The Colfax chronicle., 1900-07-14
THE Willy GERONIMO.
Dad Old Apache Always ON the Alert
to Escape = Great at
Poker.


;.rmy officers at Fort Sill. Oklahoma
territory, contradict the story that
Geronimo, the old Apache chief, is be-
coming insane. Geronimo was taken
up there five years ago from Fort Pick
ems, Fla, where he was imprisoned first
| after his capture by Gen. Miles in 1857,
says the Kansas City (Mo.) Journal.
''That old sinner is as sane as am"
said an officer at the fort. whenever
you hear rumors to the effect that
Geronimo is crazy it may be set down
that he is planning to fool the guards
and escape. We expect him to attempt
to get away any time"
Geronimo is not confined in cell
now, but is allowed the freedom of the
reservation. He is always accompa-
MED by guard. The officers allow
the old chief to carry revolver, but
| take care that it is never loaded. He
handles the gun as fondly as moth
er would baby.
"Geronimo is great card player"
said the officer, "and his tricks at
monte and poker keep the rest of the
| Indians around the fort broke nearly
all the time. We had a great card
game here on a recent Sunday, with
Geronimo against the field. The old
sinner broke about a dozen soldiers
and then commenced on his fellow-In-
dians. He played them for blankets,
feathers and plumes, and now he has
the finest wardrobe of any Indian on
the reservation. He feels proud of his
poker trophies.
EARLY Sunday morning Geronimo
and a number of soldiers engaged in
quiet game of monte back of the
Government house. The old redskin
was less than an hour in raking in
their little pile of $50. Then he start
ed in to play poker with Happy Jack,
a cow-puncher, who lives wherever his
hats off, but generally holds out at
Fort Sill. Geronimo soon had the cow
puncher's money in his pocket, and
then the Indians around there lost all
their fancy trinkets.
1T is an interesting sight to see the
old man shuttle the pasteboards. He il
undoubtedly the bravest gambler that
ever put his knees under poker table.
There is no bluff about him. He plays
a fair and square game and expects
others to do the same. He never hesi-
tates about bet, and his judgment
is always good. When you raise him
a stiff amount. his cold. gray eyes
seem to penetrate your thoughts for
the instant, and then his mind is made
up as to whether you are running q
bluff or holding a good hand.
"One curious thing about it is that
Geronimo nearly always gives his win.
nings to civilized Indian children to
spend for an education. Notwith-
standing the fact that he can neither
read nor write, he insists that the
rising generation should follow in the
white mans trail. Apache trail NO
good any more he says.
81 recollect a queer little incident
that happened here year ago." the
officer went on to say. "Burbanks
the Chicago Indian painter. came down
here to make picture of Geronimo. ]
suppose that Burbank knows Geroni.
mos features better than any man in
America, for he has painted his por-
trait 20 times. After a lot of dicker-
ing about the price for posing, for
Geronimo raises the figures every time
on Burbank, they struck bargain.
Then the artist wanted to get plas-
ter cast of his hand.
"'No, heap bad medicine said
Geronimo.
"'Oh, but you're medicine man as
well as a great chief said Burbank.
who knows how to fiatter the Indians,
'and you can make it all right
Finally he got the plaster cast
Geronimo's hand is short. thick, fingers
blunt, nails broken, and palm deeply
scanned. Burbank took the cast to Chi
cago and showed it to another artist,
Ralph Clarkson.
"'Whose hand do you suppose that
is?' said Burbank. Haven't any idea,
said Clarkson, as he took the cast and
began to study it. BY George, but
that's the hand of brute he ex-
claimed, after making minute inspec-
ton.
''And Clarkson hit it right" said the
officer. Geronimo is thorough saw
age, always has been one, and always
will be. He's one of the kind you can't
civilize."