The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-01-23
Celebrated Old Indian Now
Raising Melons.
Story of the Willy Old Hpdche'S ATTACK
on General Crook, His tSC0De, the
Pursuit and CoDturc and the Hrnu
Fcud B0Sed Thereon.
LAYTON. Okla, Jan. IL

that thrOng the streets OF this
cosmopolitan city of five months
growth may at times be seer the
celebrated Geronimo, the erst-
while fierce and willy chief of the
bloody Apaches. To a passing
stranger the appearance and con-
duct of the aged warrior do not
distinguish him from the hun
dreds of ex- braves that may be
seen every day. His power is
broken. He has taken the war
path for the last time. In other
years he tested the best military
genius of the army, but has been
subdued in body and spirit. He
has succumbed to the influences
of civilization and the power of
Christianity. For thirteen years
since his last capture, he has
been prisoner of war. Five
years were spent in military
prisons in Alabama and Florida
and eight years at FIT. Sill, four
miles north of LawtOn. In re-
cent years his liberty has been
enlarged. His confinement is a
mere matter of form, and at
times he is permitted to leave the
reservation. He has quit raising
Mary Ellen Leases substitute
for corn, and each year devotes
his attention to the production of
the genuine Indian maize, along
with melons and other garden
truck. The old man has evident
ly arrived at the wise conclusion
that 1t is easier on the nerves
and more profitable financially to
be a real farmer than to be a
Mary Ellen kind of an agricul-
turallst and take chances on hav-
ing his anatomy numerously
punctured with Government mis-
siles. By thus including in the
arts of peace he has won the
confidence and respect of the au
thorities, and there are indica-
lions that he and 278 OF his bard
will be released.
Geronimo is not full blooded
Apache. Their traditions say
that his father was a wealthy
Mexican rancher, and that while
young he was stolen when the
Apaches we're on a raid into old
Mexico. He was always pow
er in the councils of his tribe.
and his judgment was sought on
all important questions.
The name Geronimo is closely
linked with that of Lawton, be-
cause many years ago the brave
and intrepid warrior who fell for
his country in the Philippines,
when a colonel under General
Miles, captured him after a chase
of 5000 miles. For years the
Apaches have been giving the
Government an immense amount
of trouble. Those years furnish
ed the newspapers and maya
zines with many stories of thrill
ing incidents of heroism in the
Apache wars. On one occasion,
after the band had been surround
ed, peaceful surrender was ac-
complished, and the soldiers con-
graduated themselves that long
and hazardous campaign was
ended; but two nights later, while
there was some lack of vigilance
by the weary troopers, Geronimo
and thirtyfour of his band quiet
ly slipped out OF camp and hid in
the mountains. The war depart
ment could not pass the incident
IN silence, and replimanded Gen
eral Crook in such terms that he
asked to be released from the
campaign. Then it was that
General Miles took charge of the
expedition, and then started the
ook-Miles feud. which is still
bitterly maintained by Crook s
friends. In the persistence, he
rolsm aud hardships of that final
chase for the Apache chief, the
late lamented General Lawton
won renown as a fearless and
successful Indian fighter.
Here IN the Apache country,
IN sight of the old fort from which
he operated many campaigns, the
government has named a city,
and a grateful people with TWEEN