The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-16
HE KNEW APACHE KID.
George Hickey Refuses to Believe
That the Outlaw Is Dend.

That the Outlaw Is Dend.
From St Louis Post-Dispatch
The biggest news item that came out of
the west during the week was the reported
death of Apache Kid
Out this way Apache Kid wasn't much
of a celebrity, but for miles along the
Guadalupe canon he was great guns
Kid was a mean Indian, who tried to
kill white man or a grengo every day,
and turned his hand to thieving when be
couldn't find human game.
There was great rejoicing in the Apache
country when a squaw came down from
the mountains last week and said that
the outlaws body was rotting among the
rocks. She admitted that he had stolen
her and she staid with him until he sue
cumbed to loathsome disease.
George Hickey, who runs a tobacconist
shop at 1O18 Franklin avenue, laughed
when he read the story.
Apache Kids body has been rotting in
the Sierra Madre foothills oftener than
have fingers on my nand," was his COM
ment on the dispatch.
Hickey is an old prospector. He was
tallurgist. He came to America and pros
pected for twelve years through the
Apache country. He is still young man
though an occasional grA. hair betrays
his adventurous life
When the bottom dropped out of silver
Hickey came to st. Louis. He is making
money selling cigars and thinks of start
ing mining school this winter for pros
pectiVe KlOndtkerS.
During his sojourn in the west he made
the acquaintance of Apache Bill, and once
had an experience with him that overtops
the romancing of writer's of wild western
tales.
II can't believe Apache Bill dead said
Hickey, Saturday. He wasn't built for
dying like a rat in his hole When he
quits it viii be from a shock of lead. That
story about his body rotting among the
rocks has been told by half dozen women
he has turned loose. He has that story
circulated when he wants to keep quiet
and stop the endless pursuit that keeps
him always on the move.
He'll turn up again before the winter
sets in. He's not over 50. and he's too
tough to give up to disease.
1T met him first when he was scouting
for Gen. Miles He was attached to the
San Carlos reservation. Frank Leslie was
the chief of scouts and the Kid was his
best assistant He couldn't talk much
English, and for this reason 1 doubt the
rumor that he went to school at Carlisle,
Pa.
HE began his career as an outlaw by
running off from the reservation and kill
ing a buck against whom he had an old
grudge. He was sent to prison in Cali
fornia but was pardOned by President
Cleveland. He returned to Arizona and
soon the country was aroused by the
murder of two prospectors.
THE Kid turned up, was accused of the
tr;a nd n
onment He, two Indians and a Mexican
were being brought by Sheriff Reynolds
and deputy to prison when they escap-
ed. They were handcuffed, but Apache
Bill told his mates to strike the deputy
with their manacles and stun him. He
did the same for the sheriff. They told
the Mexican to skip out, killed the Off
GERS and took their guns and provisions.
after that the Kid waged incessant
warfare on the whites. had the misfort-
une to fall in with him in December, 1880.
II was prospecting in the Guadalupe
canon and making my headquarters at
John Halls ranch. Hall, myself John
Brldger of Blue Mills, Mo, and Bunk Rob
inson of San Saba county, Texas, both of
them COW herders, were the only ones on
the place.
on Dec 10 Bridger who had been up
in the hills branding cattle, said that the
Apaches were about for he had discover
and tenderloin taken out.
Robinson and I agreed to go out with
him In the morning, but it rained the next
day. On Dec 10 we rode up the canon
until we found the slaughtered beef Sure
enough there was the carcass, with the
forequarters untouched. 1t was a wild
ride up the rocky mountain side, and the
unpleasant part of it was that we weren't
ignorant of whose trail we were on. There
was one big moccasin print that belonged
to only one buck In Arizona. That was
Big Foot Apache Kids lieutenant, who
left a fourteen inch impression every time
his foot touched the earth.
Il measured that track and the others
around the camping place, and found that
there were twelve bucks in the band.
when l reached the slaughtered ami
NAL. Robinson pulled out a bottle of
strychnne and poisoned the meat, think
ing the Indians might return.
He had hardly replaced the bottle in
his pocket, when, fifty yards ahead. the
form of an Indian doomed above the rocks
He was mounted on rising ground. He
had been watching us, but when detected
he wheeled to run for cover.
Three Winchesters spoke at once.
by no Encouragement our guns had
clicked within fraction Of a second The
Indian fell back i'm his saddle, but his
foot caught in the strrup. The horse
darted down the mountain, dragging the
corpse with him.
I'VE scrambled over the rocks where he
fell picked up his knife and rifle and fol-
lowed to where the horse and rider had
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