Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-18
GERONIMO WORST RED

Became Chief at is Years of Age-Ha
Been Prisoner of War for Man,
Years-Capture Effected by Genera
Lawton, Officer Who Was Killed il
Philippines.
Lawton, Okla, Feb. 1S.--Geronimo
the noted Apache chief who died yes
terday, has been characterized by Gen
Nelson A. Miles as the worst Indian
|'who ever lived" The Indian warrior. tc
capture whom cost the government 81,
100000 and whose record was that OF
425 settlers killed in Arizona alone
succumbed to pneumonia after two
days illness. He was Sc years old. One
daughter, Lola, who lives in oklahoma
survives him.
| Geronimo was buried in the Indian
cemetery near the fort today The fun
eral was conducted by christian mis-
sionaries.
war SUt6V at 0lxCecN.
The career of Geronimo, last of the
! famous Indian chiefs, began when he
was only 16 years old. Son of an
| Apache war chief, Mangus Colorado,
who had devastated Arizon, New Mex
leo and Sonora Mexico, for half d
century, he himself was crowned a
war chief at that age, having success
fully led a band of braves in battle.
After the deaths successfully of Coon
Use, who had succeeded Mangus Colo
RADIO, and of Natchez, son of Cochise.
and Of Mana Victoria, In 1882. he )e-
came chief OF all the Apaches. For
more than 100 years the name Apache
had spelled nameless atrocities. Ger
onimo, in the four years of his active
chieftaincy. added new terrors to e.
His leadership extended from 1882
when he was 90 years old. until 1885.
when he made his last surrender and
became at last a prisoner of war for
life. Cunning and treachery, no less
than fiendish cruelty, transcending
even the traditional ferocity of the red
man, marked his entire career.
In 1883 Geronimo and his band am
pushed between Silver City, N. NJ. and
Clifton, .Ariz., Judge McComas of the
former city and his wife and son, 6
years old. Judge McComas and his wife
We're murdered after enduring horrible
tortures. The boy was carried few
miles and his brains dashed out against
a rock because he cried for his moth
er.
Captured by General LAYTON.
Sweeping the territories of Arizona
and New. Mexico and dashing into
Mexico. the war bands left trails of
bleaching bones behind them until
General Crooks officers at length
forced Geronimo's surrender and in
stalled him and his band as prisoners
of war in camp near Fort Apache,
Ariz.
Geronimo's solemn promise never
again to go on the warpath soon was
broken treacherously, Leaving camp
May II. 1885, he led his braves toward
the mountains of Mexico, their prog
ress marked by rapine and death.
Again General Crook made war on the
chief. but, failing to capture him. was
relieved, and Nelson A. Miles, then
brigadier general, took up the chase
With General Miles were officers des-
tined to become famous. among them
then Capt w. III. Lawton and Assist
ant Surgeon Leonard Wood.
Lawton trailed the willy chief a total
of 1000 miles. and Aug. 90. 1886. 10
Gated the band near the Mexican Dor
der
Geronimo and his braves were sent
to Fort Pickens in Florida. His squaws
We're sent to Fort Marion. Fla. Two
years later. because consumption was
decimating the prisoners, they were
sent to Mount Vernon Barracks, Ala.
There they stayed ten years. Geronimo
at last succeeded in obtaining an order
him and his people to
Fort Sill, l. T. Soon after the transfer
he protested conversion to the chris
tian religion and Joined the Methodist
church
In Roosevelt Parade.
In 1904 Geronimo emerged from his
retirement to participate in the inau-
gural parade of President Roosevelt. ;
His spirit had been broken by confine-
ment, and as he rode in the parade,
hideously ugly, and his low, squat fig
ure hunched low in his saddle, he fell
far short of the minds ideal Of a ia
nous Indian chief.
Early in 1908 Geronimo again made
trip to Washington in an effort to in
terest President Roosevelt in his case
and gain his liberty. The old Indian f;
was unsuccessful, however, and to the
last was full of bitter hatred for the
white man.