The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-05-22

HOW GERONIMO Was CAPTURED.
Geronimo, or Hieronimo, as some of
the newspapers print the name, is one
of the renegade Apache chiefs, perhaps
the most warlike of them all, in pursuit
of whom Gen. Crook made his wonder
full march into the Sierra Madre q few
months since. He has been many times
prisoner, but has contrived to escape
justice and resume his bloody raids up
on the settlers of Arizona and Sonora.
In June, 1876, he was with the Chin
cahua Apaches in southeastern Arizona,
when the Indian agent came to remove
them to the great San Carlos reserva-
ton. But Geronimo, after asking for
an official pass and promising to come
to San Carlos, fed with two other rebel
chiefs, Juh and Nolgee, into Sonora.
In April, 1777, he was taken prisoner at
the Hot Springs Agency in New Mexi-
co and carried to San Carlos, where he
was kept in irons until July. Then he
was allowed the liberty Of the reserva-
ton, and soon escaped again, and was
next heard of on the war-path in Son
ora. Eighteen months later, lie surren-
dered to the military officer at Fort
John A. Rucker, where he was kept as
prisoner of war until he was transferred
to San Carlos. Probably the officials
failed to recognize his restless spirit
and craftiness, for he was given the lib
erty of the reservation the second time.
When, in the. spring of 1881, the in
competence of the Indian agent and the
laundering of the military caused what
is known as the Cibicu massacre, Ger
onimo fed from the reservation with
other Apaches; and since then his name
has been a synonym for bloodshed and
:.orror until Gen. Crooks martial expe-
di ton into Mexico.
When I was in New Mexico few
mon this since, + heard the story of how
Geronimo was captured, at the Hot
Springs Agency in 1877, from the lips
of his courageous captor, Indian Agent
Clum-the same efficient officer who,
from 1874 to 1877, brought together
more than four thousand wild Apaches
at San Carlos without the loss of sin
gle life.
In March, 1877, it was found that the
Ojo Calliente, or Hot Springs, reserva-
ton, in southern New Mexico, had be-
come harbor of refuge for renegade
Apaches. Geronimo, Gordo, Francesca
and Ponca were there. There, too. was
Victoria, who, in 1879 and 1880, led the
boldest and most murderous raids ever
known in New Mexico. He was killed
by Gen. Terrasas in Old Mexico in 1880.
It was the custom of renegades to
join the marauding Chincahuas on their
forage in southern Arizona and Old
Mexico. Then they came back to the
Hot Springs, and as the agent was I'M
able to control them, they recruited
themselves with Government supplies
for fresh deeds of robbery and blood
shed. The Legislature of Arizona had,
in 1876, appropriated ten thousand dol
Jars for equipping company of Indian
police to hunt down Geronimo and Juh.
Nevertheless, these crafty freebooters
remained unscatked.
So in 1877, Agent Clum received
orders from the Indian Department to
take a company Of his own Indian police,
proceed to the Southern Apache Agen-
cy at the Hot Springs, three hundred
and fifty miles to the eastward from
San Carlos, and to break up his nest
of robbers. This was not a pleasant
errand, considering the desperate char
acter fthe men whom Agent Clum
had to deal with; but it was his duty to
obey orders.
Taking about one hundred Indian
police, he started on the journey over
sandy deserts and through rocky passes,
to the Hot Springs in New Mexico.
But he arrived only to find himself
in dangerous plight. Gen. Hatch had
ordered eight companies of cavalry INTO
the field, and Agent Clum had arranged
that Maj. Wade, in command, should
meet him at the Agency on April Goth,
with three companies. But instead,
there was message from Maj. Wade,
saying that he would not he able to ar
rive for three days.
Clum found himselfin predicament,
for lie knew that if his party remained
waiting for Maj. Wade and the cavalry,
the renegades would learn of their
presence and escape. On the other
hand, there were about five hundred
Apaches on the reservation; and if he
attempted to make arrests and failed,
| there would be bloody fight, which
might end in the massacre of himself
and his followers. Yet he felt that it
was necessary for him to make every
| effort to carry out his orders and in the
| afternoon he rode up to the Agency
buildings, accompanied by twenty po-
lice, leaving the main body encamped
ten miles away. Three miles from the
Agency, in another direction, Geronimo,
Victoria, and the other renegades were
in camp. Their spies at once told them
that only twenty men had come to
the Agency, and supposing that
these were all, they felt secure and de-
faint. But as soon as night had fallen,
Agent Clum sent message to his po-
lice to come to the Agency before day
llSut. Ills lHlUllllll lnUlsluS reached MN
about four i'll the morning, and they
were hidden in large commissarv
building, fronting upon the plaza, or
parade ground.
At daylight Agent Clum sent cour-
Ter to the camp of Geronimo and Victor
ia, asking them and the other renegades
to come to the agency for council.
Presently about one hundred warriors
rode mp. Their faces were hideously
streaked with war paint. They were
completely armed with rifles, needle
guns, spears and bows. Geronimo, We
toria, Mana, Loco, Gordo and Pionsenav
rode proudly at their head. They dis
mounted and gathered in a semi circle
about the parade-ground.
On the porch, facing them stood
| Agent Clum with his twenty police on
either side. Geronimo and the other
most desperate chiefs stalked forward
and seated themselves on the porch, cx
pecting to intimidate Mr.. Clum by their