subject of their removal to the United
States; that although they would go with us,
yet they could not give us a final answer until
the return of the chief Wa-pa-s from Ssltillo
which would be in q few days. They further
insisted that they be allowed to go to the Kicka-
poo reserve in Kansas, and there consult with
the Kansas portion of their tribe in reference
to the selection OF their reservation and be per-
mitted to remain there until the same had been
selected. The head chiefs further desired that
after the arrival in Kansas we would take
three or four of them To see the great father at
Washington and talk with him in relation to
their reservation. They also insiste d on going
without an escort of troops, and wish to go
route far west of all settlements until they had
passed Texas and reached the Indian territory.
The MescellerO chief did not long remain AT
the council, but said if they went they wished
TO 90 TO the reservation on the head waters of
the PecoO river, near Fort Stanton. While the
council was in session, this chief took horse
belonging to a Mexican and left very uncere-
moDiously, although it was thought he had
only gone to Remolino to await the Termination
of our council with the KIckapoos, and would
return in the afternoon.
The Indians informed Col. Montero, the Mex
lean commander, that Mexican living at Re
mOliEO, (sOme four miles Distant had been in
their camp the previous day and told them they
would all be massacred if they returned to tn.
United States, and If not massscred they wsuld
be disaTmed and put upon an island and left IT,
starve. Col. MonterO promptly sent an order
for his arrest, and had him brought to camp.
where he was confronted by us, but he denied
at first making the statement but finally ad-
united the fact, and acknowledged that he hat
been to their camp. The president of ZaragoSO.
who was with US, then and there sentenced him
to fifteen days imprisonment. and fined him ia
addition.
on TIE following day the chiefs again met H.
in Council at ZaragosO, and reiterated their
former requests, and informed US that Wa-p9
81 would return in a few days and in eight DAYS
they would meet US again, and if the chief.
Wa-pa-s, received from the governor and the
commissioner from the City of Mexico, a con-
trmatiOn of Col. MOnterO's statement relative
to the desire of the Mexican government that
they should return to the United States, that
the whole matter would he concluded, and tn at
they would start Immediately with US to the
| mted States. Should they noaO fail to 90 the
fault ctU be entirely Nth the Ne IicdR goUeraBaet,
for If they are in earnest they will confirm
Senior Montero's statements, and in that event
guam ka Ko, and Michael Thomas, the inter-
prefer who accompanied us from Kansas. have
worked Increasingly and earnestly for our sue
chiefly indebted for the present favorable
aspect of matters relative to the object of our
mission. From the present condition OF things
we deem our success almost assured.
We have had the whole resident population OF
Santa Rosa. Piedras, Neguas, Remolino and
other Mexican towns opposed to the success 0:
our mission, and as railidly a. one obstacle was
removed another has arisen; yet we trust that
no further serious obstacles " I'll present them
selves.
We here desire to state that the resent report
OF the presence Of kickapo0 Indians on the San
Antonio road is false, as the warriors OF that
tribe have not been out of Mexico recently, amt
the Indians referred to by the San Antonio
papers, are. as we believe, Comanches and
KiOwaS from the Indian territory,