The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-23
Types OF American Fighters
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN

America produces many types of the
fighting man. One is born of original
ancestry in an uncivilzcd section. He
takes to sighting naturally, and his code
is that of his forefathcrs. BY civilized
standards he is merely n warrior,
Another is born where commerce and
agriculture form The pursuits Of the
people. He decides 10 make fighting
his life work, goes to a military school,
and is trained in the art of civilized
warfare, as others arc trained in trade.
An Irish American lad whose fore
fathers fought with teeth and fists for
the mere sport of encounter, is born in
the city and is thrown with athletes.
He becomes a pugilist. Still another
American of excellent Anglo Saxon
lineage is born in a remote section of
tho Appalachian mountains, where prl-
vate disputes are settled by the Ven
drtta. He becomes a fendist These
different types of American fighters
afford an interesting study to the psy-
chologist.
One of the most interesting fighting
men in America is Geronimo, The old
Apache who has been prisoner at Fort
Sill since General Miles effected his
capture twenty years ago. Although
Geronimo has often been called A rat
tie snake. General Miles declares him
10 be one of the most remarkable men.
red or white, in history. Other military
officers have described him as the red
Napoleon. He is certainly the great
est epic figure in Indian annals An
idea of his mentality NAV be CLEANED
from the fact that he recently became
the author of book written with pur-
pose This purpose was 10 create SYM
pathy for himself and his tribe, aud
to persuade the Federal Government to
allow the Apaches to return TO Arizona.
At seventy-nine the old Indian, without
education OF training IN description, or
narration, dictated a story of his ad-
ventures so vivid and coherent that,
without alteration or establishment, IL
made volume of moving interest and
no small literary. value.
Geronimo says the Apaches taught
that the Great Spirit did not interest
Himself IN the petty 9uarrels of men,
and that warriors should seek their own
revenge When he was twenty years
of age, MeXicans murdered his Young
wife aud three children III defence
less camp In raid for revenge. be
led n party that e1terminatcd the Mex
tribe. He then began career OF blood
and pilage that extended over forty
cveutful years. He expressed his cor
tempt for the Spaniards when, at the
close of the Spanish American war, he
dryly observed that 1t took the United
States smaller number Of weeks TO
whip Spain than the number of years
required 10 subdue him and his small
band Of sayages.
During his raids Geronimo and his
bard killed thousands of white men,
and for strategy, endurance and blood
thirstiness. the Indian Napoleon had
no equal among men Of his race. Dur
ing the retreat through the mountains
of Old Mexico that ended in his sur
render, only after he had been out
wjtted by several detachments of UNI
ted States troops signalling with the
hcliograph- introduced in American war
fare 10 effect his capture Geronimo
covered yearly 1900 miles, much OF
which was 10000 feet above the level
Of the sea,
The feuds Of the Appalachian region
have produced some fighting men who,
with different environment ard educa.
ton. might have been conspicuous in
legitimate warfare. Among the most
interesting of these is B. Fulton French,