The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-01
n APACHE CAPTIVE.
=. TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE OF LIT
ne ms ANIcETA CHAVEZ.

the Savages' BLOODY "orA'
a a'",,lly Treated by the saa"w''
.n.;ro the last Apache war, ended
'Duin oco there were two cases
zen ny white children were taken prs,
vn Drs bv the Indians aud ai.erw .,
cns .n rrcscoptired and restored 10 tneir
|weie soid n southwestern mining
friends, . s'iu
engineer . tho children captured
,l Inv in the last Apache war was
anu , ie'u McKin. The other was little
Ssll'ias old Mexican girl, Aniceta Cha
lv''I On lime 90, 1886, a detachment
v sMovican troops surprised Chief Geron-
o. me- hand 40 miles southeast OF Mag
Inv ,,oo. in Sonora. So sudden was their
' a."aI that the Indians fled, scattering
a''a aoror and at last making their escape.
. .So soldiers searched the scene OF the
a., .D tor the wounded and the plumber
n.y." came ~, upon little girl, ragged and
,n Ds,,scoted. hiding among the rocks.
ga VAS child of Mexican blood, and
0a Inv che was made aware that those
w. VIZ her were of her own race and
s sSS she told them her name and
story. c, uho bod
.0n odonted into the family of a ranch
s v named Peck, living near Calaba-
At On the previous April 81,
'sSon Geronimo made his bloody raid
;n 1 tbe Santa Cruz valley, he killed
Mrs. Peck and her young child, but
carried Aniceta into captivity. That he
snonld do SO surprising thing as to
snoro her life was due probably to the
fsct that in case of ultimately being
'Omnelled TO surrender to the United
States troops he might secure better
terms by having a prisoner to deliver
m 10 the whites. So the girl was hur-
red along with her captors and COM
npIled TO witness the other murders that
tbpv committed after their slaughter at
the Peck ranch.
at was hard work for her to keep up
with her captors, but her life depended
mit Several times that day the squaws
vould have killed her, but Geronimo
would not suffer it, though he allowed
Them TO abuse and beat her to their
hearts content. But she was only at
the beginning of her troubles From
the Santa Cruz valley the Indians
swung back to the Sierra Madre, and
their long journey through mountains
and desert was a rough and cruel one.
The Indians, pursued ceaselessly by
troops on both sides of the Mexican bor-
der, travelled all day, never stopping
for two nights in the same place. Their
one meal a day, which they ate at night,
consisted usually of horseflesh, but if
this were lacking and they were not
too closely followed the band scattered,
the bucks in search of small game and
The women to gather snakes, lizards,
gmbs and edible roots and plants with
which to make out satisfying meal.
Their only baggage, handled always by
the squaws, consisted of blankets and
papOOses in baskets, together with any
plumber they desired to take along. The
bucks carried their rifles and two belt.
Of cartridges each. Usually the Indians
bad plenty of horses to ride, but they
Did their fighting on foot. They had ex
cellent feldglasses, captured from thu
whites, and these they used constantly
IN travelling, one Indian rode in advance
q the band, exploring for danger
ahead, while another, mounted on ;
specially good horse, rode far in TIN
rear to signal to the others information
ci any signs he might sec of pursui
and ready at the right time to spur for
ward and warn them.
The Indian bucks, while they tool
nule notice Of Aniceta, were not un
kind to her, but to keep up with tn
party In its endless marching through
aOuntanous country was fearful tasl
lOr a child. Sometimes they followe,
nals and again traversed trackles
tslOn, often climbing heights SO stee
na. The Indians had to dismount an
sad their horses. When travelling afoot
ne was cautioned never to set her foe
~ sOit soil, but only on rocks or grass
MS was that her footprints might nc
r rlay the route the party was taking
uen pursuit was not hot after ther
'uu there was no danger in sight, &c
Vuimo would carry her on his horse.
ueii hight the Indians found time fc
SSus,uerable numbering and plunderin
'ne whites. She found the squaw
lure oloodthirsty and cruel than til
W and they were ever eager to hac
~ mutilate the bodies Of any whit
' "s,,, whom the warriors had killed.
"nere the Indians travelled she ha
'uea' except that they kept almo
se'her In the mountains. From I'll
as1 OF the scenery as she describe
na suu 1he few buildings she saw tf
;m a,ails must have kept most Of Il
J. ' wholly south Of the Mexican bo
nal was the suddenness Of the a
H. I y the Mexican troops that save
esn s NJ life, for if the squaws had M
ro MI ~, The moment panic stricken the
sin" s nave killed her to prevent HI
om; s 'ecaptured. But fortunately, b
bsi'u us separated from them in the col
IsS q she remained in hiding viii
h r reu' when found by the Mexican
pd was was IN good condition physical
f.;en'aiiy, except that she was wol
iatlgue and -