Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-06-10
FIGHTING THE APAcHEs.

Experience of a Register Correspondent in
New Msxico-BIoody Indian Raids-rhe
Indian Policy of General Cook Criticized
by One of His Old Soldiers.
To he Editor Of he Register.
KINGSTON, SIERRA County, n. NJ, June 3.
Indians! Indians yelled Texas wild
man as he came riding up the canon to-
wards town, which was soon al astir, and a
certain class Of excitable folks were wild
with excitement and many ludicrous incl
dents could be related, but just now times
are too serious to admit of funny stories.
The aueakipg, vicious and bloodthirsty
Apache has been within gunshot of camp
for the past week, and everyone who goes
out Of town does so at the risk Of life.
For several DAYS we had rumors of In.
dams leaving the San Carlos reservation,
about one hundred and fifty miles west OF
here. and finally company of I. S. cavalry
came from the West and camped in our
yard" They left about the middle Of the
same night. Next day Indian signs" were
seen near camp, and the day following, just
after shutdown, the Texan above mentioned
was driven into town.
The people from the ranches in the vicin.
ity had come in when the first Indian
signs" were seen, and were campsd by our
spring, some fifteen or twenty women and
children, besides the men. We are about
onefourth Of mile from town. The In.
dams had chased this Texas man, who was
out looking for mules, to within a quarter Of
a mile of our house. Ny wife and three
children had just gone up town for SAFETY to
spend the uignr 1 WAS locking the door
when the wild cry of Indians"
sounded up the canon. ingered
around wi b my doublebarreied sd1rgun
and revolver until the women and children
got well under way towards town. One OF
the Texas party concluded he would stay
with the horses that were tied around, and
he remarked as i left, 'IIl look after the
horses, and if the damned Indians come, Ill
give them few shots II they think Will
not shoot they are left
From that time until now the camp has
been one series of excitemeuts, and nearly
every hour some one has come in with In
dian news. To-day mas been the quetest
day of the scare" and Sunday the most
excitable. News came in the morning that
all the ranches had been rsided betEee
Lake Valley and Hillsboro. This Is along
the stage road to the railroad, at Lake Val
lev, thirty miles away. This meant business.
Before this the Indians seemed to be trying
to avoid observation. a large band OF
them had gone south from Chloride aud
other points north, where they had raidsd
some ranches and committed some murders.
They passed through our ranch some three
miles east OF town and apparently went
south to near the Mexico line. The shots
that we're fred at the Texan were from
some of the scouts, who were probably
standing guard to prevent the main bodS
from being discovered.
Sunday morning the town was al astIr
with preparations to follow the Indians Sho
had raided the ranches in the valley. Cow
BOYS from the ranches were riding into town
and body of determined men we're pre-
paring to follow the raiders into their noun
tain srrongholds, some twenty miles from
here. Every man was armed with a re-
peating rife, generally a Wincheste', and
either one or two large siX-shooters. They
got stsr.ed about A. NJ, but throughout
the whole day the streets were tllet with
people, and every newcomer was askei
What is the news| and every OF e brought
some news Of the raiding Indians.
This Black Range country was formerly
the home of band of the Apache Indians,
and they have frequently declared that they
were going to have it. 1t is rough and well
wstered, with plenty Of timber and game,
and near the centre is stronghold-s kind
of park-Where the rowing bands have al
WAYS camped undisturbed. Ii Is thought
they are centering there with their stolen
stock, and the boys from here, Joined by
those from Hillsboro and neighboring
camps, with the Territorial militia under
Major Fountain, Of Los Census, have united
and are pushing the Indians into their
mountain hiding places
While nearly all the rsnehmen and miners
came in, some are still missing, and as peo-
pie are still afraid to 60 out to hunt for
missing stock, let alone murdered people.
we will not know the truth fo- several days
As far as know, we have suffered less than
any other section through which the Indians
passed.
To day has been q comparatively quiet
day. We are expecting every hour to hear
from the forces that went out after the
Indians None have been seen in the yicin
ity to day, the first day for over week.
This is the tenth day we have been living
in excitement. This is one Of the sttrac-
tons of the country that We did not expect
to see when We came out here, and had we
known this would not have been here.
Before we came out we had the assurance
of Gen. Crook that the Apsches would never
break out again. As soldier in the late
war, / had fought under Crook and had
learned to think that what he said ne meant
Many people here sneer at his Indian
policy" have always taken his part but
win confess that my confidence in him IS
an Indian manager is somewhat shaken.
This fighting them with soldiers is .
is perfect farce. 1.-THE United States army
is not to 6ght Indians, / do not know what
be s kSra for. Is this country to be con-
tinualIv Sa.D.r:ISS BY small band Of mur-
dererS an ~ IPeIIIee Were it not that the |
GoysrnmsDstU OOen q pretence of protec.
ion the c;,;..- 1uld soon put an end to |
bis Ipdisn 80; As IN, / am inclined |
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