Litchfield enquirer., 1847-05-06
THE MASSACRES AND BATTLES IN
 NEW MEXICO.
From the St. Louis Reveille, April g.

From the St. Louis Reveille, April 9.
 Santa Fe, Feb. Is, 1s47.-Since my last we have had some horrible tragedies in this coun. try. On the morning of the 18th of January large number of Puebla Indians assembled in cue of the villages ot the valley of Taos. and demanded of Stephen Lee, Qormerly of St.. Louis) who was sheriff of the county, the res lease of three Puebla Indians, notorious thieves who were confined in the calaboose for steal> ing. Lee, seeing no means of resistance, was about to comply with this demand, and having gone to the calaboose, was in the act of taking of the irons from the prisoners, when Conra- da Vigil, Mexican, and the Prefecto, came in and objected, denouncing the Indians as thieves and scoundrels. The Indians at once killed Vigil in the calaboose, and cut his body to pieces. severing all the l'nbs from it-and then released the prisoners. Meantime Lee, believe had gone to his own house.
 Governor Charles Pent had gone to Tacs on a visit and was at his house in the village The Indians went from the calaboose to the house of the Governor. crowded in till they filled it and .old him that they did not intend to leave an American alive in New Mexico and as he was Governor, they would kill him first The Governor appealed to their honor and manhood, but they treated his appeal with derision aud soon began 10 shoot him with arrows, taking hendi,h care that the arrows should torture, not kill him. They shot him in the face and breast. and even tried to hut his eyes Leaving him some time in this con- dition, they came back, and shot him with guns killing him dead. They took off his scalp. and stretched it on a board with brass nails. and carried it in triumph through the streets.
 In the meantime they killed Stephen Lee, in what manner have not learned Gen. Elliot Lee, ol St. Louis, who came out last fall to vis- it his brother Stephen, fled into the house of the priest, who concealed him under some wheat, 50 that the Indians did not find him for some time and when they discovered him they toek him out tc kill him, but the pries; plead so strongly for him, that they abs andoned their purpose. Gen. Lee re- mained at the priests house for some time, ard every few days the Indians would take him out 10 kill him. but woul2 desist on the interference Of the prlest.
 James White L"al, private in the Laclede Rangers, who was on furlough, and had been appointed prosecuting Ats torney for the Northern Distric', was also a victim, and suffered a horrible death. The Indians, soon after killing the Gov ernor, went to the house where Mir. Leal was, stripped off his clothes. and then made him march througc the streets Of the village, they singing, and amusing themselves by shooting arrows little way into his flesh, to torture him.. After this, they took him to the house, shot a number of arrows into his face, taking aim at his eyes, nose mouth, &c., and then scalped him while ye, alive. They then left him in this miserable condition for some time-,hey at length returned, and she, him with arrows till he died.- His body was thrown out, and the hogs ate par: of it. when, tn the afternoon. Mrs. Barbieu, Spanish, woman, wife Of Judge Barbieu, sent s"me men to bury it. Mr. Leal was several hours dying. One cannot but shudder to think of his suffer ing.