The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-19

ana equipped TO the utmost completeness their
| armory would permit with needeguns shotguns,
| six shooters, bows and arrows, butcher knives.
| spears, lances, etc. score or more of those
! troublesome squaws were, of course, on hand.
| AS before stated the building in which my
| reserve police were resting was situated about
| 100 yards south Of the main agency building and
! on a line with it, while to the eastward was
| large parade ground. Upon this parade l col
| lected Geronimo and mis- sulen clan. Every man
IN my command had his gun loaded and forty
| rounds Of ammunition in his belt. / stood on the
| perch IN front of the agency. The body guard
| of twenty-five who had accompanied me to the
agency had deployed in skirmish line south
ward from me to the commssary building and
| northward to deep gulch. The police in the
| commissary building were instructed that upon
| a given signal the door would open, and they
were to rush out in single file at interas of five
| PAGES and form in skirmish line on the south,
east and north of the parade ground, which,
| with the line already formed on the west by my
select guard of twenty five, would completely
| surround the renegades.
| The renegades were cautiously gathered in
! solid group III front Of me, and, as is their Gus
| tum on such occasions their worst men land
| just the men l wanted), such as Geronimo, Cor
! do Panca, Francisco, etc, were pressed so close
| to me that could have touched each of them
| without moving my position. They understand
| that the immediate presence OF such desperate
| characters, fully armed and hideous with war
paint, is anything but reassuring to pale face"
| When all was ready l said to Geron-
| imo that [ had come long way to have
| talk with him and his people; that had matters
| of Importance to speak of, but if my words were
| observed with caution. no serious harm would
| be done them then. To this he replied with
| naughty Indifference that IF observed proper
| caution in what | said no serious harm would be
| done u.s." The moment of desperate anxiety
| and excitement had arrived Would they, upon
| discovering our superior force and arms, submit
without a struggle, or would the next moment
witness hahd-to- hand fight to the death be-
Dor
and best fighters the Apache tribes of Arizona
could furnish! On either side were the most
determined of men. The slightest cause might
change the history of the day. The signal was
given; the door of the commissary opened; one
by one the police appeared, and on dead run
took the course indicated for the skirmish line,
each one on the alert, with arms ready for in
slant action The renegades observed the ap-
pearance of the first dozen with an expression
that seemed to Say, well, we miscounted but
what is dozen, more or lessW But by the time
a score more had passed the commissary portal
| they grew nervous and began to move about SO
as to occupy more space and give room for ac-
ton. Then number moved slowly toward the
guich. They ordered back, but did not
heed our commands At this instant my chief
of police, Captain BeaUford, who large,
powerful man, and an experienced Indian
fighter, threw up his gun and drew bead
the foremost Indian moving toward the gulch
Instead of the report of the rifle we heard one
of those terrific yels, and heavy squaw sprang
upon Beauford, threw her arms about his shout
ders, and hung upon him in such manner as
to draw the muzzle of his gun nearly to the
ground, and for the instant pinioned his arms.
The brawny scout gave one look of amazement
and disgust, then, with one sweep of his great
right arm, he sent the squaw sprawling ten feet
from him, and up again went his gun. This
time dozen of the police followed his example,
but before a shot was fired one of the leaders of
the renegades called out, and the retreating In
dians returned BY this time my police were all
tDfth n ht1l1 OBJ
pleted. the renegades were outwitted and out
numbered, and virtually our prisoners.
During the moments occupied by the above
events had not forgotten to observe each eX-
preston of Geronimos countenance. A trusty
six shooter concealed in large pocket had been
held upon the renegade constantly, and in case
Of open hostlllties shot from the pocket
among the surprises had prepared for Geron-
| imo. l then insisted that the chiefs lay aside
| their arms during our talk. Geronimo objected
| but we had the advantage l took his gun, and
the same is still in my possession, much priced
| trophy of that expedition. The talk then began.
! In few minutes | said to Geronimo: II
believe we have met before" He replied.
grimly. Eyes; at Apache Pass about year
ago." said: you then promised to 60 with
me to San Carlos" To this he replied: Eyes,
| but you know went out TO bring in my people.
l got so far away that could not get back with
| in the time you allowed me, so did not return;
l afraid" Then told him about the kill
| ing of his dogs etc, his march to Sonora. the
|
| glance but made no reply. l then said to him,
| sarcaStically: Geronimo, / am great friend
| of yours and want to keep you near me- and lest
| you might get so far away again that you would
| be afraid to return, intend TO place you under
the watchful care of my police"
Geronimo was sitting directly in front of me.
| He looked at me steadily, fercely, but did not
move. A second time | said to him, Geronimo
| you must be taken to the guard house" Then
l added you must 60 now" He sprang quick
! ly to his feet. There was picture / shall never
| forget. He stood six feet in his moccasins, erect
| as mountain pine, every outline of his grace
| full and perfect form indicated strength and en-
| durance. His straight ebon locks fell to his
hips; his high cheekbones, his angular nose, his
| keen, black, flashing eye his proud and graceful
posture, made him, altogether, a model of his
race, the most perfect type of the Apache
have ever seen There he stood
| Geronimo the renegade, form
| that would command admiration, name and
| character dreaded by all. His black eve flashed
| fercely under the excitement of the moment;
| his form quivered with a suppressed anger.
| From his demeanor 1t was evident to ali that he
was hating between two purposes whether to
| draw his knife, his only remaining weapon cut
| right and left and die fighting. or to surrender
| My police were not slow to discern the thoughts
| of the renegade AS quick as thought one of
| them sprang forward and snatched the knife
! from GerOnimo's belt. At the same instant
| half-dozen guns were leveled upon HIM, and the
| first and only capture of Geronimo was COM
peted. He was conveyed to the guard-house
| and ironed.
Seven renegades were taken and ironed at
this time One May l, 1877 / left Oio Caliente
| for San Carlos with this entire tribe of Apaches
| including Victoria and his band. Geronimo and
the other prisoners in irons made my special
charge. These were carried in wagons by the
road while the main body went by the trail
over the mountains 10 Silver City. N. NJ where
we again united and marched together to San
Carlos arriving there in safety the latter part of
May. Geronimo was placed securely in the
guard-house at my agency, there to await the
| proper officers who should take him away to be
| tried by a civil court for murder and robbery
No such officers came Iresigned my commission
and left San Carlos on July l. 1877. Geronimo
was stll! in chains. have never seen him since,
| though | have been twice on his trail with