The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-19
PASTORS MEMORIES
OF INDIAN WARRIOR
Man Who Baptized Geronimo
Tells Of Famous Old In
dian Chief.
TAUGHT TO HATE WHITES
Tactics by Which He Managed
TO Elude Federal
Troops.

MINNEAPOLIS. MINI, July is.-To havs
spent eight years as a missionary an,ong
the oanketed Indians Of Oklahoma and
the Dakotas and TO have oficiated at tn.
baptism OF Geronimo. the famous Apach.
CHIEF. the anniversary OF whose birth was
celebrated recently and who for more
than fifteen years stood of a force OF
Federal troops after hs had terrorized
the southwestern part Of the country, IN
brief Is part Of the history OF tho Rev.
J. Tallmadge Bergen OF e22 Bas,
Eighteenth street. pastor OF tho FRS,
Presbyterian Church
Mr.. Bergen worked four yearv among
the Apache Indians and was we'll &C.
quaintod with Geronimo, whose name
thirty years ago was synonym for mas
sacre treachery and hatred In the South
west The early history OF Geronimo In
little known. but 1t IN reputed he was IN"
son OF Mangos Colorado. chief OF the
Warm Springs Apaches.
Mangos was the terror of the South
west for nifty years, nghting Americans
Mexicans and Indians with unrelentine
warfare until he was killed In 1868. In
this band OF Apaches Geronimo was said
TO have spent his boyhood and was taught
to hate and kill all white men. In 1888
the whole Apache tribe went on the war
path. and In a short time every white In
habitant Of Arizona Territory except
few who took refuge In Tucson was
murdered or driven from the country IN
terror.
For tho next fifteen years. from 1870
to 1885, the Territory was the scene OF
some of the most terrible Indian wars N
the history OF the country and thousands
OF whites were butchered. Burning.
Strengthening and carrying Off captives tn
be mutilated and tortured to death, Geron-
limo held strong hand over his band
OF Indians. In 1872 Gen. George II. Crook
with large Federal force was sent out
through Arizona 70 put a stop 20 thu
marauders. Geronimo heard OF Gen.
Crooks army. but thinking II was moth
ing more than a band OF people like him.
SELF he sent an Indian courier TO Gen
Crook 10 tell him II he would move his
band further south Geronimo would teks
his band north, and then they would both
have plenty OF territory. When Gen
Crooks refusal was carried TO Geronimo
tho chief called him a 'musqua.' or
coward. and ever afterward held re
vengeful hate for the leader OF the FED.
eral troops.
After being subdued In Arizona once
Geronimo and his band again broke into
revolt. and In 1850 swelled the total ~
horrors In New Mexico Part OF the band
was put down for the second time, but IN
1856 things became worse than ever and
Gen. Nelson A. Miles was placed in con-
mand OF the Federal troops For months
the little band OF Apache Indians proved
too elusive for the soldiers. until at last
Gen. Miles stationed troops at every water
hole surrounding that section OF the coun.
try. Through Capt. Lawton, who was
afterward killed in the Philippine Islands.
and Lieut. Stanhope peace was finally
arranged between tho Apache chieftair
and his tribe. and on promise that they
would not be killed and would not losA
Att taIA tAng-
arms
Following tho surrender Geronimo and
his band were taken TO Florida. whore
after two years at Fort Pickens they
were taken TO Lawton. Okla. and placed
under charge Of Federal authorities A.
Fort Sill.
1t was while acting as a missionary
among tho Indians at Fort Sill that Mr..
Bergen became acquainted with Geronimo
and Naiche. the other leader OF the band
Both leaders were taken into the church
during Mr. Bergen's stay in the military
post and he baptized both Naiche Ia now
a Government scout at Fort sill.
"Tecumseh. sitting Bull and many
others have outranked him in the number
OF their warriors and the measure OF their
influence, but none ever excelled Geron-
limo IN the peculiar tactics OF savage
warfare" said Mr.. Bergen ut is con-
coded by those who are competent TO ties
thy that he was the foremost or all the
historic redmen In cunning. In cruelty
and In military genius
AT Fort Sill, as ! knew him, he was
prisoner OF war by the terms OF his
surrender with the promise and protec-
ton and care by the War Department
He had his own house and was for long
time head man OF his own little Apache
village. I spent four years in camp with
him and took a great interest in Geronimo
There were no waste victuals when
Geronimo came to be the guest OF the mis-
sion camp. He could get away with sat.
ables and scare up famine In camp mora
quickly than any other creature on earth,
TT was my call TO preach the sermon
on the occasion OF his baptism, and his
testimony was clear and had 10 be ac
cepted as genuine. But Geronimo Was p
whiskey lover and he failed at every Sc
we're temptation, The Indians who were
near him when he died four years ago say
that he drank 'doped whiskey' and died
from the effects OF Il o."