b"THE OLD STORYTELLERThe Legend of the Apache KidBy Hank Sheffer, The Old StorytellerTHIS GO-ROUND I want to talk a little bit about one of the most enigmatic figures in Arizona history. Actually, the controversy does not so much concern where he went or what he did we know quite a lot about that, but rather where he came from and quite frankly, where did he disappear to?W hat I found while researching information aboutto my sources, Al Sieber was the one who dubbed him this Apache Kid character was that his life andThe Apache Kid. Sieber maintained it was a lot easier adventures paralleled paths with many well- to say Apache Kid than Haskay-bay-nay-ntayl.known early pioneers that were instrumental in shaping the future of our Arizona Territory. A prime example isOther sources maintain he was born to a White the great chief-of-scouts for the U.S. Army, Al Sieber. IfMountain Apache family that had settled in Globe. In not for him, we would know a whole lot less about theeither case, it is agreed that he was born sometime in Kid. But, dont let me get ahead of myself. There arethe 1860s and that he was captured by Yumas at a very some things that we do know about the Kid. early age. He remained with the Yumas until the 1870s when he was freed by the U.S. Army and became a street Some folks believe he was born in Aravaipa Canyon,orphan in the Army camps. This is where he eventually roughly 25 miles southwest of San Carlos. He wasmet and was adopted by Al Sieber.supposedly part of the Apache Aravaipa Band. His given name was Haskay-bay-nay-ntaylwhich means the tallThe history books tell us that it wasnt until July 1871 man destined to come to a mysterious end. Accordingthat Al Sieber entered into the Army service for the first time (other than his Civil War service) scouting for General George Stoneman. By November 1872, he was employed as a scout at Camp Hualpai. And then, in 1873, Sieber was sent to Fort Verde to be in charge of a large body of Apache scouts. It was said that it seemed like every Indian in Arizona was on the warpath thatAfter the Geronimo campaign, everything seemed to be winter so Sieber and his scouts became very busy people. working well for the Kid, but that was soon to come to a roaring halt Unfortunately, this was when the wheels During these early years of the 1870s, Sieber made thestarted coming off the wagon for the Apache Kid. In Kid attend school at San Carlos where he was said to1887, Toga-de-chuz, supposedly the Kids father, threw have learned to speak several languages. I believe thata big celebration dance, which was attended by Indians while campaigning with Sieber in 1873, that he honedfrom far and wide. Through no fault of his own (that we his many skills as a tracker and scout. He was becomingknow of) Tis-win, an Apache liquor, was consumed in a very valuable asset indeed to have around. By thegreat quantities until everyone was more than sufficiently time 1881 rolled around, the Kid enlisted with theintoxicated. Unfortunately, the following morning it was U.S. Cavalry as an Indian scout himself in a programdiscovered that the old chief had been murdered. The designed by General George Crook to help quellevidence pointed to another Indian named Rip with further raids by the hostile bands of Apache. whom the old chief had had some problems.According to the writings of Judge Dan R. Williamson,Now according to the Apache code of honor, it became Arizona State Historian, the first sergeant post camethe duty of the Kid, who was the oldest son of Toga-open in 1882. It was that July when Sieber chose thede-chuz, to avenge his fathers death. Sieber warned Apache Kid to fill the post. During the entire time thatthe Kid not to harm Rip. Shortly thereafter, Sieber and followed, while in the pursuit of Geronimo, the ApacheCaptain Pierce, the agent at the San Carlos Reservation, Kid served with Sieber as his first sergeant. However, itwere called away to Fort Apache. The Kid was left in wasnt until September of 1886, four years later, that thecharge of the scouts to maintain order at the agency. warring medicine chief Geronimo and what was left ofThat's kinda like leavin the fox in charge of the hen his meager band were finally captured and shipped offhouse! No sooner were they gone than the Kid took to Florida. five of his men to the camp of Rip and shot him. Some sources say that Rip resisted arrest, which is what got At any rateas I mentioned earlier, the place of thehim shot. Either wayole Rip came up on the short Apache Kids birthplace has met with some questions.end of the stick.However, the next part of this story is quite explicit, once again according to the Arizona State Historian,When Sieber returned to the agency he found that the Kid Judge Dan R. Williamson who shared a great deal had not returned to the agency but had, rather, gone to of first-hand information about Sieber and his the part of the country where his tribe was located. Sieber many Indian adventures in an article in the Arizona ordered the Kid to come back to the agency, which he Historical Review titled Al Sieber, Famous Scout did, accompanied by his warriors on June 25, 1887. (The Chief-of-scouts for the U.S. Army, Al Sieber of the Southwest. number of warriors varies with different sources.) Sieber 8 July 2021"