Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-11-05

The old fool, ne said, III she nat
left the bottle alone she would hav
been good for at least ten years yet."-
Pierre Grenville
APAcHEs AGAIN FREE
Government Releases Them Afte
Twenty-six Years Of Duress.
Maj. H. L. Scott, representing tn,
war department. and Lieut.. Ernes
Stocker, Anadarko agent, representa-,
the department Of the interior, hav,
been appointed to select the new
homes for the 269 Apache prisoner,
Of war held by the United States gov.
ernment at Fort Sill, Okla.
The last session Of congress granted
liberty to these Indians, after holding
them prisoners Of war for twenty-siz
years, and the committee Of two viii
select for them an open reservation
somewhere In the west, but the prob.
abilities are that their new home will
not be within the boundaries Of either
New Mexico or Arizona. A reserva.
tion in either Of those states might In.
cite in the savage Apache Indians q
memory Of their forefathers' conquests
and defeats, within these boundaries
and render their reimprisonment nee.
essary.
The Apache tribe is one Of the few
tribes that never assimilated the white
mans way Of living, and since the year
Of 1858 have not been on friendly
terms with any member Of the white
race.
In that year one division of the siz
branches, into which the tribe is d.
vided, went from the eastern line OF
Arizona, where they were ranging, in.
to Old Mexico, on a trading expedi-
ton. When near the outpost Of the
Kas-ki-yeh they camped, leaving their
women and children, proceeded toward
Casa Grande. Citizens from that town
met them and entered into treaty OF
peace with them, though the Mexican
government had placed a price upon
their heads, paying 500 for warrior
$50 for a squaw, and $25 for a dead
Indian. child.
While in Casa Grande trading, Mex
lean soldiers took advantage Of their
absence from camp and set upon the
defenseless women and children, kill
ing all within camp. When the war
riors returned in the evening the Mex
ican soldiers opened fire upon them,
and the Apaches, being armed with
bows and arrows. were exterminated
excepting Geronimo, who at that time
was a young brave, and one other
Apache. In this massacre Geronimo
lost his wife and child, and, according
to his own statement made after he
became a prisoner Of war Of the United
States, he swore eternal hostility to al
Mexicans.
Geronimo returned to Arizona and
sought aid from the other five Apache
tribes, in seeking revenge on the Mexi.
cans. The citizens Of Casa Grande
sent him a disclaimer Of all knowledge
Of the massacre of his people after
they had entered into the trading
treaty with his band in old Mexico. but
Geronimo could never understand how
1t was the citizens had no control over
these acts of the soldiers, and from
that year until 1886 made annual
raids upon the settlements within 800
miles of the northern boundary OF
Mexico.
His raids, only on one occasion, was
participated in by more than a dozer
companions, and the extent Of his dep.
relations consisted chiefly in running
off ponies and cattle. The Mexican
government never had in the field
against the Apaches more than two
companies of troops, and the largest
number Of Apaches assembled at one
time in war paint, was stated by &c.
ronimo himself to be 400.
The Apaches, while on their excur-
sions to Mexico, ran of some cattle
that were in charge Of white cowboys
and shortly thereafter United States
troops made their appearance, and the
Apaches always professed to believe
they came In response to the Mexican
governments appeal for aid in exter-
minating the Apaches.
In 1872 President Grant sent Gen
Howard to Arizona to enter into q
peace treaty with the Apaches, and
some time after the treaty the leaders
of the band were arrested and put in
chains, but subsequently released. The
Apaches took to the hills with their
leaders. and not long afterwards some
of the leaders were requested to come
into a soldiers camp, and while there
were killed.
The Apaches under Geronimo con-
tinued q desultory warfare against the
Federal government until Gen. Miles
was sent out to enter another treaty
with them.
The women and children Of the war
riors, who had been captured by the
Federal troops, had been deported to
Fort Marion, Fla, and under the treaty
entered into between Gen. Miles and
the Apache warriors, the latter were
led to believe that they and their fam
lilies would be united in some western
country. Instead, the warriors were
sent to Florida, and there made to
work, Geronimo stating before his
death that he was compelled to saw
wood. The Apaches were kept in the
south until 1887, and were finally
moved to Fort Sill, Okla, and held as
prisoners Of war by the United States
government until the last session of
congress.
Geronimo died about eighteen
months ago, and most Of the old race
of warriors had preceded him to the
grave, and now the general govern
ment believes the younger generation
can be once more trusted to run at
large on an open reservation.
The failure Of the Apache Indians to
assimilate the ways Of civilization and
finally resulting in their becoming
prisoners Of war, was no doubt due In