Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-04-26
HON. E. r. WARE 90 the INDIAN SIT
UATI0N.

FORT SCOTT, KAN April 20.-The Fort
Hon. +. f. Ware, who is at Silver City,
giving an outline Of the situation in the
Indian country, and the efforts that are
/ being made to recover Charlie McComas,
/ from which the following is made:
( The good Offices of the governors of
! chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico. have been
/ tried through Governor Sheldon, and a
large reward has been offered to assist him
I in his identification. Photographs have
been circulated throughout the entire In
dian country. The inhabited territory is
30 vast, and much OF il so impreyious that
I it will take considerable time to find the
whereabouts Of the boy. and in the present
condition Of affairs it will take considers
BILE time for matters to SO subside that the
boy can be reached, even after his where
abouts have been found. Several thousand
OF the Apaches, in fact the bulk Of the
tribe, are ON reservations; but the bands
Of untamed Apaches still continue their
forays, and from time to time, as is be-
lieyed, are reinforced from the reservations.
They are all armed with the best variety Of
breech-ioading cartridge rifles. Wherever
they have been engaged the brass cartridge
shells are found, from which the character
Of their weapons can be definitely stated.
All agree that the boy cannot be recaptur-
ed. IL the troops came upon the band
holding him he will Immediately be dis.
patched. Instances are numerous, and
without exception where this has occurred.
AT present there appears TO be lull. but
ii is believed that arrangements are in pro-
gress by joint action on the part Of the
United States and the Mexican government
to pursue, stay with and exterminate the
hostile Apaches without regard to the cost
or difficulty. The officers Of both forces
have just had consultation, but their
plans, if any have been formed. are not
known. If such 4 movement Is made the
boy NAV not be recovered alive. At pres
ent all is hostility. No Indian can leave
the reservation without death whenever
found. In fact, the feeling is so intense
that large bodies Of men are organized aud
are waiting the word to move on the res
eryations and butcher every Indian, big
and little. There is stormy feeling
against longer permitting an Indian reser-
walton to remain in Arizona. The feeling
seems to be universe! that the entire Apache
tribe, quiet and hostile, will be extinguish-
ed, for the reason that no Indian can be
found as yet who could with safety leave
the reservation to find the boy. Bad as is
this State of affairs here, in Old Mexico it
is worse. Ii is nothing but blood and muir
der. In Sonora and chihuahua the Mex
leans kill every man, woman and child OF
the Apaches that can be got at. All trad
ing with them has stopped. Nearly hun
dred have been killed by the Apaches re-
Gently in Sonora. The strongholds Of the
Apaches there, in the mountains, are de-
scribed as being almost impregnable. An
officer of Sonora told me that there were
places where ten armed Indians could hold
back u regiment. and that the only way to
do was to make u business Of 1t with
large number Of troops and nj very great
expense, with starvation rs an auxiliary.
He also remarks that it is difficult to starye
an Indian. One of the hostiles who was in
the McComas murder happened to get col
Jared when he slipped back into the reser-
walton, where he had been before. His
name is Serot Fish. lie Is now in irons.
The only hope of the boys recovery is in
the happening of truce in Mexico, and
there appears to be very good prospect Of
truce there. My arrangements are such
that il there Is truce and the boy is still
ments are in fact all that can be made. ]
fear that all that can be now done in addi-
ton to what has been done il to wait.
(Signedl Z. +. WARE.