The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-06-23
CROOKS CAPTIVES.
Correspondence Touching Their
Disposition.
What o hink

WASHINGTON, June 22.-The fol-
lowing telegram is received at Tie
War Department: On
10 .he Adjutant General.
The following dispatch has just
been received from General Crook:
I recommend for the present at
least that the management OF tie
surrendered Chiricahuas be left en-
tirelv in the hands of Crook; that the
War and Interior Departments give
him full authority and the means to
carry out his policy. This seems to
be the only possible way of a success
full issue. Evidently the Chiricahuas
cannoJ be treated arbitrarily as prls-
oners of war. General Crook alone
has power to control them. He tele-
graphs: II see by the papers that
Secretary Teller declines to rereive
on the San Carlos reservation any
Chiricahua Apaches except women
and children. If these Indians are
not fed they must either starve or go
back to the warpath.' They are now
as thoroughly subjugated as it is pos
sible for them to be.
By nature they are so suspicious
and vigilant that at no time will they
camp in one body, but occupy differ
ent elevated points, making the sur
prise and dertEuction Of the entire
band an impossibility. In like man
ner in surrenderlng, they do not trust
themselves in our hands at once but
come dropping in from all sides in
small fragments. They would say we
give ourselves up to do with us as you
please. Had l seized upon the first
who came no others would have fol-
lowed. Twenty warriors would have
been as bad as the whole number.
Chitto, in his raid through Arizona
and New Mexico, had but 25 G
Hiranemo, in his recent depreciation
in Chihuahua had less than forty.
When the Chiricahuas reached the
reservation they were nervous and
distrustful. Any attempt t. hold them
responsible for their acts before their
surrender, will drive them back tothe
cliffs and gorges of the mountains.
We shall then have fights until the
last one dies. In their code depreda-
tions committed upon ourselves and
Mexicans, while at war, are legiti-
mate. While it is %repellant to my
feelings to put these red-handed muir
derers on conviction, [ reflect they
are no worse than were the six
thousand Apaches put on the reser-
walton ten years ago Then l had
nothing but soldiers and scouts, who
had subjugated them to organize and
disci pline 5000, but to discipline and
to control this handful Of Chirica-
huas will take not only soldiers and
scouts, out the valuable assistance OF
all the other Indians, who would
watch with jealousy the slightest
movement the Chiricahuas might
make. 1 am satisfied the Chirica-
huas would not have surrendered TO
the Mexicafs under any circum-
stances, and if I am not sustained
now will not surrender to us
again. Their natural distrust
and suspicion have been increased
ten fold by an act OF treachery which
they allege Mexicans committed
some months since. The Chirica-
huas were invited in to make peace.
Being filled up with liquor, they
were attacked and many killed and
wounded and others carried off pris-
oners. Please inform me by tele-
graph, before I proceed further,
whether or not it is the intention of
the Interior Department to take
charge of these Indians. / shall be
only too glad to get rid of the hard
work and responsibility their man.
agement will entail.
(Signed) S%CHoFIELD,
Major General.
Acopy Of the telegram was to-day
sent to the Secretary of the Interior
by Secretary Lincoln with the re-
quest that he will indicate his pleas
ure touching the disposition of these
Indiana