New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-07-03
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
TROOPS VERSUS INDIANS In ARIZONA
NO PROTECTION FOR sETTLERs-A GENERAL
CHARGE OF INEFfICIENCY.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

NO PROTECTION FOR sEITLERS-A GENERAL
I CHARGE OF INEFFICIENCy.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: One Of your reporters has had talk
with Lieutenant Davis. recently returned from Arizona
IN which tho latter is credited with statements so
papasly untrue that they call for notice. I'll take them
In their order. he this reply he will know that
the writer IL competent to give an opinion In the
premises as he is.
He says the people In Arizona arc "howling about
the neiciency of the troops" That is true Ichaengs
any to give a single instance Of ther efficiency
during the last eight years, except whom Major Ckafee
whipped some White Mountains In the Tonic Basin.
He gives what Is to be considered
an Illustration OF the difficulties under which the troops
labor as follows: "Given detachment Of troops at
New-York and another at Montreal, required to catch
an enemy moving from Albany TO Pistsburg with the
possibility Of finding water twice between New York
and Albany-mnd the possibility, not the certain
ty or even the probability And then when you catch
mp with the indiana they just scatter and that is the end
OF 1t so far as striking any serious blow Is concerned
There was time when Arizona was considered an arid
desert Lieutenant Davis dscredits the Intelligence OF
THE TRBUSEs readers and the people Of this country
when he tries at this late day to breathe life into that
dead libel There Is not part Of Arizona south Of the
thirty parallel and Of the Pima Villages where
there are not settlements and mining camps by tho
dozen within the distances he cites.
The latter part Of the above quotation about catch
ing up with the Indian" is ludicrous. l challenge
Lieutenant Davis to give instance Of the SORT When
General Carr roreated from the Cibicu in 1881, the
White Mountain Indians caught up with him and gave
him battle beneath the walls Of Fort Apache. LII the
same the Chircahuas broke from tho reservation
and went into Mexico killing as they went. There
were only sevcnty-five bucks, hampcrcd with women
and children and plumber. and there five compa-
MES Of soldiers after them, and hoy did not catch
up" General Wilcox could and did SEQ them from
Cedar Springs aud they could have overtaken them
within three hours-he dill no, try TO. The Indians
killed OF people and the troops captured squaw
Before the Chircahuas made their raid couple years
ago from Mexico into Arizona General Crook did not
" catch up" He did not even reach tho Southern Pacific
Railroad from Whippe Post until after the Indians had
had surfct OF KILN. and were back into Mexico This
all the repreheDsble In view OF tho fact that
the President Mr. Arthur the Secretary Of the Interior,
Mr. Teller and the Secretary OF War, Mr.. Lincoln
warned OF the probability Of the raid six weeks before 1t
occurred and asked their best eDdeavors to
the settlers The papers ought to be- on file
In Washington.
lie says: The only way anything DO
plishod take along friendly Indians and talk
the thing up over the camp fire. and lay for them" Lay
ing for chem Is what the soldiers doing last month
In the Guadalupe Pass but the Indians killed them and
,ass.d an don't know what Lieutenant Day, means
b. "lriendly Indidns Under his command and acting
as a sergeant OF the Indian scouts few weeks
Chatfo the nend who commanded the rdipg party that
killed the AcConas family B1nltO, implicated In the
Cldcu affair, in which eleven killed and
three wounded was also scout Natchez,
another welIknown murderer, now With the
loses. was a scout year There are friendly In
dams on he " hte Mountain Reservation. lumas Mo-
HAYES and TOntOs, but Chiricahua be friendly,
and mite Mountain Is safe to trust. The two tribes
are n"r-nnrrcd with each other and have been guilty
al repeated acts OF hostility since ISL.
lie slys: These fellows VINO are tearing up and down
Ar coma are ronghs that came up from Mexico"
lie KNOW, General Crook IL responsible for their
coming. lie Insisted upon their return, with absolute
Immunity from punishment, although tho Indian agent
the people OF Arizona and the Secretary OF
ths Interior. Mr. Teller. protested
He speaks OF the 10000 Apachcs In Arizona"
That is an inexcasahle ignorancethcre only 4752
Apaches n tAe Territory.
He SAYS: " I've known detachment OF troops TO 20
,cycnfy-two hours without water" That is only ex-
pana6e upon ground that the troops were after the
Indians, ana tho lat ter moved very slowly.
lie says: 1.-THE settlers there either lot or des
perllOrs they are easily sianpcded' The settlers
WHO have shown their hospitality to this man. and who
nave overlooked many Of his shortcomings. will be
grttled with his nppant estimate Of them. They'll
PASTE this little paragraph III their hats Tor him. IL ~
sufficient sag that the material wealth or
Arizona Ia S-l mora than 100 cent
and tina, outside OF thc punishment OF Major Chaiee
visited upou the Indians 10 effective DlOw has been
struck sccpt by whites who fell upon EskiDimo Jeus
baud ON the Aravpai and nearly wiped them out
Lieutenant DAVIS cannOt give an Instance when an
Innocent has been killed. can give lin In
stances hen murtcrcrs have been shielded Dy him
aud his superors and lifted above ths law.
The people of Arizona have SUFFICIENT reason 10 com
lain tie ile icicncy OF the troops, mora strictly
tsing the men who command them. ami the PROOF
protect the set add that the nefclency 81
GENERAL Crook Is the sole cause Of the murders OF last
month ana this. Yours. DONALD i.oDl
Aelr- York, juno ~, 1850