Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-11-27
Government to Select ReSerVa-
ton in Wes4 for Indians.
Tribe Long Held Prisoner Of War
After Conflict With Mexica7s and
Americans-NeVer Mixed
With Whites.

Oklahoma City, Okla.-Maj H. L.
Scott, representing the war depart
ment, and Lieut.. Ernest Stocker,
Anadarko agent, representing the de-
partment of the interior, were ap-
pointed to select the new homes for
the 269 Apache prisoners of war held
by the United States government at
Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
The last session of congress granted
liberty to these Indians, after holding
them prisoners of war for twenty-stx
years, and the committee of two will
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-
ton In either of those states might
incite in the savage Apache Indians
a memory of their forefathers' con-
quests and defeats, within those
boundaries, and render their reimpris-
onment necessary.
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 six
branches into which the tribe is
divided, went from the eastern line of
into Old Mexico on trading expedi-
ton. When near the outpost of the
Kas-k-yeh they camped, and. leaving
their women and children, proceeded
toward Casa Grande. Citizens from
that town met them and entered into
a 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
s25 for q dead Indian child.
While in Casa Grande, trading,
Mexican soldiers took advantage of
their absence from camp and set up
on the defenseless women and chill
dren, killing all within camp. When
the warriors returned in the evening
the Mexican soldiers opened fire upon
them and the Apaches, being armed
with bows and arrows, were exter-
minated, excepting Geronimo, who at
that time was young brave, and one
other Apache. In this massacre Ger
onimo 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 eter-
nal hostility to all Mexicans.
Geronimo returned to Arizona and
sought aid from the other FIVE Apache
tribes, in seeking revenge on the
Mexicans. 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 bund in Old
Mexico. but Geronimo could never I'M
derstand how it was the citizens had
soldiers, and from that year until 1886
made annual raids upon the settle
ments within 500 miles of the north
ern boundary of Mexico
The Apaches, while on their excur-
sions to Mexico, ran off some cattle
that we're in charge of white cowboys,
and shortly thereafter United States
troops made their appearances, and
the Apaches always protested to be-
iieve they came in response to the
Mexican governments appeal for aid
n exterminating the Apaches
Geronimo died about eighteen
aonths ago, and most of the old race