Bisbee daily review., 1908-07-16
AN APACHE
GETS PAPERS
As A CITIZEN
Mike Burns Is the First Indian
In Territory to Take Advant-
age of the Act of Congress of
1906.

PHOENIX, July 15.-Feeling keen
ily the responsibilities of American
citizenship and proud of the fact that
his ambition of more than twenty
years standing to be entitled to the
right of franchise in the land of his
forefathers, Mike Burns, Apache mo-
| have Indian, qualified before County
Recorder Bradbury yesterday evening
at 5 o'clock to vote at the coming
election. He is the first Indian in the
| territory to take advantage of the ACT
| of congress of 1906, emitting educated
Indians who nave severed tribal re
lations to the full rights of citizenship.
Burns has been a resident of the
MAYER district several years and has
made repeated efforts to be admitted
to the full rights of citizenship. His
case has been called to the attention
Oh the delegates to congress from this
Territory several times. He has been
serving as Indian interpreter before
the United States grand jury and the
limited States district court here the
Hast few DAYS and yesterday Court
Reporter w. S. Norviel drew the nee
lessary documents to entite Burns
under the law to have his name en-
tered on the great register. He SUD
scribed to the necessary affidavit and
was registered.
Burns is a farmer by occupation
and the father of nine children, fve
lof whom are living. He enjoys the
confidence of the community in whlci
he lives and has always conducted
himself as a law-abiding citizen. serv
ling as scout for the government IN
several Indian campaigns.
At the age of seven years he was
lcaptured after the fight at Salt River
cave in the southeastern part of the
lcounty. where both parents were
killed by the Fifth cavalry under com
Imand of Captain James Burns. He
was adopted into the captains family
land educated at the different army
posts where his captor was stationed
Later he attended the Indian school
at Carlisle. Pennsylvania, two years
before Mike finished at Carlisle, cap
tain Burns, who had arranged TO tak'
his ward to Ireland on visit to his
mother. died. With the long looked
for trip to Ireland out of the question
Mike found employment on a farm II
New York state, where he stayed
wear, attending school in the winter
HE worked the following two years a
Ia farmland in Ohio, again attending
school in the winter. He then wenl
west to Kansas, where he earned
enough to pay his expenses at High
land University a year. Out of High
land University. he went TO For
ILeavenworth, Kansas, where he en-
listed as a scout, under General Miles
lserving in campaigns in the lndlar
TERRITORY and the north. Later he
was transferred to Camp Barrett
New Mexico, where he Joined de
Itachment of Apache scouts, receiving
Ian honorable discharge from the ser
vice in 1886. The four subsequent
Years he was issuing clerk in me
government service at the Apache NC
have agency under Captain John bnI
lis In 1887 he married Hattie, VIII
lsome maiden of his own tribe, th'
mother of his children, who sun pre-
sides at the head of his household.
Burns exercises a great influence
for good over the Indians Of this couI
ty and is sought by them for advice
on all important matters, although n
has never enjoyed tribal relation
with them.