Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-09-24
WHAT WILL BE D0NEi
Some Doubt as to the Manner Of Disposing Of
the Captured Apaches

Gen. Drum, acting secretary Of war, has
given instructions that Geronimo, Natchez
and the other hosties who surrendered
with them be stopped at San Antonio and
imprisoned there until determination is
reached as TO what course Of procedure
can be undertaken against them. IL is
officially known that the surrender was
not made without conditions, but what
the conditions were beyond the agreement
/ that they should not he surrendered foT
trial in Arizona has not yet been reported.
/ 1t was in compliance with this coniition
that Gen. Miles started with the hostiles
for Florida.
Considerable surprise has been manifest
ed at Gen. Miles determination to remove
the captured Apaches from Arizona. The
reply of Gen. Miles is worthy of the man
and the occasion. He at once notified
Secretary Endicott that he would forward
his reasons for not desiring the return of
the Apaches to the reservation. Here is
portion of tho reply:
You ask me why | desire the removal Of
the Apaches from the territory | VIII
tell you in as few words rs possible. ask
IL in the name of the territory, whose
prospects and progress have been blasted
and retarded by the iendish cruelties OF
/ those Indians | ask it in the name and on
behalf of the widows and fatherless child
rem whose lives have been wrecked and
whose future has been darkened by the
numbering raids of these fends. ask 1T In
the name of the thousands OF lives that
have been offered up "a sacrifice TO the
reservation system. Finally, j ask II in
the name of civilization, which can never
make an advance in this territory so long
as the Indians are allowed periodically TO
terrorize the country.
1t is officially known that the surrender
was not made without conditions, but
what the conditions were, beyond the
agreement that they should not be sur
rendered for trial in Arizona, has not yet
been reported. Ii was in compliance
with this condition that Gen. Miles started
with the hostiles for Florida The deter
mination of q course OF procedure will
probably be made by the president, but
not until the terms Of the surrender and
all the attendant circumstances shall be
officially known. With the present knowl-
edge, it seems probable that the offenders
can neither be tried by a military court
martial nor by the civil authorities, but
that they may be tried as the Modocs were
by military commission. This is
tribunal for the institution of which there
are many well recognized precedents in
our own history, though it is one which
has as yet no recognition in statutory
law. The atrocities of these prisoners,
terrible as they were, are not thought to
be such as would bring them within the
jurisdiction of court martial, which Is
very limited nor would the civil courts
in the absence of witnesses meet the re-
quirements of the case, although the guilt
is notorious Under the circum stances a
military commission, which seems TO be
intermediate between n court-martial and
the tribunal of Judge Lynch, and which
is recognized by the leading publicists as
a necessity under certain circumstances
is perhaps the only court by which justice
could he meted out TO these murderers.
1t would, of course be composed Of mill
tary officers, and its proceedings would be
similar in character to those OF IA court
martial Little doubt is entertained by
those who know the character of the
Apaches that there will be found among
them a number who will readily betray
Geronimo and the other leaders - save
their own necks.