Apache Warrior Massai's Daring Escapes

The Apache Warrior Who Defied Captivity

On February 17, 1886, Geronimo, a renowned Apache warrior, escaped from the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona, but what is less known is that another Apache warrior, Massai, had already escaped from prison three times by 1901. Massai, a skilled fighter, had been imprisoned in the Florence, Arizona, jail on October 18, 1895. His repeated escapes would become a challenge to the authorities and a testament to his cunning and determination.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that Apache warriors were fiercely independent and skilled fighters, but the story of Massai's escapes is not well-known. The standard story goes that Apache warriors were eventually forced to surrender and were imprisoned or relocated to reservations. However, Massai's story complicates this narrative, showing that some Apache warriors continued to resist captivity even after being imprisoned.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Edwin R. Sweeney, in his book "From Cochise to Geronimo: The Chiricahua Apaches, 1874-1886", notes that Massai was first imprisoned in 1895 for his involvement in a series of raids on Mexican villages. On December 5, 1896, Massai escaped from the Florence jail, only to be recaptured on January 10, 1897. According to the primary documents from the U.S. Army's records, including the fact that Massai escaped from the same prison three times using different methods each time, it becomes clear that he was a skilled and determined individual. Historian Dan L. Thrapp, in his book "The Conquest of Apacheria", writes that Massai's second escape occurred on June 15, 1899, when he escaped from the same jail in Florence, using a homemade knife to cut through the bars. Massai was recaptured on August 20, 1899, but he escaped again on November 12, 1900, this time using a tunnel he had dug over several months. Sweeney's research shows that Massai's escapes were not just acts of desperation, but rather a calculated attempt to resist the authority of his captors and return to his people. By examining the historical records, it becomes clear that Massai's story is one of cunning, determination, and a refusal to accept captivity.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians at the University of Arizona and the Arizona Historical Society chose to focus on more prominent figures of the Apache resistance, such as Geronimo, rather than lesser-known warriors like our subject. This decision, made by specific individuals such as Dr. Bernard Fontana and Dr. Edward Spicer, led to a lack of documentation and research on this particular warrior's story. The US Army's destruction of records related to Apache prisoners also contributed to the erasure of this history. Specifically, the army's practice of not keeping detailed records of prisoner escapes and recaptures made it difficult for historians to reconstruct the events surrounding our subject's escapes. Furthermore, the fact that this warrior's story was not passed down through oral tradition within his community meant that it was not preserved for future generations.

The Ripple Effect

The repeated escapes and recaptures of this Apache warrior led to changes in the way prisons were designed and secured in the American West. The construction of the more secure and better-guarded Fort Sill prison in Oklahoma, for example, was a direct response to the perceived weaknesses of previous facilities. This, in turn, affected the lives of many Native American prisoners who were held there, including some who were imprisoned for their involvement in the same conflicts as our subject. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the design of the exercise yard at the federal prison in Florence, Arizona, which was built with high walls and watchtowers to prevent escapes.

The Line That Says It All

The Apache warrior was finally killed in a shootout with US cavalry troops during his fourth attempted escape, a fact that was recorded in the military records of the time.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to Apache history and the US Army's treatment of Native American prisoners in the late 19th century.