Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-03-17
CAPTURE OF GERONIMO
Famous Bad Indian Once Terror OF
Western Texas.

Western Texas.
Superstition resulted In the surren-
dor Of Geronimo, the famous Indian
and the Apache Kid who used the first
smoke screen recorded in this country,
according to Col Fred Owens, of Chi
cago, a noted Texas ranger Of half a
century ago.
Col. Owens an old circus man, who
ecrned his title as ranger, cowboy,
bronco buster, pony express rider and
participant in many Wild West ,pur-
suits, including those OF Geronimo and
the Kid made these assertions in
recital of his life, which has been
crammed full of action and narrow
escapes that read like the passages
from an old dime noval.
Fred Ovens, when years old, was
missing from his home in Flenlings-
burg, KY, one morning IN 1859. He
had gone West.
At 1S, or in 1868, he became Texas
ranger and made such a mark for
himself that he was sent to the Cen
tennial at Philadelphia with other
rangers to represent the Lone Star
state. In .1S7S-79-S0 he was detailed
to the pony express through No Mans
Land, or the Indian territory. He was
never held up but many times ontrode
bandits bent on possessing the val
uables he carried.
In 1881 he took the saddle again as
an active ranger. About that time
Geronimo, the most willy chief that
ever gave the American army trouble,
was getting bad in West Texas. Until
Geronimos capture in the hills back of
Chihuahua, Mexico, Col. Owens was a
material part of his pursuit. And he
tells q story of the Indians capture
that may not be part OF the records Of
the War Department because Geron-
limo had few friends among white men,
The colonel was one of these few y
| Why He Surrendered.
In after years Geronimo told him
why he surrendered to the white man
and. it is a story of the Indians super
stitious nature. Geronimo's pursuers
Numbered among them a Capt. Hide
ltbrand. When the Indian was driven
Into the hills and the chase became
,hot, Hildebrand's command was crawl
ing over the drags towards the red
skins stronghold, Just before his
surrender Geronimo caught sight OF
the face of Capt ,Hildebrand and was
ready to fire. Then bright light
flashed over the officers features.
This the Indian could not fathom, and
it drove all the fight out of him.
In those days troopers in the army
were resourceful men. A private in
the advancing line had seen point
of advantage and thought his captain
should know of 1t. To move or call
would reveal his position to the In
dians. Yet he must get the attention
Of Capt. Hildebrand. Taking a small
mirror from his pocket he caught:ithe
rays of the sun. These reflected on
the face of Hildebrand, then in immi-
nent danger of Geronimo's rifle. But
the flash beat the Indians trigger fin
ger. He saw the wonderful bright
light and thought it a message from
Heaven to identify Capt ,Hildebrand
as the Great Spirit. Geronimo ran up
his flag of truce, merely stipulating
that he should not be hung or shot for
his outrages If he surrendered. His
terms were accepted.
Chased the Apache Kid.
In 1884 the Apache Kid, half
breed outlaw, and his band were ma
rauding in West Texas. The Apache
Kid was of the same tribe, but not re-
lated to Geronimo. Yet he possessed
all the wiles and savage cruelty Of his
chieftain. Col ownes and his fellow
rangers were sent after the Apache
Kid.
The chase was a hot one. The
Apache Kid knew horses and from
time to time got remounts on the
fastest and freshest horses in corrals
he passed. The rangers plugged along
on their same ponies. But they fol-
lowed the trail so fast that they drove
the Apache Kid and his band to a field
of fewer corrals and moro desperate
straits.
They surrounded the band at
Sinking Wells, so called from the
sulphur fumes that rise from it's pit
AS the law circle closed in the Apache
Kid made use of a smoke screen. The
wind was blowing from his band to-
ward the rangers. The Indian fired
the prairie. Then under cover Of the
smoke, they brought down some of the
rangers.
Col. Owens did not escape. Two
of the Wolff boys with whom he had
lived when he first came to Texas fell
in the rifle fire. Col. Owens dragged
them through 1t and returned to get