Arizona republican., 1902-09-27
MESA INDIANS Vs. WHITES
Report of Recent Meeting or the
 Mcdowell Controversy.

Mesa. Scp.cmGer 2a.--A tip to old l'-., Mop .us PWcu!d Cot D. coE1ilc"ai under ordinary ,ir,UmGtlnccr V,I} iutcIoetis one. .s time las made but few changes in tAo rcld and scenery. but it became full 6, interest when JaT Adaus came into my office and asked for the services of your cor Tc=ToHGc.t cs notary public in behalf of the whites and MeNi- cans ir the Verde valley, whose lives and prcpc, ty Were being jeopardiZe5 by the fast gr-viag numbers Of M)h2ve- EoaohC Indians assembling in tha vii oinity. grd th-lr i1cre ssed inso-ence toward tha cld settlers. OF account of their -o0tiuUcd occupancy 0f the land which thry had been led to believe wauI soon he divided among them.
 The gathering at Mcdowell was called to order. and the object O, the meeting was explained. and a letter 'r. m Indian CaWmi s.oner w. X. Jones ar~s read in reply to a previous petition signed by "4l citizens of Arizona, resi-
 ic.ts af Mcdowell" complaining of the auuoyau,a caused by the petty thiev- ing and malicious destruction of prop erty by some lIohave Apache Indian- Seio1giug to the san Carlos Indian Agency. and stating that these Indians "are devastating ccrn crop7 and melon fields. and curse and threaten the own CTS: that there was no necessity for the.r leaving the San Carlos reserva- ton. and asking that these troublesome wards Cr the C3vernme-t be returned tC their reservation"
 Tn reply to the above petition. the commissioner reports a letter from Ccver-cr 4. c. Rrolie, in which the covc1ro~ states that -four Indians from Mcdowell had called on him. say ing they came to see him because they nod l-ernaI that the whites at NcD0w- ell had been making news about them. The- denied committing any thefts, that they had permission from the au- tholities at Washington to leave tho reservation; and that they understood that at some time they were t0 be given land near Fort Mcdowell for ag- ruCultUraI pUr0oses." Also a letter rom Rev. ". n. Gill Missionary Sun day School Union. at Fort Mcdowell, who requests that it be filed with the uctitica. as it shows the other side CT the question" The following is the let ter:
 Reports have gone out from time GcrOeatory to the character of the Mo las. I's- ilt. lltl~ i'--''t- anu
 ing been told by one of the Indians. that said reDorts have come to yo--r cars. | take pleasure in bearing my testimony tc the reputation of these people In the opinion of reputable citizens here. il which I heartily con cur. the Indians in question are peace able and honest. They kill no cattle, steal TO farm produce and do not Cf- fer violence to any man under any provocati0n. I do not claim that they are perfect in every respect. but that they are law-abiding, as far as their knowledge extends. is beyond all qua-- tion. Having no irrigable lands at Tresent basket making principally stands between them and starvation. However when any rancher has more work than he can do. there are a dozen Indians at hand glad Of the jCh. Every dollar they receive is promptly spent fer dry goods and groceries with the merchants Of the valley. and but little. UerhaUs no credit asked. Thasa Apache MohaVes came here over two years ago by permission of tho government and Und5rpasscs from the Indian agent at San Carlos. in fUlf!lment If a prom ice made many years ago that when