The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-03-09
SUPERSTITiONS CAUSED
 GER0NIMA TO SURRENDER
 SAYS OLD TEXAS RANGER

Chicago, March 9-Superstition re-
 sult ed in the surrender of Geronimo, the famous Indian, and the Apache Kid used the first smoke screen re-
 corded in this country, according to Col. Fred Owens of Chicago, a noted
 Texas Ranger of half century ago. Col. Owenss an old circus man, who earned his title as ranger, cow rider and participant dn many Wild West pursuits, including those of Geronimo and the Kid made these | assertions here in a recital of his action and marrow escapes that read | like the passages from an old dime novel.
 Fred Owens when nine years old was missing from his home in Elem ingsburg, Kentucky, one morning in 1859. He had gone West.
 At IS, or in 1868, he became a
 Texas Ranger and made such a mark for himself that he was sent to the Centennial at Philadelphia with | other Rangers to represent the Lone | Star state. In 1S7S-79 and 80 he 1 was detailed to the pony express dian Territory. He was never held l up, but many times outrode bandits bent on possessing the valuables he tocarried 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 | Geronimo's capture in the hills back
 of Chihuahua. Mexico. Col. Owens
 was material part of hds pursrit. l And he tells a story of the Indians | capture that may not be part of the records of the War Department be- caU~n Geronimo had few friends alnc.,g white men. The Colonel was one of these few. In after years Geronimo told him ! -I,z and it is a story of the Indians su- | persttious nature. Geronino'S pur- suers numbered among them a Cap
 tain Hildebrand. When the Indian
 was driven into the hills and the chase became hot, Hi1debrand'S com mand was crawling over the crags, towards the red skins stronghold. Just before his surrender Geronimo o caught sight of the face of Capt. | Hid debrand and was ready to fire. Then @ bright light flashed over the officers features. This the Indian could not fathon, and it drove all the fight out of him.
 In those days troopers in the army were resourcefuG men. A private in the advancing line had seen point of vantage and thought his captain
 would reveal his position to the h. dians. Yet he must get the attention of Captain Eildebrand Taking 8 small mirror from his pocket he
  fected on the face of Hldebrand, then in imminent danger of Geron- imo's rife But the flash beat the Indians trigger finger He saw the wonderful. bright light and thought | it a. message from Heaven to identify Capt. Hildebrand as the Great Spirit 1 Geronimo ran up his flag of truce, 1 merely stipulating that he should not be hung or shot for his outrages If | he surrendered. His terms were ac- 1 cepted.
 | In 1884 the Apache Kid. a half | breed outlaw. and his band were | marauding in West Texas. The | Apache Kid was of the same tribe,
 but not related to Geronimo. Yet he 1 possessed all the wiles and savage l cruelty of his chieftain. Col. Owens l and his fellow Rangers were sent after the Apache Kid.
 i 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 l he passed The Rangers plugged | along on their same ponies. But they | followed the trail so fast that they l drove the Apache Kid and his band l to field of fewer corrals and more | desperate straits.
 | They surrounded the band at
 Sinking Wells. so called from the sui- ! plur fumes that rise from its pit As
 the law circle closed in. the Apache