The weekly Arizona miner., 1873-01-25
What an old Army Officer Knows about Indians and Indian Re- servatiOns.


 servations.
 If further proofs were wanted to satisiy doub,crs that Indians who go upon reserva- tions need watching to keep them from com. hitting murder and robbery, perussl of the following firm and sincere expose of savage life on reservations ought to convince all such that said Indians need watching and count ing" every day no matter what lazy lndi- an agents may do, say or think.
 Tue letter is from an old soldier, who has spent the greater portion of his life chasing and fighting the enemies of his country:
 CAMP GRANT, A. T., Jan. 10, 1873.
 To Me Eiitor of he 1ri:o"a Miner:
 Gen. Schofcld's order directing that the Indians upon reservations be counled daily, | has, at last, been carried into effect. It has been the fashion to consider tbis order llii- practicahle if not absurd. Even military officers have decided that an attempt to mum ber the Indians would result in failure. Gen. l Crook has always contended that 1t was as easy tn count Indians, men, women and chil- drcn, as to number any other people, and m ! November last he directed me to proceed to | order. Armed with my instructions, pro cceted to Apache and informed the Indians oi my intention; they desired time to collect i their people, apd this hcing granted, seven days after my arrival began the count. The success was perfect, and without tue slightest difficulty. counted daily, every lndinh man, woman and child upon the White Mountain ! Reservation. The same result has been reached at Camp Grant, and at twelve O clock each day, every Indian within the limit, oi the reservation, presents himself at gwen place tu be counted. The Indians themselves make no objections and come forward readily headed by their Chiefs, who preserve order, and assist the officer charged with tEe count | ing All this Is conclusive that Indians, as well as white men, can be made subject to authority, and when properly treated, are arnenaLle to dicipline. At Camp Apache the Indian agent acknowledged that the plan of counting worked well and was for the best interest of the Indians, but nevertheless he protested against what he called military
 interference and sent forward despatch | to Washington charactcrizng the operations of the military authorities us illegal. It is rumored at Apache, and generally believed, that Dr. Bendell not only approves the action of the agent, but has directed 1t at Camp Grant. Mir. Stevens, the agent, has asristed the military in every way.
 | In summing up the whole matter, it Is pro ven :--lst, that the Indians can be counted | 2d, that, although they profess peace, they still continue To steal and raid, stolen horses having been found upon both reservations within the last few days; 3d, that, although some Indians desire peace, others are still Tor war and will not remain upon tho reserva- lions. At Camp Grant, beef cattle have been driven off, snC. killed, almost m sight oi the agency. The butcher at the agency was murdered only week ago and the murderer escaped IL was only yesterday that the sgent recovered stolen horse. The number of Indians after careful count, differ mater ialIy from those applying for rations. At Camp Apache, to-day there are only about two thirds the number of Indians that drew ratioDs lately at Camp Grant, where at one time last summer, over fourteen hundred rations were issued daily, there are not now, by actual count, seven hundred Indians.
 The temper of the Indians Is good. Those remaining on the reservations desire peace, and when Gen. Crook explained to them that he desired scouts to assist the soldiers, more Indians volunteered than could bc accepted.
 The Chiefs of the different tribes say that there are many of tneIr men absent from the reservation and it is impossible 10 control tUeU, but tuaL LuOSC 'uat hNhtC peace and they also desire to assist in the punishment of those Indians who refuse to accept peace.
 l wish to convey to you clearly my own impressions, derived from daily contact with the Indians and their agents. One thing is certain; Dr. Soule expressed himself as be- leying that Gescral Crooks policy oi count ing the Indians was the only way to success fully accomplish peace, and yet he sends of A despatch to Washington protesting against the counting. Why. if he desires peace, does he attempt to frustrate the plan which he himself says is the only way 10 procure peace Dr. Soule also says no Indians have left the reservation lately. By actual count only eleven hundred Indians can be found where are the other four hundred, 10 whom rations have been issued2 Were they ever at Apache At that camp, but seven hun dred Indians can be found. It is claimed that one hundred have died, and one hundred have deserted; where then, are the other five hundred In fact, we are now nine hundred Indians short The loss vf nine hundred Indians is a serlons affair, and if they were once here and are gone, it goes to prove that of nearly three thousand Indians wao | professsd peace, one third have already gone | upon the war-path. How is 1t possible to know what Indians are at peace and what | Indians are at war. unless by actual count we know what each Indian is doing and where he is every day GRANT.
 
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