Los Angeles daily herald., 1885-12-04
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
General Crooks Last An
nual Report.
TROUBLE WITH INDIAN AGENTS
General Schofleld Presents q Very
Sensible Report and Recon-
mends More Troops.

WAsHINgTOS, december 3.-Briga
dier-General Crook, commanding the De-
partment OF Arizona, in his annual re-
port, describes at considerable length the
circumstances which attended the out
break Of the Chiricahuas under Geronimo,
Mangus and other chiefs last spring, aud
declares substantially that the want Of
harmony between the agents. the Interior
Department and military makes such
outbreaks possible. He says that upon
returning to the Department Of Arizona
in 1882, he found the Apaches hnddled
about the agency. There was no land
for them to cultivate. The Indians COM
planned Of this, and the agent, Mr.. Will
cox, acknowledged the justice Of the
complaint, bnt said he was acting In
strict compliance win his orders In
keeping them there. He said, how.
ever, that il General Crook would
take the whole responsibility OF
their management he fWilcox) would
make no objection to their removal to
other localities within the reservation.
The Chiricahuas were then out and II
was agreed on all hands that it was best
TO bring in oil that could not be killed.
''rhis whole matter" writes General
Crook, twas fully understood before
started for Sierra Medre. Imagine my
surprise when ! reached the border, on
my return from Sierra Madre with
portion OF the Chiricabuas as captives,
to learn that the Agent had telegraphed
to Washington protesting against their
being brought on the reservation" Soon
afterwards General Crook was ordered
to Washington for consultation, and in
his presence after full discussion, the
memorandum was signed by the Seer.
tAries Of War and Interior by which
police controlof the eentirereservationw was
vested in the War Department, tsThe
scope Of this CONTROL be says, "Yas
thoroughly discussed and as thoroughly
understood, not only by myself but by
other persons present. viz; The Secre-
tary Of War, Secretary Of the Interior.
and Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
The idea that the authority which had
already exercised on the reservation
simply as q matter Of necessity was to
have been degree lessened or limited
was naver even hinted at on
the cohsrary, my duties and
powers were ~ agreement expressly
recognized and made Of record,
and were exercised and enforced with
out any objection for nearly two years.
Upon this express understanding made
myself responsible for the peace and
quiet Of the Indians. For more than
two years there was not single depre-
dstion by the Apaches. for the first time
in the memory Of the white man that so
long an interval Of peace had been en-
joyed in Arizona and New Mexico. As |
have said before, up to this time the
Indian Department seemed only too
willing TO have me manage the entire
Indian business, giving me most
hearty cooperation, and | certainly
could not conceive that with the
added danger Of the Chirica.
huas there would be any disagreement.
Months afterward, 1t appears that on
the very day that the above agreement
was entered into the Secretary Of the
Interior wrote to Agent Wilcox in terms
which must have convinced him that
neither he nor the Commissioner Of In
dian Affairs were In accordance with my
views 40 to Indian management, and at
the same time saying the agreement was
q makeshift TO relieve them from the
responsibility and transfer it to nay
shoulders. and also hinting that an ex-
precision Of views adverse to the method
OF settlemant would be agreeable to
the Department. The result was
inevitable, and on the 18th of Sep
tember l find Agent Wilcox COM
planning to ths Interior Depart
ment with reference to the agreement;
that it deprived him Of his power of the
government Of the Indians and lett little
to sustain his authority. and recon, mend
ing its termination. l have no knowl.
edge OF the contents OF confidential com.
munications between n the Indian Depart
ment aud its agent. hut as sequel I
find early in tho December following.
in less than fifteen months, the Com
missioner Of Indian Affairs in letter to
the Secretary of the Interior, takes the
ground that the agreement was with
the understanding that the military Off.
GERS were to have the supervision OF the
police regulations On the reservation,
uu1er thu, direction aud with the ap-
proval os the Indian Agent. With this
action Of the Interior Department off,
cials at Washington it is not to be won
dered that the dangers of divided con.
troll and want OF cooperation should be-
come manifest.
'In December. 1884. Agent vii.
cox was retired and Ford was ap.
pointed in his place. The new agent
worked in harmony with General Crook
for while, but by the middle of Janu-
afy he took another course, and Crook
reported the matter and asked that his
administration be sustained or that he
be relieved of all responsibility.
Pending the conferences between the
two departments at Washington
he was informed that the cues.
tion OF relieving him must in public
interest be held in abeyance for the
present. Thereupon General Crook
wrote the Adjutant.General letter, the
concluding paragraphs of which are as
follows; ''As this right Of control has
now been withdrawn from me, | must
respectfully decline to be any longer
held responsible for the behavior Of any
Indians on that reservation. Further, /
regret being compelled to say that, in
refusing to relieve me of this
responsibility las requested in my letter
OF January 20th). aud at the same time
taking from me the power by which
these Indians have been controlled and
compelled 70 engage in Industrial pur-
suits. the War Department destroys my
Influence and does an injustice to me
and to the service which | represent" ("
The outcome OF the matter was the M.
pointment Of Captain +. E. Pierce, First
Infantry. as Indian Agent at San Carlos,
and the dangers from divided responsi.
bility were ut an end.
Crowley Prepared.
SAN FRAScIsco, December 3.-In ref
erence to the effect Of resolution passed
bx, the X ris,hta af Tahar Convaot;e a.