Arizona silver belt., 1893-06-03
CnE TROURLE RETWEEN CArTLRuEN AND LIEUT.. JOHNSON or TT ApACnE.

Nht fhVthAi ttaNWSEN tAtEAEWEN
 AND LIEUT.. JOHNSON or TT ApACnE.
 The removal of trespassing cattle from the northern and eastern portion of the White Mountain reservation ap- pears to have occasioned a good deal of friction and ill-feeling between the officers charged with the enforcement of the law and the owners of the stock driven of. Tho eattlemen have given publicity to their grievances through the medium of printers ink, and from the information ir our possession their wrongs have been magnihed, and Lieut. Arthur Johnson, in charge of the White Mountain Indians at Fort Apache, too severely critisized.
 1t is but natural that so unpopular @ law should meet with opposition from citizens living contiguous to the reser- vation, and especially from stockmen who are unable to restrain their stock from straying onto interdicted territo- ry, even were they so disposed. The apparent injustice of the law seems still greater at time like the present when the open range has been denuded ofalmost every vestige of plant life that could afford stsjenanee to stock. while adjacent lo these barren ranges are thousands of acres of almost un- trodden pasture, rich in succulent grasses, reserved for the Indians vet not utilized by them, and from which no benefit is derived Yet so long as the law stands and immense reserva- tions are set aside by the government for the exclusive use of the Indians. the officers detailed for that duty must enforce the law
 The present trouble arose from the removal of Mir Huning's cattle by AL chesay and his band of Indians. As there were some strays among tie cattle gathered belonging to various outfits Lieut. Johnson decided it best to drive the stock to the post and not fly the several owners by letter so that they might recover their animals.
 However, Mr. Huning's foreman came to the post and after counting 1 the cattle they were turned over to the ! cowboys to be escorted of by Indians | sent by Lieut.. Johnson for that pur- pose. It is alleged that the foreman | hired some Indians to drive the cattle | for him, and he and his two cowboys | left for his camp north of the reserva- | ton. tis claimed it was during this drive, by Indians hired by Huning's | foreman, that the hard driving, killing and mutilation of calves took place. If these are the facts Lieut.. Johnson is exonerated from blame.
 The charge of partiality in the exc. cution of the order of removal, is made by those whose stock has been elected. but it is announced as the purpose of the officer charged with the duty. to remove stray stock from the north western and western portions of the reservation, also, as soon as it can be done. It may be that the fact that the Chiricahua Cattle Co. are allowed to graze their cattle on the reservation is not understood by other cattle own eIs, but it is true, nevertheless, that the Chircahua Co have special per init from the Interior Department. Why the discrimination in their favor should be made is a mystery.
 The instructions of Captain Lewis Johnson, Acting Agent at San Carlos, to Lieut.. Johnson in the execution of the law for the removal of trespassing stock is to see that the law is not vio- lated by any one acting under his direction; that no animals while being so removed are wantonly injured, and that stock be driven by shortest prac- ticable route to nearest point of the Indian reservation boundary, and driven just of the Indian lands, and no farther It is directed that in exc cutting this dnty, the officer in com mand or some authorized subordinate of the Interior Department should in- variably be present to give necessary orders. It is further recommended in the instructions that the employment of Indians, where liable to produce trouble with whites, especially where the mutual interests clash, should be limited as much as possible.