Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-21
THE CAPTIVE APACHES.
Their Punishment Not So Light After
2 All.
CONFINEMENT IN A YELLOW FEVER COUNTRY,
AWAY FROM THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN
COMPLICATIONS OF THE CASE

A~AI fkoM THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN
COMPLICATIONS OF THE CASE.
The action of the President iD directing that
Geronimo and fifteen of his followers be sent to
Fort Pickens, Fla, and the remainder of the
Apaches who surrendered to Gen. Miles to Fort
Marion, Fla, Is the final disposition of the hos
tile Apaches. This action bears out the re-
peated prediction in The STAR that the fact
that Gen. Miles granted terms of some kind to
the Indians precluded their punishment in any
other way than keeping them prisoners in mill
tary custody.
FORT PICKENs,
where the leaders of the hostile band are to
pass the remainder Of their days in close con-
hnement. is situated on o spit OF sand just at
the entrance of Pensacola harbor. Two COM
panles OF artillery are usually stationed at the
fort, but at the approach of the yellow fever
season the garrison is Withdrawn into the in
teri terror. and at present is located at Atlanta
Ihe Indians will be sent there as soon as prac-
ticahie and permanent guard detailed to hold
them as prisoners. A question to be hereafter
liable to an attack Of yellow fever, or whether
troops will be kept TO guard them at Fort Pick
ems en- the year round. II is the impression at the
war department that
THEY WILL NEVER BE REMOVED
nom the fort, and that soldiers and Indians
alike Will have to take their chances with yel-
low fever. Their close confinement at the iso-
lated fort far away from their wives and child
rem. who are relegated to Fort Marion, is re-
earded by military officials as very severe
punishment. and they think that the bucks
will feel 1t terribly. Their family affections are
very strong, and their association with their
wives and children is the only soitening char
acteristc of their life, which otherwise Is one
continuous struggle.
COMPLICATIONS OF THE CASE.
1t is learned that the President received off,
cial requests from Gov. Zulick, Of Arizona, for
the hostiles to be turned over to the civil
authorities Of the territory 10 answer for their
various crimes, and that, through the district
attorney OF Arizona and the Attorney General.
there was abundant information at hand to
convict the hostiles OF numerous mur-
ders. In view OF these facts, the President was
desrous OF ascertaning what the exact terms
OF surrender were before acting in the matter,
ana hence the delay in deciding upon
their final disposition. General Miles
Acknowledges that he accepted the sur
render of the hostiles as prisoners of war,
which would preclude their being given into
the hands of the civil authorities. AS they
were considered merely as marauding outlaws,
and not pubic enemies, they could not be pun
1shed by military commission, and the Prcsi-
dent was compelled to prescribe the only severe
punishment in his power under the oircum-
stances, close confinement under military
custody.
In view OF the still unsettled question as to
what exact promises were made by Gen. Miles,
1t js suggested that 1t might be we'll to obtain
the version of the surrender from the Indians,
with view of finally settling the dispute.