< Previous Chapter * Next Chapter >
*** Quote ***
When I had given up to the Government they put me on the Southern Pacific Railroad and took me to San Antonio, Texas, and held me to be tried by their laws.
In forty days they took me from there to Fort
Pickens (Pensacola), Florida. Here they put me
to sawing up large logs. There were several other
Apache warriors with me, and all of us had to
work every day. For nearly two years we were
kept at hard labor in this place and we did not
see our families until May, 1887. This treatment
was in direct violation of our treaty made
at Skeleton Canyon.
After this we were sent with our families to Vermont, Alabama, where we stayed five years and worked for the Government. We had no property, and I looked in vain for General Miles to send me to that land of which he had spoken; I longed in vain for the implements, house, and stock that General Miles had promised me.
During this time one of my warriors, Fun, killed himself and his wife. Another one shot his wife and then shot himself. He fell dead, but the woman recovered and is still living.
We were not healthy in this place, for the climate disagreed with us. So many of our people died that I consented to let one of my wives go to the Mescalero Agency in New Mexico to live. This separation is according to our custom equivalent to what the white people call divorce, and so she married again soon after she got to Mescalero. She also kept our two small children, which she had a right to do. The children, Lenna and Robbie, are still living at Mescalero, New Mexico. Lenna is married. I kept one wife, but she is dead now and I have only our daughter Eva with me. Since my separation from Lenna's mother I have never had more than one wife at a time. Since the death of Eva's mother I married another woman (December, 1905) but we could not live happily and separated. She went home to her people-that is an Apache divorce.
Then, as now, Mr. George Wratton superintended the Indians. He has always had trouble with the Indians, because he has mistreated them. One day an Indian, while drunk, stabbed Mr. Wratton with a little knife. The officer in charge took the part of Mr. Wratton and the Indian was sent to prison.
When we first came to Fort Sill, Captain Scot
was in charge, and he had houses built for us
by the Government. We were also given, from the
Government, cattle, hogs, turkeys and chickens.
The Indians did not do much good with the hogs.
because they did not understand how to care
for them, and not many Indians even at the present time keep hogs. We did better with the
turkeys
and chickens, but with these we did not
have as good luck as white men do. With the cattle
we have done very well indeed, and we like
to raise them. We have a few horses also, and
have had no bad luck with them.
In the matter of selling our stock and grain there has been much misunderstanding. The Indians understood that the cattle were to be sold and the money given to them, but instead part of the money is given to the Indians and part of it is placed in what the officers call the "Apache Fund." We have had five different officers in charge of the Indians here and they have all ruled very much alike-not consulting the Apaches or even explaining to them. It may be that the Government ordered the officers in charge to put this cattle money into an Apache fund, for once I complained and told Lieutenant Purington that I intended to report to the Government that he had taken some of my part of the cattle money and put it into the Apache Fund, he said he did not care if I did tell.
Several years ago the issue of clothing ceased. This, too, may have been by the order of the Government, but the Apaches do not understand it.
If there is an Apache Fund, it should some day be turned over to the Indians, or at least they should have an account of it, for it is their earnings.
When General Miles last visited Fort Sill I asked to be relieved from labor on account of my age. I also remembered what General Miles had promised me in the treaty and told him of it. He said I need not work any more except when I wished to, and since that time I have not been detailed to do any work. I have worked a great deal, however, since then, for, although I am old, I like to work and help my people as much as I am able.
< Previous Chapter * Next Chapter >