The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-06-24
Crooks Captives.

Episcopal Church and Join the Universalists.
Crooks Captives.
There Is a radical difference of opinion be-
tween Secretary TELLER and Gen. CROOK as
| to what shall be done with the surrendered
Apaches. Mr.. TELLER positively refuses to
receive the warriors on the San Carlos reser-
walton; and while no desires to put the chill
dren In the Indian schools at Hampton and
Carlisle, he contends that the adults should
be held as prisoners and tried and
punished as robbers and nurderers.
Gen. Crook, on the contrary. says that
these warriors, most Of whom voluntarily
surrendered when he might have had great
trouble in capturing them, cannot be treated
as having no rights; that 1t would BIO folly
to imprison or hang them, when many Of
their comrades are Watching to see how
they are treated before surrendering them
selves: and that the simplest plan Is to put
them back on the reservation among their
kith and kin.
The view OF Secretary TELLER, although
at first hailed with general approval. and
though 1t has some arguments In Its favor, Is
yet hasty and superficial. The moment no
heard OF CROOKS success in Mexico he an
nounced plan Of dealing with the captured
Chirlcahuas, assuming from erroneous prem
lses that CROOK would approve 1t. Agent
WILCOX, who dreaded tho increased care and
responsibility that would result from tho
return OF the renegades to the reservation,
telegraphcd that his Indians protested
against the presence OF the warriors, who,
he said. after having been fed at the agency
all winter, would go upon the war path again
next spring. Tho Secretary, surprising that
the troops would also object to this posi-
bility, concluded that the Indian soldiers
should be corralled apart, or dispersed among
various reservations, and some OF them per-
haps put In Jail for trial by the civil author
tiles; and no was palpably surprised that
Gen. CROOK should dissent from his plan.
Tho first of the reasons assigned by Mr.
TELLER for his proposal, that the agency
Indians do not want the surrendered hostiles
among them, may or may not DO well found
cd. The agent may have obtained such IN
assurance from few; but that the majority
entertain these feelings docs not appear at
all. On the contrary, it Is well known that
in some cases they have furnished the hos
tiles with information, and have taken care
OF their wives and children. But supposing
1t to be true that they do not sympathize
with the war party. this Is the best reason
for putting the latter upon the reservation.
They will there DO surrounded by watchful
guardians Of their own race; and, instead
OF having only one or two companies OF
troops to act as sentries over them, they will
be policed by thousands OF eyes, and the
earliest symptoms Of hostility will be quick
ly reported to the agency authorities.
A second reason assigned by Mr.. TELLER
Is that his appropriations aro not sufficient
for rationing tho captives. But no has al
ready undertaken to send the children to tho
Indian schools, and after prematurely tele-
graphing to Agent WILCOX to receive none OF
the women, as 1.-THE bucks must take care OF
them," he has now consented to admit q por-
tion Of tho latter. Yet when these women
and children are subtracted from CROOKS
captives. only small minority Is left There
We're but sixty or seventy men, up to late
date, reported among the prisoners: and tho
best authorities estimate tho entire number
OF warriors engaged In tho late hostilities
at only 105 The assumption that the In
dams on oil tho various reservations ore
counted 80 accurately. and the appropria-
lions voted by Congress meted out with such
nicety that the unexpected addition Of
few score extra dependents to any one agency.
would bankrupt the Indian Office is ludl-
crous. Besides, the War Department has
always surplus rations at hand; it has fur
nished hundreds OF thousands of them to
people at the West who were suffering from
flood or fire; 1t has, at request, supported
whole bands or tribes of Indians for weeks
when in danger OF starvation through the
incompeteney or knavery of agents or con-
tractors; and 1t also possesses contingent
money fund. available in such exigencies us
the present.
Finally, the assumption that the hostlles
would go upon the war path again next
spring Is gratuitous. II made suspicious by
double dealing, II alarmed by movements OF
the Tombstone Rangers to invade the reser-
walton, II disciplined like convicts by somc
foolish agent who cuts of their pledged al
lowance Of food because they do not plough,
or conform to some other of his notions, no
| doubt they will rebel. VIcrORIO him
self, after having returned to the res
ervation In good faith, upon the pledge
| Of protection, left 1t, between night
and morning, with all his followers, because
his scouts brought news of the approach OF a
Sheriff, with q warrant to arrest him for acts
done while he was at var. 1t is the business
OF the Indian police force Oh the agency, and
OF tho troops stationed in Arizona, u prevent
another outbreak in the spring; and il the
Indians are properly treated by q competent
governing authority, they will probably have
no desire to break out
'----------.------
Schuyler in the Far West.
Tho pious and cheerful man who retired
from public life In 1873, because the country
bado him 90 has boon lecturinn In tho To-