The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-03-25
THE MONSTER SALAZAR.
I,lesdes.ts ef Krndalr, Santa Re Expedition


This miscreant, who has been consigned to
an immortality OF infamy by Mr.. Kendall, in his
Santa Fe Expedition" was the officer in COM
mand Of the escort which conducted the Santa
Fe prisoners for some distance on the first part
of their miserable march to Mexico He was
employed in this service BY Armijo, Governor of
the Northern Province. In character, he was
considered a picaroon or robber and the men In
his command were little better than banditt
In illustration of the brutality of Salazar we
may state that man named Macallster, a ma
tive OF Tennessee, and of excellent family, was
completely exhausted, and so lame that he could
no longer walk. Salazar, after beating the other
lame and sick prisoners, came up to him and or
dered him to overtake the main body, quarter
of mile in advance. Macalister declared his
inability to proceed on foot. Salazar then drew
his sword, and ordered him TO hurry on. Mac
alister still declared that he could not. Once
more this savage pointed TO the main body Of
the prisoners, and Notwithstanding he had plenty
Of mules, ordered the cripple to hurry forward.
He could not. :" Forward!" said Salazar, now
wrought to pitch OF frenzy" Forward, or I
aoiH shoot you on the spot" "Then shoot"-
replied Macalister, throwing off his blanket and
exposing his manly breast, tand the quicker
the better" Salazar took him at his word, and
single ball sent as brave man as ever trod
the earth to eternity His ears were then cut
of, his shirt and pantaloons stripped from him,
and his body thrown by the wayside, as food for
wolves.
We may mention two other instances of bar
barity almost without parallel. AS the sun was
about setting, says Kendall those who were in
front were startled by the report of two guns fol-
lowing each other in quick succession. ave
turned to ascertain the cause, and found that
poor unfortunate man named Golpin, merchant
who had joined the expedition with small
amount of goods had been shot by the rear guard,
for no other reason than he was too sick and |
weak tn keep up. He had made bargain with
one of the guard to ride his mule for short dis
lance, for which he was to give him his only shirt. |
While in the act of taking it off, Salazar ordered
a soldier to shoot him. The first ball only |
wounded the wretched man, but the second killed |
him instantly, and he fell with his shirt still about
his face"
The next day, just as morning dawned, man
named Griffith gave out. He had been wounded
by the Indians, had ridden mule until his facul-
he jumped of, and again undertook to walk. Too
weak, however, and too lame to travel he sank
to the ground. soldier told him to rise, or he
would obey the orders given him by Salazar, ;" to
put all to death who could not keep up" Griffith
made one feeble and Intellectual effort. The at
tempt was too much. He cast an imploring look
at the soldier, and while doing So the brutal mis-.
Creant kn0cHeG MS Grams Out f0rn q muSkH! Ills
blanket was then stripped from him as the reward
of his murderer, his ears were cut off, and he was
thrown by the road side, another feast for the
buzzards and prairie wolves.
Saazar robbed the poor prisoners, and nearly |
starved them to death, although he had cattle |
to feed them. On arriving at Ell Pa |
SO, he was put under arrest for his cruelty, rob-
berry, and murders, by order of General Elias,
and late account informs us that while on re-
cent expedition in the Indian country stealing
horses, he waylad, killed, and scalped, and his
body left to gorge the birds and beasts of prey.