Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-06
GERoNIAlo AND HIs GANG.
Cry from the Southwest that They be
Given Up to Justice.

Cry from the Southwest that They be
Given Up TO Justice.
SANTA FE, n. NJ, March 9.--The people
pf New Mexico and Arizona are waiting
10 see what is going TO be done with &c.
fonimo and his fellow murderers. Peti.
lions have been extensively circulated
hnd signed, and forwarded TO the Score.
tary OF War, praying that Geronimo and
bis band be turned over to the civil au-
thorities for trial and punishment. This
would be entirely satisfactory providing
there was any assurance that punish
ment would follow trial. Very few peo-
pie recollect that the trials or attempted
trials Of bands OF Indians for murder re-
suit oftener in aoquittal than in oOnvic-
lion. This is generally the case, though
there be no question Of the guilt Of the &C
FUSED in the public mind.
A notable instance was an effort to pun
lsh Wtld-HoR and his gang, who went on
The Cheyenne raid from the Indian Terri
tory through Kansas and Nebraska back
70 their hunting-grOunds in the Black
lille. There was no question but they
murdered men, women and children and
Biole everything they could carry of.
Wild-Hog and his blo0dthirstY band were
the chief terrors Of the red whirlwind
that swept across two States and left a
broad track OF death and destruction.
This very chief and his lieutenants were
subsequently captured and taken to Fort
LeavenWOrth in irons. From there they
were removed TO the Douglas county Jail,
AT Lawrence, kept three months, and then
aTTaigned for murder.
They pleaded not guilty, Of course.
Then the question OF evidence came IN,
and the discovery was made that evidence
ennclent TO convict could not be pro-
pueed. Witnesses we're not ObtaInable
who could identity the murderers. The
band had generally done its work so thor
nughly that no witnesses were left. But
where witnesses were found OF the muir
neroue work on that raid they could not
identity the prisoners as the guilty
parties. Not more than one
person out Of a hundred can identify
an Indian under the most favorable cir
pumstances. They look very much alike
20 those who are unacquainted with them,
and those are invariably the people who
suffer in these border raids. Much less
are they capable Of Identifying Indians
who are fleeing from them or hiding away
10 save their lives. 10 the fear and eX-
ritement OF the sudden appearance OF a
burdening his recollection with peculiar
marks 20 that the Indian bearing them
can afterwards be Identified.
This proved true In the case Of Wild
Hog and his fellow-murderers, and they
all walked out Of court ''yindlcatedn ia
the eyes Of the law. IL was a clear case Of
''guilty but not proven" These savage
murderers were returned TO their tribe by
rail as far as they could 90, and then by
stage, ~ the expense Of the government
and with new blankets, and new war
paint, and new light upon the inability Of
rourts 10 punish Indians for Strengthening
white people.
And 50 Il would probably be With Ger
pnimo and his gang should they beAurned
over for trial 20 the civil authorities. In
tots case, however, there would likely be
iynchlng unless there was a very strong
military guard 70 prevent il. Every body
Knows that Geronimo and his followers