The Washington critic., 1890-02-12

MIR. w. II. II. LewelIyn Tells Some
thing OF tho "Meanost and Bravestn
Red Men in the United States
Their Ferocious Atrocities,
On the recommendation of General
Crook and other military authorities
the Senate has passed a resolution to
remove certain Apachcs now at Mt.
Vernon, Ala, to the Kiowa, Comanche
and Apache reservations in the south.
west portion Of Indian Territory.
There are $50 of these Indians, men,
womfn and children, few less than
when they were moved to Alabama
three years ago.
Mr.. w. Ii. II. Lewellyn, who was
for long time agent to the Mescalero
Apachts, and who appeared on Mon
day in protest before the House Com
mittee considering the Senate resolu.
lion, said TO a CRITIC reporter lastnight
that nobody but man intimately ac-
quainied with the affairs of New Mex.
leo and Arizona could understand what
calamity TO that section the return of
the Apaches would be. The Apaches,"
said he. "arc at once the meanest and
the bravest Indians in the United
States, and their presence on the reser-
walton 10 which ii is now proposed to
transfer them would be constant
menace to the whites. During the few
years which have elapsed since the re.
mOval of the Apaches we have enjoyed
peace, and the country has been set
Ting rapidly, but the fear of the
Apaches is such that their presence
would partially paralyze our industry
and Tetard our immigration. We have
record of over 600 people killed by
these same Indians and the Hot Spring
Apachcs from 1870 TO 1SS6-and heaven
only knows how many butcheries are
unrecorded.
Let me tell you how we finally forced
the Administration of President Cleve.
land 10 begin the action which led to
the prosecution of II vigorous warfare
against the Apaches, and the removal
of the worst of them to Alabama.
They had committed outrage after out.
rage. Judge MoComas and his wife
had been killed and their child carried
into a captivity from which it has never
been recovered; three boys had been
caught, taken to a butcher. shop, and
hanged by the back of the head on the
large iron meat hooks. We sent the
stories of these atrocities, and Others
scarcely less revolving, to Washington;
we prepared petitions and dispatched
them by messengers whom we consid-
cred worthy of influence, but all to no
purpose. Finally Mrs. Yeader, who
had come TO New Mexico from War
rensburg, Mo-, was killed by the saw
ages after the most horrible torture and
mutilstion. We secured her blood
stained garments and sent them to
Grover Cleveland personally Then
Crook was ordered to take the field.
Ten Apacbes area big war party.
When the Apaches attempt to escape
they fly like the wind They ride their
horses fufiously 10 the first corral, kill
them. steal new ones-then to the next
corral and so on They have been
known TO cover 113 miles between sun
rise and shutdown. They-seldom make
square fight like the Sioux or
Comanches. An Apache will lie be.
hind "A rock or log, waiting for a chance
to murder somebody for days. And
yet these tactics are not the result of
cowardice; when he considers it ne
cessary TO be brave the Apache stakes
his life as recklessly as anybody. And
he is indomitable in the pursuit Of an
object While agent l sent five
Apaches to Fort Leavenworth. They
were transferred to Fort Sill, escaped
from there and returned to my agency,
having walked over 100 miles. They
were gone about three months.
The Apaches make an intoxicating
drink from corn, oats or barley-corn
preferred-which they use with the de
liberate purpose of getting drunk.
They starve themselves for three oil
four days in order that they may be-
come drunk quickly and thoroughly.
They call this drink It's win, and
when they are under its influence they
are uncomfortable tiends. If they can't
find white to shoot they shoot each
other.
THE Apaches in Alabama are under
military surveillance and should be KEEP
there. AT least, they should not b
brought west of the Mississippi River
The people of Arizona and New
Mexico would, l am sure, be glad t
buy them reservation in any Eastern
State if that were necessary to insur,
their separation from the country which
they cursed so long"
Mr.. Lewellyn has three scars on BIZ
body made by Apache bullets which ht
received while acting as agent. But h,
quelled the insurreetion.