THE APACHE KID- RED RENEGADE OF THE WEST

IN ALL the annals of outlawry in the southwest-red or white-there never was a counterpart of the Apache Kid. For years he played a lone hand, invading his tribesmen's camps, stealing their women, killing their men, putting fear into their hearts over a large expanse of the reservation and leaving no trail that could be followed.

The Kid, as he was called by the white men in his early boyhood, was born in Aravaipa Canyon, a member of Capitan Chiquito's band of Apaches, around 1860. He was the son of Toga de Chuz-a subchief who ranged throughout the San Pedro watershed but had his home in the beautiful Aravaipa Canyon, a fruitful valley in a region of towering cliffs.

In 1875, when the Kid was fifteen, his people were moved to San Carlos much against their will and desire. They located on the Gila River about five miles above San Carlos and from here the Kid made frequent trips into San Carlos and hung around the scouts, who had a great fascination for the boy. It was here and by them that he was named the Kid. He was already carrying three names"Oh-yes-sonna"-meaning "hears something in the night," "Gon-te-e-e"meaning "four fingers" and "Oskaben-nan-telz"-"always getting mad."

As soon as the Kid was large enough, he was enlisted as Indian scout by Al Sieber-Chief of Scouts-who had taken a liking to the boy. Owing to his intelligence, willingness and aptitude in handling other Indians, he was soon promoted.

In June, 1882, Sergeant Kid-with twenty-five other scouts-marched to Camp Verde for station with Chief of Scouts Al Sieber. The month following, they were rushed to the Tonto Rim, above Payson, where July 17-the Battle of the Big Wash was fought with a large band of Coyotero-White Mountain Apaches.

Brig. Gen. Thomas Cruse, retired, who fought in that battle as a Lieutenant of the Sixth Cavalry, has written me that he remembers the Kid in that fight as "A real good Indian then, very tall and handsome."

The Kid was advancing right along for the records of August 1, 1883, show he marched into Mexico with Captain Emmet Crawford, as First Sergeant of Scouts, which office he continued to hold all during the Geronimo campaign. After the capture of Geronimo, he was stationed with his scout company at San Carlos and kept busy rounding up troublesome renegades and helping to keep the peace generally.

Sometime in 1887, the Indians in the camp where Kid's father-Toga-de-Chuz had located, indulged in a tiswin (native liquor) drunk and some of them began fighting. Toga-de-Chuz started toward them, apparently as peacemaker when an Apache named Gon-zizzie (shirt sleeve) shot him in the back with a revolver, killing him. Gon-zizzie at-tempted to escape but was followed for several miles and killed, by friends of Toga-de-Chuz.

The death of Gon-zizzie did not satisfy the Kid, for the death of his father and the absence of Captain Pierce and Chief of Scouts Al Seiber at Fort Apache for a few days-gave the Kid the opportunity to take several scouts and go to the San Pedro to the home of Rip, a brother of Gon-zizzie and kill Rip. The Kid then returned to San Carlos, but instead of going to his scout troop, he hung around the Indian camps for several days drinking tiswin.

Finally contacting Sergeant Toney-one of his scout troop the Kid sent him to tell Sieber he wished to have a talk with him. Sieber sent word for him to come in at once. In the meantime, Sieber sent for Captain Pierce-Indian agent and commanding officer. The Kid ar-rived followed by the several scouts who had been with him and they in turn fol-lowed by a large crowd of curious In-dians, all of whom were more or less under the influence of tiswin and carry-ing weapons. Observing they had been drinking, Sieber asked the Kid to hand over his rifle and ammunition and the The Apache Kid, red renegade of the west, as he looked in 1887 when he was first sergeant of Indian Scouts under Al Sieber. The territory of Arizona offered $5,000 for him dead or alive. The reward was rescinded in 1894.

The Kid readily complied. Sieber then told him to disarm the other scouts and this he proceeded to do. During the tenseness of this moment, somehow, someone fired a shot. No one seems to know by whom or why the shot was fired, but it was like setting a spark to tinder and firing became general.

Both Captain Pierce and Sieber were unarmed and the latter ran to his tent and as he was reaching for his rifle, was struck on the ankle bone by a 45-70 bullet, crushing the bone like an egg shell, from the effects of which Sieber lay flat on his back for a year and was lame the rest of his life. At this all of the Indians ran but it is known for a fact that the Kid did not fire a shot. The fateful shot was fired by Pas-lau-tau, a scout who had been with the Kid. (It has always been thought that Curley fired this shot, but Paul Patton-ex-scout and full brother of Pas-lau-tau-told me this on February 22, 1939).

Lieutenant Elliott with a detachment of cavalry and scouts was on the scene in an incredibly short time, asking Cap-tain Pierce for orders whose terse reply was, "Follow the trail," and they were off at a gallop. Following the San Car-los River for twelve or fifteen miles, a halt was called owing to the growing darkness. In the morning it was found that the Indians had doubled on their (Turn to Page 30)