The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-14
GERONIMO A GOOD INDIAN.
COMFORTABLE LIFE OF THE FAM
Gus APACHE CHIEF AS fHIs-
ONER.

Some Day, He Says, He VIII Get
Loose aud Go on the Warpa'h Ia
ArtxoDa-He Drew Pay as Gov
eminent scout, but Is Not Allowed
tn Bear Loaded Arms-Deciares
Tint the Soldiers Arc Unkind 10
Him. and Sells TrinlSets at Large
Price to visitors, whose sympathy
uo Thun WHISTLE and His war
Nor. Live in Tepees and Stable
Their Horses in Their Houses-ihe
ola Chief as an Amateur Surgeon
Makes m Good Thing Out of Profess
.ionaI Photographers, but Is the
Victim of snapshot Fiends'
fcon,,rieaht 1901 by w. r. Draper)
washington, April 12.-Although oy 10
means a dead Indian nor likely to De TOT
a long time to come from all appearances
Geronimo. the famous Apache warrior Is
a good Indian nowadays. Not from choice
however, for it bores him extremely Inc
reason he is good is because, as praS
oner of war at Fort Sill, Oklahoma Ter
ritorv. he has to be. he who was once
the meanest and most blood-thirsty IN
dian chief that ever fought the govern
ment. now leads quiet and peaceful HE
that is in striking contrast to the olo
DAYS when he roamed the plains at the
head of his braves killing all the WHITES
who crossed his path. Certainly Geron-
ino has had more crimes laid to his &C
count than anv other living Indian. He
doesn't deny it, In fact, he is rather proun
of it. In moments of confidence he al
ni4s that he would like to do 1t all over
again. One of the things over which ne
gloats is that he personally mas killed.
ten whites in a single battle. 1t IS ais2
a matter of pride to his old age that n ,
has led forays wherein as many as nve
hundred pale faces were slaughtered. lie
has deep-set, observation-disclosures taste Tor
murder.
Suoh is Geronimo's English that It Is
we'll to hire an interpreter II one desires
to get an intelligent talk out of him. Also
II is necessary to hire Geronimo. He does
not talk for nothing, fact of which the
writer was appraised Immediately upon
questioning him A dollar bill loosened his
tongue but 10 the first question asked
how he liked his present position, ne gave
answers rather difficult to reconcile
First he liked the place. Then he said
that the soldiers treated him badly. AS
a coronary, he added that he wished to
die. In the subsequent conversation mis-
allegations of ill-treatment and his pining
for death cropped out with suspicious fire.
uuency. II is said by the officers that he
repeats this to all white visitors, where
by their pity is aroused and they buy
his beadwork and trinkets at large ad-
vance over the market rates. Geronimo
likes sympathy, particularly when IL takes
financial form.
Apuarently the old chief has an easy
and pleasant life The officers at the fort
treat him with kindness and consdera-
tion allowing him all the privileges pos
sible under the rules governing the con-
duct Of prisoners of war. His position is
peculiar In this respect, that although
a prisoner. he is also a paid employe Of
the government. He draws SIS per month
as a scout, though he is not permitted to
carry a loaded gun. He has no work 10
do and spends most OF HIS time making
beadwork and other fancy articles 10 sell
to white visitors.
out OF this trade. the soldiers think
he makes no less than two thousand a
year. When asked II BE had any money
laid by for a rainy day, he replied in his
gutteral English;
ME no save money. NE spend u Tor
Eva, squaws and heap gladness. Ne like
to have giadness and see fun
Eva g. his fayorito daughter. BY
"sauaws" he means his wives. In the
Indian vernacular gladness is synonymous
with gambling and n great deal OF The
old mans money goes into me game and
never comes out again. ile is ycfy
poor Gamhler. go faf as winning goes. bur
BE- plays with fhat unfalilng courage
which. when coupled with skill. makea
the moot furecsFful Eamraters flr ia q
reckless better and runs "a strong blum.
bs nfYer benitateE about = bct aud u you