The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-22
AN INDIAN FIGHTER.
A Talk WITH LTEUTENANT CLARKE,
UNITED STATES ARMT.
Hunting the Indian Broncho-Their Re-
mnrkabIe Skill and shrewdness in Getting
AWAY from Pursuers-success In Following
aTraII-The "Kid."

markabie skill and shrewdness in Getting
Away from Pursuers-success In Following
Trail-Tbe "Kid."
Lieutenant Powhatan II. Clarke, who has
Just reached Baltimore from active service on
the frontier in Arizona,is enjoying few days
vacation before leaving for Germany. lieu-
tenant Clarke is the son of Professor Powhat-
an Clarke. of the Baltimore City College, IS
twenty-eight years old, and is relative OF
Captain Maxwell T. Clarke, Of Richmond.
He would pass for a younger man, as he bears
no indications Of the hardships he had TO en-
dure during his six years Of frontier life. lie
has a tall. wiry form. is active and muscular.
His eyes are blue and bright, and his face IS
full Of good humOr, with an expression as
mild a. a womans. His complexion Is iair'
and his hair and mustache are blonde.
Lieutenant Clarke was sent 10 the outer
posts in Texas in 1884. where he remainedsn
months. and had his first experience IN Indian
warfare His duties were comparatively
light and he worked into harness by easy
stages for the hardships he was afterwards
10 endure From Texas he was ordered TO
Arizona, where his time was spent IN protect
lug peaceful citizens and Indians from the
outlaws Of the Apache nation.
In a recent interview with the Baltimore
SIM he saws. AS soon as an Indian commits
any depreciation he becomes rowing scamp
with a disposition for any rascallty ana crime
and is n terror 10 the community on when ne
depredates He is then called 'broncho.
and is hunted down by the military authon-
ties with the same pertinacty that the police
in thickly settled communities search Tor CIV
ilized criminals. The bronchos usually travel
in parties of five or ten, and Their power for
harm il great. They are shrewd, tireless and
unscrupulous To kill men for horses, cloth
ing or arms is their chief business, and IN
hunting them caution is necessary 10 avoid
trap. Their movements are rapid, and II -
not uncommon for the same band TO commit
depredations in two places fifty miles apart on
the same day.
TO hunt these wild criminals the Govern
ment employs native, scouts. a. other"ls9 II
would be impossible 10 track them. The
faculty Of Indians for following a trial is
marvellous have seen them perform feats
in this line that would throw in the shade
the most thrilling narrative Of Kenmore
Cooper. When once they catch tran they
follow it with the precision ~ sleuth-
hound No matter how the original foot
steps become mixed with the impressions OF
cattle or of human feet they are not thrown
oil. but keep accurately to the trail. | have
seen them follow il for miles over rocks on
which it would seem impossible tor any I'M
preston 10 have been left This faculty they
begin 10 cultivate rs soon as they are able 10
walk. and as their minds are not nlled with
the cobwebs Of book-learning and other
civilized adjuncts 1t is not so remarkable that
thew become 50 keen at the work. II trail IS
lost the scouts following 1t Will scatter over
the plains like lot Of fox hounds on hunt,
and sooner or later IL will be caught mp again.
The one finding 1t Will give wh9opinS shout
to his comrades, when they flock 10 HIM Ike
hounds and follow up the trail Conlngupon
a broncho. or party of them, scout diyests
himself Of all his clothing except gag
string and will fall fiat on his stomach or
seek a shelter and commence hring. NO
orders are awaited from the officers IN COM
mand The 'brOnchos' always show fight when
discovered. and are desperate fighters, never
giving up until killed or disarmed.
I'm 1851 when GerOnlmO's band OF Chen-
canas were banished to Florida, a member OF
it named Massey jumped from the train near
Republican. Missouri. when the tram was
speeding along at forty miles an hour He
found his way back to Arizona, where MS
first act was TO slay a squaw and capture her
daughter. He took the gnl on his back and
started ont for the hills. He was then
'broncho.' and engaged i'll whatever evil deeds
came to hand. j was detailed with party OF
scouts TO hunt him down. We chased him
four DAYS without coming up with HIM.
On the fifth day while ascending hill,
scout in front Of me suddenly stopped and
said Quickly Look out threw his clothing Of
and fell 10 the ground. What Is it, asked;
'Broncho was the laconic reply. Hardly had
he answered when bullet whlZzed past me,
coming from depression below. l ordered
the other scouts up and a sharp fusade was
kept going for some time. The Old fellow
finally cot away leaving behind him all his
worldly possessions. except ms gun. We got
his pony, blanket and clothing, but the old
man had eluded Us.
1.-THE Kid formerly member OF Geroni-
mos band but who aiterward became Gov
eminent scout, killed in a drunken quarrel an
Apache chief He came 10 the post iInme-
diately. surrendered himself. and was ordered
TO throw down bis gun and 60 To the guard
house by Captain Pierce who had command.
While on his way 70 the guard-house an inter
prefer standing by tainted HIM with the fact
that he would be sent with the Chericanas 10
Florida and probably be hanged. This either
frightened or angered The Kid for he
turned and. picking up his gun. fired at Cap
tain Pierce. but missed him. He also fired at
First Sergeant Seiber, Of the troop.
wounding him in the leg. lie was captured
and contaminated and sentenced
TO the pententary at Yuma for life After
years Imprisonment the civil authorities
made a requisltiOn for him. He was delivered
TO them, tried for murder and sentenced 10 be
hanged. While on his way 10 PRISON, after
conviction, in charge of d sheriff and deputy;
lie HtlLfu INC h4tlll l'NblNtAf Ch'b MN eliA
the deputy. killing both He also shot the
stage driver, the ball entering his face near
the mouth. and coming out at the back of his
neck. The man did not die, as the ball grazed
around Just under the skin. making only a
flesh wound. although any one seeing the
hole made by the ball would not have be-
lieved that a man could receive such wound
and live. The Kid escaped. and Is still at
large, one of the most desperate bronchOs in
Arizona
Lieutenant Clarke talks Interestingly about
Indians, but will not tell his own adventures.
He SAYS man takes his life in his hands in
the work that he has been doing, and has to
be alert and vigilant TO escape the bullets that
so often come from ambush. The least un-
warness or loss Of GOODNESS or courage would
mean instant death in hunting a br0ncho.
There is an excitement and fascination about
the life. however, to a man of excltable tenn
permanent that gives it spice and attractive
ness.