The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-28

story told below is strong commentary upon
remarks.
Mr. ST. john the manned hero Of this escape is
now in this city, and the great courage he displayed
under the horrible circumstances in which he was
placed entities him TO much sympathy. II is under
stood that Mr. ST. John brings letters Of oommenda-
ton from distinguished sources 10 many prominent
men in Congress aud should the territorial bill for
Arizona become a law an application which We trust
will be successfu-w be made for him for a suborli-
nato appointment in the Territory, where he has
been, by the loss of his arm, disabled for life
Tar ESCAPE OF SrAs ST. JouS.-Mr. Silas St. John,
the only survivor of the party ia charge of the United
States mail station at Dragon Springs Arizona in Sep
tembe last has reached this city from san Francisco by
the passage aud Is his way to Washington with
letters commencing him TO the attention OF the govern
ment He called at the Office of the Century Thurs
day last aud gave the following particulars of the
murder Of his associates and OF his remarkable
cape and suerings He overcoat of the national
blue one sleeve of which hung loose and armles ut his
side He was born in the city OF New York. and is now
only twenty years of age but his features al
ready strongly marked by the resolution that acquired
by exposure the toll aud accidents of pioneer life.
Dragon Springs is in the Gadsden purchase eighty
three miles east OF Tucson and sixty five miles from Fort
Buchanan The coral, station, Is rectangular enco-
sure twenty five by thirty five feet protected by sono
wall and half feet thick at the base and eight feet
high One third of the space occupied by the store
houses and the sleeping apartment Of the station master
The mules kept in the other part ready for change
the arrival OF the mail heavy wooden gate defends
the entrance
Three Mexicans named Guadalupe Bonilaco, and
Pablo and three Americans constituted Mr. ST. Johns
guard Mt the time of the attack. On the night OF the
Sh of September of the Mexicans took his turn ON
the watch while the other two supposed TO be sleep
ing outside of the coroH. James Burr formerly OF Wa
tertown, NJ Y, also slept the outside hillock
The other Americans, Preston Cunningham OF California
and James Laing of Kentucky were sleeping in the
store room, which communicated by door with Mr. 81
John apartment The first notice that Mr. 81 john
had of any unusual movement the passage OF the two
Aexclns from the outside into the store room, and i'm
medatey after he heard blows struck He called to Burr
TO him outside but at that instant the fellow
was killed by the third Mexican. The two Others now
rushed into st. Johns apartment Guadaioupe made a
stroke at him with carpenters axe, which cut him SO
verey in the hip Bonlacio struck at him with chop
ping axe and he received the blow his left arm which
was instantly disabled he fortunate enough to
knock him down with his fist before he could aim sec
ond Then he rctreatcd still wardng OIL blows to the
head his mattress for his gum when the two asassins
backed out but hearing the gun fall they Judged that
St John unable to it, and returned to the as
saut accompanied by the boy who had killed Burr. st
John met them witha revolver and fired when they all
fled The shot struck Pablo and his bones found
some days after picked by the wolves.
st John took up position whence he could around
the cora and remained there until daylight, when he
fell over the loss of blood His left broken
aud cut through excepting only the flesh which covered
the main artery He was alone all the day, which
was Thursday. Cunningham died twenty onr hours af
he received his wound LANG staggered about hard
ly sensible, the brain oozing from his skull They at
tempted to drink some water which the Mexcans had
placed there In buckets but II caused vomiting ynme
diately and St John poured 1t the ground, fearing
that excessive weakness from loss OF blood might tempt
him to try 1t again Laing lived six days after he received
his wound Tho mules suffering for food and water,
and several had broken loose st John crept distance
fifteen feet and opened the gate to let them out and
returned to his watching place This exertion cost him
two AQus,0 u,4e % plBt 81 6 eSstsfme Msak
fill with maggots He could not sleep at night for the
wolves which round and poked their through
the gate bars bowling for admission and during the day
crows and huzzads pcrchedon the walls attracted by the
smell of the dead bodies
ST John had succeeded in writing statement of the
murder in small book for the information of the San
Antonio and San Diego mail party that due at the
station Monday Fortunately, it arrived on Sunday
morning the first person who approached him was a
personal friend Mr.. George Caldwell Of California and
his servant They Immediately went in pursuit of
Lieut. Mowry, delegate to Washington from Arizona and
Col Leach, the Superintendent OF the III Paso wagon
road, made every cxertion for MIR. st. John relief
man was left with him, while the mail pushed ON To the
next station, from which two sent with sup
plies An express sent to Dr. Irwin, at Fort Buchan
The Doctor absent at fifty miles distance. On
being notified, he rode day and night, lie miles, and
reached Dragon Springs early tho morning of the
nth. st. John had lain nine days In Ills blood. His
| arm amputated with hope, however, by the
Doctor that his life would be saved The maggots had
consumed the mortified hesh and prevented the more
rapid spread Of purefction. Six days after the ampula
ton, ST. John taken to Fort Buchanan, where he
manned till Nov. @.
Mr. s. John desires particularly to return his grateful
thanks to Lieut. Mowry, Col Leach, Dr. Irwin, and Mr.
CALDWELL for their attention and kindness
Since writing the above, Col Leach has called and CON
frmed its truth He gives few additional particulars
Burrs head was crushed by heavy blow with stone
hammer, he lay doubled up his side, and to all APP
pearance had not moved muscle. ST. Johns arm
separated at the shoulder from the socket.
Hon JonS ORR, brother of the present Speaker of
the House OF Representatives is spoken of in the Miss