The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-10

subsistence by plumber. About all that
grows there is a little mescal, and they pre-
pare a very fair food from that. They hid
on these peaks until nearly starved, and then
started forth on their raids, The raid they
made in March was divided, one party being
sent to Sonora to steal stock and another to
Arizona to get ammunition but they got so
little from the people whom they killed that
they carried out no more than they
| brought in. GerinomO led the party through
Sonora, and Chatto headed that which went
through Arizona. Another evidence OF their
success in predatory warfare is the fact that
about 100 bucks have paralvzed all business
| interests for hundreds of miles around their
rendezvous, and have actually depopulated
| that country. General Tapete, commanding
the Mexican forces, says they have gone after
the Apaches with civilized troops, and found
that it was no use, for they may just as well
have hunted coyotes. He said that we had
one advantage over the Mexicans in that we
| could use the Apaches against each other"
You seem to De certain, General, that The
! little son of Judge McComas will be found
| and brought in. Is there any particular rea-
son for your confidenae?'
THE little fellow is six years old, and my
reason for feeling confident OF his return is
this: There are two Indians, Chatto and
Natchez, who lost members of their respect
i've families when the MeXicans induced
them last summer to come in and make
peace after they came in. however, the Mex
cans got them drunk, killed some of them
and held Others as prisoners, including these
members OF their families. They are very
| anxious to recover their families. and asked
me to do what could for them. l told them
that would do the best [ could but that
feared the Mexicans were so bitter against
them on account of their repeated outrages
| that my efforts would not be successful.
They asked me to do my best and prom
/ / vnttl1 al hiatt 1aa
covery of this boy would aid me more in
accomplishing the recovery of their families
| than anything else. ChattO, whose eyes filled
with tears, said soemnly that if that boy
was above ground he should be brought in
with the squaws who are now out"
What is your policy upon this Indian
question:
II never disarm Indians under the present
circumstances, because it has been my ex-
perience that in order to govern the
Indians you must not allow them to
think you are afraid of them. To take their
guns from them while the whites about
| them are allowed to carry arms would have
the effect to impress the Indian at once that
you were afraid of him. Another thing is
that when these Indians surrendered they
only brought in lanoeS, or Indifferent arms,
expecting to give them up Where
the Indians contemplate surrender they
always take the precaution to hide their good
NSohCH9 ANONi II bdN OCAiieiiuSN IlSoC al HIS
they brought with them they would have
| credited me with fear, while 1 would get
only those weapons which they did not at
tach any value to- This is always the case
where the attempt is made TO disarm them.
Since the introduction of the breech loading
gun the Indian problem has undergone
change. A breech-loader in the hands of an
Indian makes him very formidable enemy,
for every rock affords fertilization for him,
and he can keep us at bay while he deals
| death and destruction to the pursuing party
without the latter gaining anything in re-
turn. They handle the breech-loader with
remarkable quickness, and are good marks
men,