The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-31
RELEASE OF GERONIMO.
Old Warrior Will No Longer Be
Held as a Prisoner.

Guthrie, Ok, Dec. 31.-GeneraI Frank
Armstrong, as an agent of the war de-
partment, is now at Fort Sill. Ok, MAX
ing arrangements for the release of
Chief Geronimo and the 298 Arizona
Apache Indians who are held by the
government as prisoners of war. They
were captured by Colonel Iawton
twelve years ago after a three thousand
mile campaign under General Miles.
They viii be allotted land by the gov
ernment
Geronimo has been at Fort Sill seven
years. For five years previous he was
confined in military prisons in Alabama
and Florida Geronimo is not a full
blooded Apache; indeed, there is ira
dltion among his people that his father
was wealthy Mexican rancher, and
that he was stolen by his tribe when
the Apaches were ON raid into Old
Mexico. He is now nearly sixty years
Daniel Webster, for his voice was al
ways powerful in the councils of his
tribe, ana his Judgment was sought on
all questions of Importance.
HE WAS CAUGHT MANY TIMES
But, whatever his parentage, Geroni-
mo possessed all the characteristic at
tributes of the Apache-the shrewdness,
the blood -thirStineSS, the treachery and
the dash and daring of the tribe on the
warpath. For years he kept some of
the best Indian fighters of the United
arid plains and in the mountain fast
nesses of Arizona until he was finally
captured and exiled to Fort Marion, St
Augustine, Fla, whence he was subse-
quently removed to Mount Vernon bar
racks, Alabama. More than once, when
hard pressed, he offered to surrender,
but before the terms of capitulation
could be arranged his eye detected an
opening in the Gordon about his band,
and the Indians were up and away be-
fore the troopers could stop them Then
humillating dispatches had to be sent
to the war department. and sarcastic
replies received from superiors who
had never fought Apaches-
CROOKS FAILURE TO CAPTURE
HIM
After the death of ''Old" Cochise,
Geronimo was easily the leader of the
tribe He left the Apache reservation,
roamed the plains with his small but
carefully selected band of braves and
massacre6 emigrants and pillaged their
trains. He descended upon little settle
ments and lonely ranches and ran off
the stock, stole everything portable and
useful to the Indian, and killed men,
women and children who CHANGED to
cross his path. At last the whites rose
up and demanded that the war depart
ment should wipe out Geronimo and all
his band. General George Crook, one
of the ablest Indian fighters the army
has produced, was assigned to the task.
After months of effort General Crook.
in March. 1886, induced Geronimo 20
come into camp for big talk" Mean
while his band was surrounded by the
troops and Indian scouts. Then the willy
Apache declared his Willingness to sur
render and go east
The soldiers went to sleep that night
nightly pleased to think that the cam
paign was over. Two nights later Ger
oniIno and "a of his band slipped quiet
ly out of camp and fled to the noun
tains. The war department officials
could not understand how they got
away, and reprimanded General Crook
in such terms that he asked to be re-
ieved. General Miles was sent to take
up the fight, and after tedious delays
and great hardships Geronimo was
again forced to surrender, and he and
his band Were sent to Fort Marion.