The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-06-04
A BOY ON THE WAR-PATH.
Santiago McKin Tells of his Life Among
the Apaches.

Santiago McKin is probably the only
11-ycar-old lad in America who has been
on a scalping tour with party of hos
tile Indians, writes Deming, New
Mexico, correspondent of the New York
San. He has just left this town for his
home, in company with his father, after
q captivity of seven months in the
Apache camp. When Geronimo and
his band surrendered the other day, the
soldiers were surprised TO find white
boy with them who could speak no En-
glish, though bearing unmistakable
traces of Celtic parentage. On securing
an interpreter it was found that the lit
tie fellow could talk Spanish quite fluent
ly, and by this means his story was OBJ
tanned.
Santiago's father is an Irishman, who
owns ranch on the Mimbres, three
miles from San Lorenzo, and his moth
er is Mexican woman. On the 18th
of last September he and an older broth
er were some distance from their home,
and in ignorance of the presence of In
dams, when rifle-shot alarmed them.
Looking up they saw six Indians ap-
preaching rapidly. Santiago's brother
was killed at the next fire, but the boy
escaped unhurt, only to be taken prison
er. The bucks threatened to cut him
up, but on the intercession of one of
their number he was turned over to the
care of the squaws, who followed in the
rear of the war party.
From that time on the boy was in no
danger of death, but all winter and un-
til two weeks ago he was compelled to
keep up with the hostiles in their rapid
movements from place to place, and
was an eyewitness to more than twenty
murders. When the savages took Santi-
ago in charge they were on their way
north. That evening they met Mexi-
can on the highway, whom they killed,
and the next day they surprised two
wood-choppers, killing one. The other
escaped, and the Indians hunted for him
for hours without success. AS the saw
ages proceeded they would fire their
rifles into the houses that they came
across, and frequently would set them
on fire, but in most cases the inhabi-
tants had fled. When white men were
seen and they were to be killed the
squaws would hide where they could OBJ
serve what was going on. Some of the
victims were butchered in the most
cowardly manner, after the warriors had
made protestations of friendship, and in
nearly all cases their bodies were mutt
lated.
Two days after his capture Santiago
says the Indians went into camp in u
valley few miles north of Cactus fiat,
about twenty miles from the White
house, in the Mogollons, and there they
remained, except as they went off on
brief marauding expeditions, for months.
Soon after their arrival at this place
they were joined by other savages, and
the squaws worked industriously to give
the camp an air of comfort. Some of
the bucks would steal away every day,
and on their return they would be load
cd with the plumber of ranches, travel
ers, and prospectors. The boys asser-
ton that during all this time the hostiles
were not once alarmed by troops, and
that he had not during his entire ex-
perience with the band seen anything
to indicate the presence of the army,
caused much chagrin among the sol
diers, as they had repeatedly said that
there were no savages in the Mogollons.
Coming in with scalps. ammunition,
arms, blankets, and clothing, and some
times with money and liquor, the braves
would pass the evenings in displaying
their trophies, Boosting of their achieve
ments, and gambling. One night a
war-party came in with lot of groceries
and candy. The latter was given to the
souaws. and thew ate so mnch of IL that