The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-07-22
Massacre of Irving's Party.


About two months since, "A party Of men, some
twenty five in number, arrived at this place, and
encamped a short distance from the city. They
were under the command of Capt. John Irving,
said to be an old Texan ranger. We do not suppose
that many persons here were informed as TO tue OBJ
jects of the company. Irving gave out that he
going to Sonora to fight the Indians. One member
Of the company, ia endeayoring to induce citi-
zen to join them, stated that they were going to
Mexico to rob some Of the specie conductas be-
tween the mines and Nlaza .an. When here, they
excited the terror OF the citizens and many offences
were chhTged upon them. About ten days since
they took their departure, moving in the direction
Of the Colorado, and Pre- badly not one in tenof our
citizens supposed they should again hear of the
Iarty. On Sunday las. letters were received in
town from Col Magrudcr, a. Chino, aud Mayor
Wilson, iCTrCsentitg a state OF things which
seemed to indicate that actual war existed between
li,ing's men and the native talifornisns. IL was
said that Irving and his party were killing cattle,
stCa li1 horses, and conducting themselves in such
a lawlcss manner as u render IL necessary that
they should he speedily checked.
II appears that lr'rg's party first went to fi-
lire Lugo's, ard broke and n:cred the house
" hctl CT or not they stole any thing Of value, Is
not certain. They ransacked the trunks and scat
tered the clothing about. and probably took away
some articles Of small value. They then pro ,eeded
to Jose Maria Lugo's, some six miles distant from
Ftlipes. The people at the ranches fed at their
approach, but it does not appear that they entered
any houses except those OF the Lugos. At Jose
Maria Lugos il is snid they stole various articles.
IL Is the prevailing opinion that tneir object was TO
murder the two young Lugos. Irving had been
heard TO say that he would take the scalps Of the
young Lugos, ard there can be little doubt that he
was ben. on murder as we'll as plumber.
Not finding the Lugos at home, Irving LETT the
premises, aid struck into a road leading into the
mountains.
The Cowes, many Of whom are domiciliated a.
Lugo's, followed up lrving's party, and attacked
them with bows and arrows and ances. Irving fol-
lowed the road into q ravine, the steep banks Of
which prevented his egress, and here 1t that the
whole party slain. Not enc was left to tell the
tale The Indians first shot them down with arrows,
and then beat in their skulls with stones Persons
who have the dead bodies describe them as be-
ing mangled in n manner shocking to behold.
Those who are known to be killed are John lr-
wing, Frank Wilson, Perley, Jack Hitchcock, Chas
Lnvelle, and George Clarke. Besides these men,
there we're known g. be with Irving, when he left
here. Wiam O'Donnol, Peter Composed to be
the brother Of O'Donnell), alfred Spencer, Mason,
Bogel and three men called Mac, sam, and Fat
1t is D, ssible that the three last named are included
smong the foregoing whose christian names are
not gwen. -,
won, q. d, 80 far can be sscortained. Some sup
ros,d that larger number were killed, aud that
The Indians concta vi their actual loss We are in
elm, a 10 believe that but was killed The In
dian known to have been killed was an alcalde Of