Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-18
ELwooD AND THE ApAcHEs.
"A Circumstance That Aided Him in
Getting Knowledge of Their Ways.

A Circumstance That Aided Him In
Getting knowledge of Their Ways.
From the Chicago Daily InterOcean.
Superstition forms the greater part OF
the Indians character" said John Elwood
yesterday. There are few people that
are in closer touch with the Indians. and
especially the Apaches, than Jack Elwood,
as he Is Familiarity known through the
Rockies. Jack is a character. Early in the
sixties Jack went to California. His for
tune did not come at once. and finally Jack
drfted hack toward the land of the rising
SUM- He landed in ARIZONA, and for years has
been one of the best-known prospectors in
that territory He lives at Phoenix, and is
getting almost too old, one would think,
to keep Up his efforts to uncover fortune,
but it would not be safe to tell Jack FL
wood that. In the latter part of the .5gh-
ties Jack had an experience while crossing
the plains that led to his close relations
with the Apaches, and since then he has
been one of the few who have the conf
dence of this band of warriors.
How did l get my great stand-in with
the Apaches? Well, I'll tell you, hardly
know" continued Elwood. II sort of grew
into their confidence, and have shared it
more or less since about 1886 Long in
January of that year had an occasion to
get pretty intimately acquainted with the
Apaches.
little adobe house. 1t is Off by itself, and
its occupants have no communion with any
of their neighbors. 1t is the home of an
Indian by the name of Melo, who. with his
wife and two children. lives quiet and SOL
itary life. They. like all Indians, are clan
nish. They do not want to associate with
the outside world. and have little or moth
ing to do with their own people. I am
about the only one who ever gets inside
the threshold of that little adobe cottage.
From its doorway. to the east, can be seen
in the distance -Four Peaks with their
ov,otf- Tyafrr
Phoenix and these mountains is broad
desert.
Early In January, 1886. 1 was crossing
that desert with a team. 1t is quite trip,
and the valley is quite warm even in jan
uary 1t is necessary to carry water across
this plain, and 1 had goodly supply in
barrel on the wagon. Everything was
going along in good shape until nearly
noon when an accident resulted in the loss
of every drop of water we had. 1t was i'm
possible to proceed far without water, and
yet tc remain there would be equally as Sc
rious. We did our best. Long in the even
ing 1 was picked up by band of Apaches
in an almost exhausted condition. They
gave me water and one young couple, who
seemed to be superior in intelligence, fed
me. /, however, did not have my full
senses. The terrible strain on a Cry alkali
plain without water and in a burning sun
was enough to turn any ones brain, tell
you.
Indians are superstitious. illogical and
childish to degree of which no civilized
man has any conception. This was to my
advantage. They thought me insane, and,
as they regard one out of his natural
mind as something supernatural and to be
revered, they treated me with the greatest
kindness. l did not trust the Indians. and
hence when began to recover my mental
balance tried to give no outward evidence
Of this fact and wandered among them In
a solitary and speechless manner. I was
shamming to get away all the time.
"A few days after my arrival at camp
#
the Indian who had fed and cared for me.
This Is not any more uncommon among the
Indians than elsewhere and although the
red man is paSSionately fond of children,
yet the appearance of twins and a crazy
man (as they thought mel forbode them
evil, and the medicine man said that Mrs.
Melo was a witch, and that she and her
infants must be sacrificed. Melo pleaded
for his wife, without avail. She did not at
tempt to escape. 1 was not yet able to I'M
derstand the Indian language, and it was
some time before 1 was aware of what
troubled my young friends. Already the
dance had commenced, and only few
hours remained before the mother and her
children would be burned. / made my
escape and succeeded in reaching the
agency. Here, with much trouble, I Sc
cured a detachment of cavalry and led
them back to the Indian camp.
II had no hope of being in time; but, for
tunately, the chief had eaten something
that did not agree with him. and the sacri-
flee was postponed few hours. When we
rode up the noise of the beating of tomtoms
and the singing of dancers drowned out
the sound Of our approach. In the distance
we could see the young wife and her two
children being driven into her shack, and
the warriors. with burning firebrands,
gradually closing in to ignite the funeral
pile. At this moment We were discovered,
and the dance was brought to a standstill.
The presence of the troopers was sufficient.
persuaded Melo and his wife to return to
Phoenix with me. They have lived there
since. and aided me in gaining knowledge
of the Apaches.'