This Infamous Wild West Outlaw Caused Controversy At Teddy Roosevelt’s Inaugural Parade

Astride his warhorse comes an outlaw instantly recognizable to everyone in the crowd. But why has the president invited such a controversial figure to take part in his inauguration? After all, the days of the American frontier are not over, and many remember the bloody struggles in which this fearsome fighter took part. 

One year previously, Roosevelt had beaten out Democrat Alton B. Parker in the race to become leader of the United States. And in keeping with his personality, he had planned a theatrical inauguration to mark the occasion. But it wasn’t the brass bands or the cowboys that would draw the biggest applause.

That honor, reports claim, was reserved for an infamous Wild West outlaw known throughout the New World. As Roosevelt himself cheered, though, many questioned the presence of a man who was technically a prisoner of war. So what is the story behind this controversial parade and the figure who took center stage?

When Roosevelt was first inaugurated back in 1901, of course, the ceremony was a far more somber affair. On September 6, President William McKinley had been shot while making an appearance in Buffalo, New York. And although officials initially expected him to pull through, he died from his injuries just eight days later.

With McKinley dead, Roosevelt, who was vice president at the time, was called upon to take his place. And on September 14 he met with officials to take the oath and formally step into his predecessor’s role as leader of the U.S. But given the circumstances, there was little in the way of fanfare surrounding the occasion.

Fast forward to 1905, though, and things couldn’t have been more different. After his reelection the previous year, Roosevelt began to plan an inauguration like no other. After all, he was fond of theatrics, and this was the perfect opportunity for him to make his mark. Finally, on March 4, 1905, the long-awaited celebration began.  

Roosevelt, it seems, did not do things by halves. On the day of his inauguration, a huge crowd looked on as some 35,000 people marched through Washington. Beneath their feet, scattered pools of snow still lingered, left over from the previous day. But mostly, the sun shone, echoing the optimistic mood of the new president’s address.

Like other inaugurations, the parade consisted of a great number of military men, armed and decorated in their uniforms. And as well as serving soldiers and marines, Roosevelt’s marchers included cadets from the academy at West Point and the mounted cavalrymen known as Rough Riders. But that wasn’t all.

To celebrate his inauguration, Roosevelt also invited several civilians to join in the parade. Among them were graduates of Harvard University, decked out in their gowns and caps, as well as cowboys wielding lassos as they rode down the city’s avenues. Meanwhile, coal miners marched alongside them, their helmets bedecked with shining lights.

As the parade passed through the city, the assembled crowd looked on in awe. But there was one group of marchers in particular that really caused a stir. Wearing their finest clothes, six men rode on horseback through the streets of Washington, sparking both applause and revulsion as they passed.

These men, you see, were not American heroes of the typical kind. Instead, they were famous figures from the Wild West, their names steeped in legend and notoriety. At the time, some questioned why Roosevelt had chosen to include them in his parade – but the president was keen to put on a memorable show. 

At the head of this unlikely band of men rode a solitary figure – the most notorious of them all. And though Roosevelt himself cheered as this surprise guest passed by, others did not wait long to express their disapproval. So who exactly was this Wild West icon? And why was his presence such a controversial choice?

Could it have been a famous cowboy, perhaps, fresh from the plains of the American west? After all, Roosevelt was known for his love of the ranch lifestyle, having spent time in the Dakotas before his rise to power. And according to records, as many as 60 wranglers on horseback took part in his inauguration parade.

Or was the star participant in Roosevelt’s inauguration another legend from the Wild West? At the time, a number of famous frontiersmen and women were still alive, such as the flamboyant showman Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley, the renowned sharpshooter. Could it have been one of these celebrities, then, who wowed the crowds outside the Capitol?

As it turns out, the Wild West outlaw who caused such a stir was someone that nobody could have expected. The six men, you see, were Native American warriors and chiefs, each with a complicated history in relation to the United States. So why were they here, partaking in a parade to celebrate Roosevelt’s inauguration? And which of them was it that caused such controversy within the president’s inner circle?

Among the group, reports tell us, were representatives from the Ute, Sioux, Blackfeet and Comanche tribes. And leading them through the streets of Washington was a man who sparked fear in the hearts of many Americans: Geronimo, famed warrior of the Apache people. At the time, a reporter for the Washington Post described the memorable scene.

“Stretched across the broad boulevard, in war bonnets and feathers, were six of the most famous Indian chiefs, warriors all, who played no small part in the border battles of the nation’s progress toward the setting sun,” the report read. “In the center rode Geronimo, most famous of a long line of famous Apaches. Now an old man, bent yet rugged, sturdy in spite of his age and scars, the noted chieftain was greeted by whoops of delight.”

Born in Arizona in 1829, Geronimo was a member of an Apache tribe that spent its days battling against Mexican troops. When he was just a young man, he suffered a family tragedy that turned him against the people south of the border for the rest of his life. But when the Americans began to encroach on his territory, he took on this new enemy as well. 

For years, Geronimo was a thorn in the side of both Mexican and American forces. The warrior and his followers would conduct raids on the fringes of both borders before fleeing to safety on the opposite side. If anyone tried to follow them, it seems, they would soon find the Apaches near-impossible to track. 

Of course, Geronimo’s bold behavior was not without its risks. In fact, legend has it that the warrior was shot on multiple occasions. Mind you, he allegedly bragged that bullets could not kill him. Eventually, though, he must have tired of this way of life, choosing to surrender and relocate his people to an Arizona reservation instead.

As it turns out, Geronimo was not suited to life on the reservation either. Over time, the Apaches’ allocated lands dwindled as the mining industry expanded into their territory. And before long, the warrior had grown bored and disillusioned, frustrated by the white settlers and the false promises that they had made.

Gathering a band of loyal followers, Geronimo abandoned the Arizona reservation and returned to his life as an outlaw on the edges of civilization. In time, he surrendered again to the Americans – only to escape once more. Eventually, in 1886 he turned himself over for a fourth and final time.

By now, the Americans were wary of Geronimo and decided to send him, along with a large group of Apaches, some 2,000 miles east to Florida. But the climate did not agree with them, and many perished in this strange and foreign land. Despite these losses, though, it would take eight years before the authorities would agree to relocate the warrior’s people.

Finally, in 1894 the group of Apaches arrived at Fort Sill, which was a U.S. Army post in southern Oklahoma. Although they were technically considered prisoners of war, they were allowed to live in their own houses and given the opportunity to farm. Geronimo, though, pined for his homeland of Arizona. 

It was this homesickness, perhaps, that inspired Geronimo to accept the invitation to appear in the 1905 inauguration parade. After all, the appearance would mean an opportunity to meet with the president and present his case. Moreover, it also represented a chance to earn some money for the warrior, who often peddled souvenirs to make ends meet.

But why had the president wanted Geronimo, and the other Native American leaders, at his inauguration to begin with? Although the records do not cover this detail, we know that Roosevelt had long fostered an obsession with the Wild West. Perhaps the most telling clue, though, can be found in a comment made during the parade.

You see, at the time, Geronimo was regarded by many as little more than a murderer. And when he paraded through the streets of Washington, there were some who saw his presence as distasteful to say the least. As applause broke out, and the president himself cheered the Apache warrior, at least one guest expressed their horror at this turn of events.

According to reports, one of those who spoke out was inaugural committee member Woodworth Clum, whose father John had worked at an Arizona reservation. Apparently, the official hated Geronimo and had passed this vendetta down to his son. When the Apache appeared among the marchers in the parade, then, Roosevelt’s advisor had a few choice words to share.

“Why did you select Geronimo to march in your parade, Mr. President?” Clum is said to have asked. “He is the greatest single-handed murderer in American history.” Unfazed, Roosevelt apparently retorted, “I wanted to give the people a good show.” And by all accounts he was successful – thanks in part to his inclusion of the infamous Apache warrior. 

Certainly, Roosevelt did not invite Geronimo and his fellow Native Americans to partake in the parade because he respected their culture and way of life. According to the Theodore Roosevelt Association, he once stated, “I don’t go so far as to think that the only good Indians are the dead Indians, but I believe nine out of every ten are, and I shouldn’t like to inquire too closely into the case of the tenth.”

Meanwhile, during his time as president, Roosevelt supported a number of programs that actively suppressed Native American rights. Under his direction, reservations were broken up, and children were forcibly assimilated into American schools. In other words, he sought nothing less than the eradication of Geronimo’s way of life and the end of his culture.

Nevertheless, when Geronimo met with Roosevelt several days after the inauguration, he addressed the president in a respectful tone. According to the 1906 book Lives of Indian Chiefs by Norman Wood, one witness recalled the warrior saying, “Great Father, I look to you as I look to God. When I see your face I think I see the face of the Great Spirit.”

Was Geronimo really humbled in Roosevelt’s presence, though, or was there an ulterior motive behind his grovelling tone? During the meeting, the warrior begged the president to allow his people to return to their native lands. Reportedly, he claimed to have seen the error of his ways and wished to be given a second chance.

According to Wood’s book, Geronimo said, “I and my people have no homes. The place where we are kept is bad for us. Our cattle can not live in that place. We are sick there and we die. White men are in the country that was my home… I pray you to cut the ropes and make me free. Let me die in my own country, an old man who has been punished enough and is free." 

Despite this impassioned plea, though, Roosevelt did not grant Geronimo’s request. According to the New-York Tribune, he said, “You must not forget that when you were in Arizona you had a bad heart; you killed many of my people; you burned villages; you stole horses and cattle, and were not good Indians.”

Apparently, Roosevelt pointed out that much animosity remained towards Geronimo and his people back in their native land of Arizona. And while he appreciated the warrior’s efforts to live in peace, he was unlikely to be able to send the Apaches home. Reportedly, he said, “There would be more war and more bloodshed. My country has had enough of these troubles.”

Although Roosevelt promised to discuss Geronimo’s position with his advisors, the warrior was never released from Fort Sill. Four years after the inauguration, in February 1909 he fell from his horse and was forced to spend the night in the bitter cold. Sadly, he developed pneumonia and passed away at the age of 79. 

According to the PBS show American Experience, Geronimo, on his deathbed, confessed to his nephew that he never should have surrendered to the Americans. Reportedly, he said, “I should have fought until I was the last man alive.” But the warrior, it would seem, did not always hold such a hostile view towards those who had held him captive.

A few years before his death, Geronimo collaborated on a book about his life story. And in the dedication, he paid tribute to Roosevelt, praising him as a “fair-minded” man who would seek justice for the Apaches. Whether this was a last-ditch attempt at flattery or a genuine compliment, of course, we will never know.