Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-04-21
REDSKIN CHIEFS PLEA.
Geronimo, Aged Apache, Surrounded
by Braves, Pleads With the Great
White Father for Freedom.


"Please, please take the ropes from
the hands of me and my people and
let Us be free" was the fearful plea
OF Geronimo the old Apache warrior
to President Roosevelt recently.
Tears streamed down the scanned and
painted cheeks of the old fighter as
he begged that he and his warriors
be released from the captivity in
which they are held at Fort Sill,
Okla, and allowed to return to their
old hunting grounds in Arizona.
awe are tired of living in a strange
land" he pleaded, "and want to 90
back to our old home. We will be
good"
Mr.. Roosevelt was not convinced
by the fearful argument. In reply
ing to it he fell into the Indian style
of talk.
"You had bad heart when YOU
were N Arizona," the President told
Geronimo. You tortured aud killed
the Great White Fathers people and
burned their houses. T am not sure
that you have good heart. l have
appointed Mr.. Leupp to watch over
you, and he will report to me. If
you prove that you now have good
heart we may. perhaps, let you 90
back to yourold home, but not now."
Geronimo wanted to prolong the
argument, but the President shut
him off. The grizzled chieftain was
still weeping bitterly when he left
the Presidents office. He begged to
be permitted to return to finish what
he had to say. He insisted that if
the President would hear him out he
would release linn from captivity as
prisoner Of war.
Geronimo was accompanied to the
White House by Hollow Horn Bear
and American Horse, of the Sioux;
Quaunah Parker, chief of the CO.
manches, and Little Plume, of the
Blackfeet. The Indians tried to see
the President the day before, but
were turned down, as they had not
first paid their respects to Commits
sioner Leupp.
Geronimo, chief of the Apaches,
was the cruellest Indian the West
ever knew. For years his bands of
renegades roamed through the border
into Mexico, torturing and murder
ing settlers. In 1886 General Miles
was given command of the region
and ordered to clean out the Indians.
He selected two officers and a small
band of soldiers to follow Geronimo
until they captured or killed him.
These men were Captain H. w.
Lawton, afterward a general killed
in the Philippine war, and DR.. Leon
ard Wood, then young army sur
geon and now general comman ding
the Philippines. For four months
they trailed the Apaches day and
night until at last Geronimo surren-
dered and begged Lawton for his life.
General Miles in his book of reminis-
cences thus describes the Apaches:
"Geronimo rode into our camp and
dismounted. He was one Of the
brightest, most resolute, determined
looking men that | have ever en-
countered. He had the clearest,
sharpest dark eye l think have
ever seen, unless it was that of Gen.
eral Sherman. Every movement in
dicated power, energy and determine
tion. In everything he did he had q
purpose.
"The Indians that surrendered
with Geronimo have probably never
been matched since the days of Robin
Hood. Many of the warriors were
outlaws from heir own tribes. Their
clothing was trimmed in such way
that when lying upon the ground in
a bunch Of grass, if they remained
perfectly silent, it was as impossible
to discover them as il they had been
a bird or serpent.S
Most of the Apaches were sent to
Ford Marion, Fla, but later were
transferred to Fort Sill.