The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-23
CROOKS CApTIVES.
SHALL THEY BE RECEIVED INTO
THE REsERvATIONs
The Generals Urgent Reasons for Their
Kind Treatmcnt-He Thinks They Can be
Easily Organized and Disciplined.
fBv telegraph 10 the DIspatch.I

fly telegraph to the Dlspatch.l
WASHINGTON, June 22.--The following
telegram has been received at the War De-
partment from General Schotield, dated
San Francisco, June Doth:
General Crook telegraphs as follows:
81 see by the papers that Secretary Tel
Ter declines to receive on the San Carlos re-
servation any OF the Chiricahua Apaches ex-
cept the women and children. II these In.
dians are not fed they must either starye or
go back to the war-path. They are now as
thoroughly subiugated as it is possible for
them TO be. BY nature they are so suspi-
cious and vigilant that at no time will they
camp in one body, but occupy different
elevated points, making the surprise and
destruction OF the entire band an imposs-
bility. In like manner i'm surrendering.
they would not trust themselves IN our
hands at once, but come dropping i'm from
all sides in small fragments. They
would say, I'VE give ourselves up I;
do with us as you please Had
| seized upon the first who came
in no Others would have followed.
Twenty warriors would have been as bad
as the whole number. Chitto in his raid
through Arizona and New Mexico had but
twenty-siX men, and IIlronimi in his re-
cent depredations IN chihuahua had less
than forty. When the Chiricahuas reach
the reservation they will be fully as nervous
and distrustful. Any attempt to hold them
responsible for their acts before their sur
render will drive them back to the cliffs
and gorges OF the mountains, and we shall
then have TO fight them until the last one
dies. In their code all depredatons COM
mitted upon ourselves and the MeXi-
cans while at war are Legitimate.
While it is repellInt to my feel
ings 10 put these rcd-handed murderers
on the reservation, reflect that they are
no worse than were six thousand Apaches
put on the reservation ten years ago.
Then had nothing but soldiers and scouts,
who had subiugated them, to organize ana
discipline six thousand; but to discipline
and control this handful OF Chiricahuas
we would have not only soldiers and
scouts, but the valuable assistance OF all
other Indians, who would watch with
jealousy the slightest movement the
Chircahuas might make. | am sat
isfied that the Chiricahuas would not
have surrendered to the McXicans under
any circumstances, and il / am not sus-
tanned now will not surrender to us again.
Their natural distrust and suspicion have
been increased tenfold by an act OF treach-
cry which they alege the MeXicans COM
mitted some months ago. The ChiricahuaS
were invited in to make peace, filled up
with liquor, and then attacked, many being
killed and wounded, and others being car
ricd off as prisoners"
To this General Schofield adds: 81 re-
commend for the present at least that the
management OF the surrendered Chirica-
huas be left entirely in the hands OF Gene
raj Crook. and that both the War and Int
rior Departments give him full authority
and means to carry ont this policy. This
seems to be the only possible way to n sue
ccssful issue. Evidently the Chiricahuas
can't be treated arbitrarily as prisoners
OF war, and General Crook alone
has the power to control them.
Please inform me by telegraph before
/ proceed further whether or not it
is the intention OF the Interior Department
TO take charge OF these Indians. l shall be
only too glad TO get rid OF the hard work
and responsibility their management VIII
entail"
\ COPY OF the telegram was to-day sent
TO the Secretary Of the Interior by Secretary
Lincoln with request that he indicate his
pleasure touching the disposition OF these
Indians.
SECRETARY TELLER's VIEWS on THE SUBJECT.
WASHINGTON. June 22.-Secretary Teller
was asked tonight by an AssOclated-Press
reporter whether he had reached any con-
clusion with regard 10 the disposition OF
General Crooks captiyes. He said he was
willing to take the children and unmarried
women. and put the former to school and
the latter upon the reservation; but ~ TO
the others they should not 60 upon the re-
seryation. His reasons were-lst, that
the Indians now upon the reservation, the
Indian agents, and the white settlers in the
surrounding country did not want them
there: I'd, that putting them upon the re-
seryation would practically turn them
loose. because they would only remain un-
iii next spnng. when they would go upon
the wqr-path AGAIN; Sd, his appropriations
for the support Of Indians would not allow
of his keeping 400 or 500 OF Crooks cap
tivcs.
Secretary Teller said also that he did not
think there would be any disagreement be-
tween himself aud the Secretary OF War as
to the disposition OF these Indians, and that
when General Crook understood the cir
cumstances he would not ask to have them
placed upon the reservation. The Score
tary said further that his appropriations
would not permit OF his undertaking the
care OF captured hostileS, many OF whom,
he said, were not American, but Mexican
Indians. The War Department had $4,000
at its disposal for the support Of Indian
prisoners. He thought the War Depart
ment should take the Indians and corral
them for awhile until they became some
what tame. 1t would, he thought, be bad
for the Indians now on the reservation,
bad for the settlers in the surrounding
country, and bad for the captured Indians
themselves If they were placed upon the