Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-11

fifteen sacks Of corn. wheat and barley, de.
stroyed five hundred and twenty-three pump
kins and took away thirty-two head of cattle
AFTER that went to Washington, and when
l returned they asked me IL 1 did not wan,
10 go back to my ranch on the San Pedro
l said no. l would not be safe there, and
would feel like man sitting on a chair
with some one scratching the sand out from
under the legs. Then Capt Pearce said
that / could select a farm on the reserva-
ton, so l went with Lieut.. Watson and Sc.
iected piece of land on the ella Just above
the subagency. Lieut.. Watson surveyed II
for me. 1 made ditch for irrigating, and
had water flowing in it, and had nearly
finished fencing the farm when / was ar.
rested. Since I have been away my wife
and some Of my children have looked after
the farm for me-"
Again in Trouble.
Such is part of the story of Es-kim-in-
Yin, but the drama does not end here. In
1871 his people were attacked and massa-
cred by citizens and In 1874 he was a
prisoner Of war in irons, disliked by some
In authority and regarded by them as a
bad Indian. In 1883 he was again COM
PEELED to flee from company of armed
citizens who were coming to take his life;
ms family was assaulted, driven away and
his ranch looted. Although compelled to
ABANDON the lands which he had improved
and occupied for ten years on the San
Pedro, he was still undismayed and once
more set himself 20 work to make a new
home on land within the limits Of the res
ervation which had been set apart by the
government for the sole use and benefit
OF the Indians. He had Just completed
some important Improvements when his
relatives committed crime, and 1t was
deemed Judicious cnce more to make Els
m-in-zin prisoner of war, and a little
later, 1t is asserted by his friends, without
trial and without giving the accused the
benefit Of single witness, the old Indian
was taken away from the reservation qua I'd
house at midnight. and sent into exile II is
said, as a military precautfon.
His friends claim that he Is disliked by
some people in authority, and that they al
leSe that he is bad Indian, liable to aid
and abet the renegades. but that the proof
OF these allegations does not appear to have
been filed with the papers in the case. Els
kim-i Gin is still at Mount Vernon bar
racks. Alabama, a prisoner Of war The
documents filed at the War Department by
the friends Of the Indian charge that he has
been accused falsely; that he has been per-
secuted. Inundated imprisoned ironed, and
finally exiled. not only without a trial. but
without specific charges. He is sharing the
same fate with Geronimo. who was always
renegade while in Arizona Es-kim in Yin
though broken hearted over his many mis-
fortunes is said by the authorities at Mount
Vernon barracks to be orderly and indus
tr1ous, and to be giving the community the
benefit Of his labor and Intelligence while
sell for his own benefit to the travellers he
meets at the railway station.
The Indians Plea.
Es-kim-in-zin. in concluding his final
plea, says: Since Put down a stone with
Gen. Howard many years ago, and prom
ised that l would never do anything wrong,
have rot broken my promise. ask to be
sent back to my family at San Carlos and
given the land surveyed by Lieut.. Watson;
that 1t be given me forever, and I will
never ask for rations or anything else for
myself or my family from the government
want to work like a white man and sup
port my family. / can do il, and will al
ways be a good man."
The Secretary of War has referred the
consideration of matters pertaining to the
Apache prisoners Of war to Capt. Davis
and II is understood that the War Depart
ment Is anxious to transfer the custody of
Es-kim-in-zin and the other prisoners to
the IT dian Office or to any responsible
parties who may have In view a plan look
ing to the Improvement of the conditions
and the permanent settlement of such In
dams