Omaha daily bee., 1883-06-08
APACHE TROUBLES.
An army Officers Views Of
Them.
Rlsoalit7 Of Agents Sesponsi.
b'efJr Much of tAe
Mischief
Tho Corrupt Indian Ring.

Ans 1OlOWlng communication IL
from a otise Vi Tho regular army,
Ii gives a sketch of tho Arizona In.
dian tronbles, differing Ia color some
what from Tho usual narratives:
Ia 1928, after q campaign of un-
PARALLEL success by General Crook and
his command, the result OF much
hardship on the part of the troops,
all the Apaches, except q portion OF
tho Chitic Ahuas, were whipped aud
driven In upon reservations. The
Chlrisshuas were permitted to pass
from the control Of General Cook
through the action of General How
arj, who made his appearance at a
critical time on bohalt of the govern
meat and ''by the grace of esd"
Subsequent events have shown that
the exception made In behalf of these
Indians Was most unfortunate. How
ever, this interference did not extend
any further, for which the poopls of
Arizona may be truly thankful.
The management and control of the
Indians who were forced on reserva-
tious uexs occupied the attention of
General Crock The problem was not
o. easy one, for however thoroughly
he may be beaten, the Indian soon
gro VS. impatient under coercion, aud
his Wild nature seeks to throw off all
reatraint; he Is as ''reStleas as the q q
tenn leaf"
The writer, who visited Fort
Apache In 1874, at which place were
held about 1000 Coyotero Apsches,
beIome thoroughly acquainted with
the policy %inaugurated by General
Crook, which, briefly stated, was to
place the Indians on reservations as
nearly as possible to their liking and
tribal relations; teach them the advan-
ts2es of peacs and discipline and to
become self supporting. Tribes be-
tween whom there We're snimosities
and prej1dlces were separated, To
briug them together in the beginning
miGht cause trouble. Another and an
imp ,rtsnt military reason for keeping
them sepsrsted was that the scouts en-
listed from tribes at the different
military reservations could bs EN-.
ployed or pt.ted against the Indians OF
other reservations more advanta
geously and with greater dependence
upon their loyalty In case of an oat'
break. In fact, 1t fostered q spirit OF
emulation between the scouts of the
off rent reservations, which was do.
sired at that time.
A STRICT CALL OF THE ROLL.
The garrison at Fort Apache Their
consisted of two companies of cavalry
two companies of infantry and ont
company of Indian scouts, a total o.
about 240. The Indians, who were
under the control Of the post COM
mander, were encamped In the imme
diste vicinity of the post. They were
gu bdivided into about fifteen sub
tribes. Once a week every man
woman and child was assembled at tn,
fort on the parade ground, accuratel!
counted and d Identified. Rations wer,
then issued to them under the SAM
System as employed In the army ant
strict compliance with the laws fo
Their subsistence was enforced. N
Indian was allowed to be sbsent from
this count unless he had a pass, dull,
eigned and approved by the command
tng officer, and then permission wa
not given to be absent from more thai
one count. This plan was found t.
work admirably, for the chiefs an
Indian scouts became 80 strongly i'm
pressed with the fact that the welfar
aud prosperity of their psorle de
paaded upon preventing Indians leav
Arg the reservation and becoming ren
egades that the moment an Indian wa
reported abaent without leave he wa
pNrsaed, iuvarisbly caught, snd II h
off sred any resistance, was killed
The White Mountain Indian scouts o
oil timss proved of the greatest ser
Woe In pursuing renegade Indians fror
other reservations, as did also tn
scouts from Fort Verde. Little or IL
trouble, however, was occ.aioned b
the Indians during 1874, and the In
creased security to the inhabitants or
couraged immigration and the populs
tion of the territory materially IL
creased.
THE RING COMMENCES WORK.
The Indians ut the Apache an
Verde reservations made considerabl
progress toward supporting then
selves. At Apache the supply d,
psrtment was furnished by them wit
large amount of corn, beans an
hay. I have frequently seen rqusv
carrying on their backs grain into til
post from their planting ground fort
miles distant. But this peaceful 81
satisfactory condition of things WI
not to last very long. The oontrac'
ors found as little profit In supplyir
the Indians al there was In supplyir
the troops. A ring was then forms
q removal Of the Indians from Il
military reservations and milital
control at any sacrifice of principle
honor or good faith, for there we
''millions In it," and possible stea
that encouraged the formation of oil
of the most formidable gangs CT plu
derers that ever robbed the publ
treasury aud haraased the COVER
ment. In March, 1875, Gener
Kautz, of the sblest and mo
capable C~fi3ers In the army, succ eed'
General Crook In command of Il
department of Arizona. A classma
of General Crook, he had had a lar
Indian experience In the same fe
with his predecessor, having be;
twl,s wounded during operation
against the Oregon Indians before Il
war. He was perfectly in accord wi
General Crooks policy, which h
proven 30 ontisfscGory, Bot just
this time orders from Washington {
the concentration Of all the Indians
San Carlos agency were received. T
ring had commenced It's work. 4