The ÇHEMAWA AMERICAN
Page 4
ALCHESAY
(Continued from page 1) |
Alchesay said: “ I want you to stay and be good; I ’m
the one that stands in front of you and keeps you from
being destroyed. If they took a notion to clean you
cows from the whites, even killed some whites—'but out they could if it were not for General Crook and me.
let these chains be taken off. Eet me stay here with We are soldiers, and we want to protect you all we
him. If he runs away, in whichever way you want to*
can. The citizens want you destroyed, but we want
punish him, punish me instead.” .
to straighten out things without any trouble.”
, At another time General Crook said to Alchesay,
Then Alchesay turned to General Crook, “ You talk
‘‘All the armies are under me; you are the same over to Geronimo and his people, I ’m through with them*
scouts and soldiers; we are the same. The only one
I have given them a piece of my home land to live on.
ahead of us is in Washington. Now we (Gen. Crook
Now I ’m going to shoe my horses,” But the General
and Alchesay) are going into Mexico for forty days.
said, “ Alchesay, the captain never works.”
I was in Chihuahua City to get permission from the
Alchesay answered, “ Our soldiers and scôuts have
Mexican official to fix what we want to fix in forty
done everything for us, but now, come, you hold my
days, and he told me to do it in that tim e.”
horse while I shoe him,—and let them watch u s.”
In those forty days the scouts captured some
This was said in a joke, and General Crook knew it.
Chiricahua Indians.
The General wrote a note and gave it to a soldier.
These Indians had captnred six Mexican women.
Hè led the horses to the blacksmith and in that
The scouts brought all of them to Wilcox. Alchesay
way the horses were shod. The next day Alchesay
told the Mexican women to return to their homes in
and his friends returned to their Whiteriver homes.
Chihuahua, and in that way set them free. Alchesay
When the Southern Church at Whiteriver, Arizona,
and his outfit brought the Chiricahua Indians to San
was dedicated Alchesay, as chief and leader of his
Carlos and gave them plenty of rations, canned goods,
people, was given the key to the door. He unlocked
clothing and blankets. These Indians were to be
it’ and led them in. To see a man in his years—hair
placed there.
almost white, his frank open countenance, his kindly
The scouts’ time was now out, so they came home
eyes—followed by the little children and the oldest
to Whiteriver. But a short time afterwards General
into this new church was a most impressive sight. He
«Crook sent a letter to Alchesay and told him to come
was the first one baptized. To see this old man bow
to San Carlos and bring with him Mike Alchesay,
as a child at the alter proved ‘ ‘the power of God unto
Slim Jim and Manual (M—L ). After getting rations
salvation.
at Et. Apache they went to San Carlos. When they
He turned and told his people that his name was
arrived in San Carlos General Crook had a tent ready
now on the muster roll of the Highest Chief and,
for them, also wood, food and beds. General Crook
“ The Church of the Open Bible” (Nam eof the church
said to them: “ You came today; tomorrow you must
at Whiteriver) was the only one to which he had ever
yest, and the day after we must hold court.”
given his thumb print in approval,
On the day set, they held court and General Crook
gave guns, belts and two boxes of ammunition to
Our chapel exercises last Sunday proved of great
Alchesay and his friends, and in that way they became interest to our younger students, owing to the fact
scouts again. This was done in the presence of that Supt. Tipi’S told them an “ Uncle Remus” story
Geronimo and the Chiricahuas. When court began of how Br’er Rabbit rode Br’er Fox—with spurs. We
Geronimo spoke first. He wanted- land on Turkey are in truth compelled to state that the interest was
Creek on the White Mountain Reservation. General fully as great on the part bf the larger students and
Crook asked Alchesay, “ Do you want these people faculty members as on the, part of the little fellows.
to go over there? If you want them they may go. I Supt. Tipps is truly wonderful in these stories, as, aside
want you to say so, and that is why I had you to come from the tale itself, he makes personal observations
here.’’ Alchesay answered, “ All right, send them which add to the general interest and which show a
over there,—we will live with them .”
philosophy of real value. The speaker also touched
Alchesay turned to Geronimo and said: “ Are you upon important matters in relation to local affairs;
done with your being outlaws^* I don’t think that you During the evening Russel Hayward gave a vocal solo
will ever straighten out. There are soldiers and scouts and the choir rendered a number, as did the orchestra.
thick as the trees at Fort Apache, and you will never
ESCORTS
get away from them .”
Sunday
March
31—McBride
- - - Mrs. Hauser
Geronimo answered: “ If the whites alone were
Winona - - - - Mrs. James
after us, they would not chase us very long; you, Alche
Hawley - - - - Mr, James
say, are the one who is keeping it up all the tim e.”