The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-05
DICK HUYL.

viii demonstrate, which she, by writing
his biography, seeks TO discharge. Dick
Huyl's history will never be written by
me, nor by any one else who knew him,
TO adorn a Sunday school library; he
was not that kind of a boy. Dick was
an Apache Indian, with all the character
istics of total depravity that the word
Apache conveys or suggests. We were
children together, Dick and l. We lived,
fought and played together for two years
in the same army post On one memor-
able occasion, Dick, instigated by the
deyil-for firmly believe in the devil,
if only for Apaches-dropped down the
neck Of my frock live toad. 1t was
the cause of my first fit of mysteries. and
determined. if ever grew old enough.
| would tell the whole world how bad
young Apache could be.
In 1872, If l remember rightly. Gen.
Crook had succeeded, after years of
bloody war and the loss of hundreds of
good men, in subduing most of the bands
composing the Apache nation OF New
Mexico and Arizona. They had dwelt
in the strongholds of mountain and
desert, from which they frequently
emerged to rob and murder all miners
OF emigrants that they could ambush,
leaving nothing for the human mind to
conceive of in the way of cruelty when
ever white man fell into their power.
At the reservation, although they were
well fed and quite decently treated. il
was necessary to watch them constant
II, and large bodies of troops were de-
tailed for that purpose. Nevertheless,
scarcely a week passed but small squad
of Apaches, usually led by some attract
i've squaw, would slip quietly past the
guards and escape through the darkness
into their beloved cactus plains and
mountain barreps. Roll call nearly every
morning developed these absentees, and
next day would come news Of murder,
rapine and horrors generally a favorite
Apache mode Of disposing OF the unsus-
pecting freighter, miner or emigrant
whose camp they had succeeded in raid
ing, was to tie the victim by the four
limbs to stakes, and then to build a fire
Oh that portion of his body designated
in the old fashioned almanacs "a virgo"
There seemed TO be something par
ticularly fascinating to the Apache tenn
permanent in this form of torture. Death
being long in coming, it gave the squaws
and pappooses plenty of chance to invent
small torments, Cd the side, as it were.
The women and children emigrants-
but enough. Suffice it to say that the
absolute hatred entertained by these In
dams for the whites was fully recipro-
Gated, especially by the soldiers. 1t was
no easy matter to track and successfully
follow the runavays through the cactus
and mesquit thickets, over the barren
deserts and desolate mountains that
make mp the topography of Arizona.
But in that parched country water is
only to be found at certain springs and
water holes" between which days of
travel often intervene, but which are
equally well known to soldiers and to
Indians.
SO when the morning report showed
to Gen. Crook that so many warriors,
squaws and pappooses were missing, the
grim old warrior would make no sign OF
pursuit, but on the night following, or
perhaps the next one, squadron OF
mounted men would file silently out of
the reservation bearing orders to move
as rapidly as possible 10 the water hole
OF Palo Pinto, or 70 Agna Grande
Spring, or to some other place where
the presence of the precious fluid favored
d camping place for the renegades. The
troops were always positively instructed
to bring back no prisoners, all matters
Of detail being left to the officers in COM
mand One June morning there was re-
ported missing eight Indians, eleven
squaws and pappooses, including Wah-
memo, than whom q mere deprayed and
cruel Indian never existed, even in Ar
Zona-
Two nights afterward squad Of the
Twenty third infantry. Crook own reg
iment. under Lieut.. Huyl, a splendid
young fellow. who has since left the
service, was sent ont on a scout with the
usual orders. No trace Of the renegades
was found, but burned ranch and stage
station and a cremated cowboy gave suf
fcient evidence Of Indians at large. The
next night, or rather Just at dawn. after
q long and falguing march. the scouts
reached a natural rock basin at the foOI
OF one of the steepest and most inacces-
sble knobs &c be found in desolate Ar
zona- This basin had often collected a
supply Of ac-id water. which. however.
was drinkable enough in that country.
= thin vapor Of smoke from q nearly
spent FIRE convinced the troopers that
their nights march had not been II vain.
and On creeping up as close "a possible
tie hostIles were outlined against the
rocks, fast asleep.
The little squadron silently deployed
cut 50 a. 70 avoid missing a single shot,
and at the word Ct command fired. kill
ing nearly every enc Of the indiana
The osLiers jumped Up only 10 be CT:
down by me reserve fire. The only two
unhu-t were WzEne1o and his Agar
Old pzppoose. Gr2spirg the child, be
sprang Tor the mountain SIDE, scaling tas
rocks Ike channels, amid a shower CT
bullets, soon dis;aacing MS pzrsusrs szd
getting ont % range Of their rites Halt
ing en- . snelt % rock, he SIT the child
down ID p.oce@ded TO i1daige Il eve-y
exhibition Of conts,nps and derision TIA,
RIA ina gIzssion coEid invent 70 agra
yste TIE discounted troopers. xh.
grashesi their several se1s CT teeth il
rage ~ me insults Of tie cid heashs-r.
They we're relieved al Last by tne arr1vsl
q L;e-ft. Huvi, who bore n his hand
new tzrges rife. received only TIE dzy
f.zfrrr ffa scrsssts ssar-sS