Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-05-11
STORY OF AN INDIAN,
His Fate Was Far Worse Than
That of Capt. Dreyfus.
Apache Chief Who Was the Victim OF
an Army Omcer's Hatred
WrOnged by the Men He
Had Befriended.
Especial Washington Letter.I

HIS is the story of Es-kim-in-
i zin, the Apache chief who suf-
fered unmerited Imprisonment,
and died in confinement.
1t is pathetic story of WRONGS
never righted. The whole world
sympathiEed with Capt. Dreyfus, but
he lived to be restored to his family
and friends. Poor old Es-kim-in-zin
never received justice, and was re-
turned to his home and family, only
In dying condition, within a month
OF his decease.
One OF the stRnch friends of Es-
klm-tn-Zin was John P. Clum, post Of
tee inspector. Formerly Mr.. Clum
was Indian agent at the San Carlos
agency, In Arizona. His record there
was superb, and he was regarded as
the best Indian agent in the service.
dis word alone ought to have been
sufficient to secure the release of the
prosecuted Apache, but It was not.
Gen.'O. o. Howard was also one OF the
nrm friends of Es-hm-in-zin, but even
his efforts to procure his release were
unavailing.
In the war department the state
ment Of Es-lim-in-zin is on file, under
date March, 1892. He says: Seven
teen years ago I took up a ranch on
the San Pedro, cleared the brush, and
TOOK out water in ditch which I.
made L pIowed the land and made a
fence around it like the Mexicans.
When started 1 had three horses
and p head of cattle. I was on the
san Pedro ten years. Then L had II
horses, 3S cattle, a large yellow
wagon, for which paid $40, and an
other wagon, which cost ma 500. but
which I had given to some relatives.
also had many tools. For about
three years drew rations from the
agent. After that did not draw any
more til was sent to the agency by
Lieut.. Watson. 1 bought all nv fam
lily clothing and supplies with the
money made. In 1883 Lieut.. Watson
came to my ranch and gave me a pa
per from Capt. Pearce, the agent, and
told m" that had better go to the
San Carlos reservation, as citizens
would kill me if did not that there
were about $50 citizens coming with
pistols.
They came the next day after I
left my ranch, and they shot at my
women, putting bullets through their
skirts, and drove them off. They
took SIS sacks of corn, wheat and
barley, destroyed 523 pumpkins and
took away 80 head OF cattle. After
that went to Washington, and when
returned they asked me if / did not
want to go back to my ranch on the
San Pedro. i said no, l would not
be safe there, and would feel like a
man sitting on chair with some one
scratching the sand out from under
the legs. Then Capt. Pearce said that
/ could select farm on the reserya-
ton, so I went with Lieut. Watson
and selected piece of land on the
ella just above the subagency. Lieut..
Watson surveyed It for me. made a
ditch for irrigating, and had water
flowing in it, and had nearly finished
fencing the farm when was arrest
ed. Since I have been away my
wife and some of my children have
looked after the farm for me-"
Es-kim-in-zin, in concluding his
final plea, says: "Since put down a
stone with Gen. Howard many years
ago, and promised that would never
do anything wrong, have not broken
my promise. ask to be sent back to
my family at San Carlos and given
the land surveyed by Lieut.. Watson;
that it be given me forever, and will
never ask for rations or anything else
for myself or my family, from the
government. I want to work like a
white man and support my family.
can do it, and will always be good
man."
1t was claimed by those who inter
ested themselves in Es-kim-in-zin that