Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 October 1894 — CAPTIVE APACHES. [ARTICLE]

CAPTIVE APACHES.

THE INDIAN SETTLEMENT AT MT. VERNON, ALABAMA. How Chief Geronimo and His People Are Cared For.-A Company of Indian Infantry. Post Office Inspector John P. Clum, who recently spent some time at the camp of the renegade Apaches at Mt. Vernon barracks, Alabama, was in the lobby of the National Hotel last night. To a reporter for the Star he said: “ I can’t talk postal matters, but I will tell you an Indian sto'ry. You know I am part Apache, that is, a part of my life was spent with those Indians, and when I left them in 1877 I was on friendly terms with nearly all the Apaches on the San Carlos reservation—then numbering 5,000. There were several Indians, however, with whom I sustained what might be termed strained relations. Among these were Geronimo and Francisco, two noted southern Chiricahua Apache renegades, who, with several others, I had by the aid of my Indian police captured at Ojo Caliente, New Mexico, in April, 1877. After these Indians had been securely ironed I treated them to a delightful ride in a prairie schooner over the mountains to San Carlos, Arizona—a distance of about 500 miles—where they were safely deposited in the agency guard house. Well, I left those Indians in the guard house in irons in 1877 and I did not see them again till last week. “ I was down in Alabama and took a day off and visited the Apaches who are now held as prisoners of war at Mt. Vernon barracks. Yes, I saw Geronimo, but he was not in irons. He did not insist on retaining the manacles with which I had presented him. They wore taken off soon after 1 left the agency in ’77. You know his subsequent history. He left the reservation two or three times on raids. In 1881 and 1885 I was with part ies of citizens who followed his trail to the Mexican line. In 1886 he made his final stand end surrendered to General Miles, when he and his entire band of renegades, mon, women and children, were sent to Florida. Later they were transferred to their present location in Alabama. The Indians have boon located in a permanent camp or settlement on a ridge about half a mile west of the military post.

“Seventy-five frame houses have been constructed and each Indian family is now provided with a comfortable homo. Each hotyte is divided into two rooms, in one of which is a largo cooking range, and in the other a comfortable fireplace. “ I was invited to inspect a number of the houses, and was surprised at the absolute cleanliness required of and observed by those Indians. Every Saturday is house-cleaning day, and when the official inspection is made each Sunday morning there must not bo found enough dust |o soil a white glove. The women do creditable laundry work, and the bod linen and all the articles of wearing apparel are kept scrupulously clean. Tno Indians have adopted the civilized style of dross, and tho men have had their hair cut short. I was told that tho hair cutting was perfectly voluntary. In tho matter of personal cleanliness all tho Indians are required to bathe at least once a week, and 1 was Informed thntNahehee and one or two others of the Indian soldiers take their daily bath with as much care, regularity and evident satisfaction as tho most exquisite of the 400. “A company of Infantry has been enlisted from these Indians, which is commanded by Captain Wetherspoon. The company quarters, mess hall, amusement rooms and gymnasium are located on the same ridge with tho houses, and form u part of the Indian village. Strict military discipline is observed with this company and perfect order and cleanliness was manifest. The company drills once and sometimes twice daily, and is said to be proficient in the manual of arms and company evolutions. All commands are given in English. About once a week this Indian company drills with the white troops in battalion drill. There is a guard house at the settlement, and all refractory Indiana are arrested by the Indian soldiers and alljprisoners are guarded by them. Geronimo now occupies tho position of alcalde, or justice of the peace, and all cases of minor offenses are tried before him. His decisions have given general satisfaction, Ho has sentenced some to six months in tho guard house, which is, I think, about as long a time as the old man was ever in confinement himself at one time. There is a good school adjacent to the settlement, under the direction of two efficient teachers, where all children are afforded the advantages of an English education. About fifty of the children from this colony are now at the Carlisle school. These Indian prisoners of war are virtually on parole. They are not confined or guarded, and are allowed to.come and go when and where they please, provided only that their conduct is proper. As I said before, discipline is enforced by tho Indians themselves. The men are allowed to work out by the day whenever they can find employment, and some of the women, do washing for the soldiers. “The Indian soldiers, of course, got the pay and allowances of regulars. Many of them do bead and basket work and old Geronimo picks up many a dollar by selling bows and arrows; which he embellishes with his name. He also disposes of photographs of himself at 25 cents apiece. Several other Indian chiefs, well known in New Mexico and Arizona, are at Mt. Vernon.—[Washington Star.