Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-05-26
A Thrilling Indian Adventure.
From the Prescott (Arizonal Miner,l


When the Richardson party divided near
Mount Floyd, eightyor ninety miles north
westtrom Prescott, twenty-one of the party
turned their faces this way, and the
remainder started for Cataract creek,
to look at patch of country which
they had, on former trip, seen
from distance, and in which they sup.
posed gold existed. The first party had
travelled about six miles towards Prescott
when three of their number, Edward Pearl,
- Mcdonald and Ferdinand Wonder,
seeded, and with burro, on which they
packed their blankets and provisions start
ed for the Little Colorado. Two of this
latter party got back here Saturday last,
and related a fearful tale of Indian dupli-
city, treachery and murder We give it
related to u.s.
Shortly after leaving their companions,
the little party of three struck an Indian
trail and followed it nortlward. They soon
ached creek which they supposed to be
Diamond creek. Here they met party of
Wallapais Indians, who acted very friendly,
and showed 'peace papers from some
army officer. This satisfied the whites,
who then turned east. They travelled two
DAYS, and the night of the second reached
country that looked exceedingly well for
gold, the beds of the streams being filed
with granite and quartz powders and
gravel Timber and game abounded. The
party unpacked the burro cooked and ate
supper, and retired to dream of what they
might find next day. During the latter
part of that night their ever faithful burro
awoke the party by certain antics which all
burros cut up upor seeing something I'M
usual-more especially in the dead hours
of night
But, alas, for the men, they paid no at
tention to the snorting Of the donkey and
fell back again into sound sleep, from
which they were aroused about daylight by
a party of four savages, who had crawled
to their beds and opened murderous fire
upon them with bows and arrows Upon
seeing how matters stood, the whites grasp
ed their weapons, turned loose upon the
savages, and drove them away. The result
of the fight was as follows: Ferdinand
Wonder was MORALLY wounded, and Nc
Donald and Pearl were wounded in several
places, not seriously enough, however, to
prevent them from travelling. They look
ed around for the burro, and not seeing
him, concluded that the Indians had COB
bled him. They then packed their blank
cts on their backs, took hold OF Wonder,
and assisted his tottering footsteps. They
had proceeded scarce hundred yards,
when Wonder, rom whose wounds the
blood spurted, informed his comrades that
it was impossible for him 20 travel with
them any further, even with Their assist
ance. and begged them to shoot him.
This they would not do, so he immedi-
atelv shot himself in the head with his six
shooter. Mcdonald and Pearl remained
by his side until satisfied that he was dead,
when they took up his arms and proceed
ed on their way. They travelled two days
and nights without water, preferring TO suf-
fer for want of it rather than risk their
lives by hunting tor it in the canons and
brushy places, where, had they entered,
the savages, who logged their steps all the
while, would most assuredly have surround
ed ard murdered them. From Anvil Rock
thew followed the road to Camp Tollgate
where. after relating the desperate trials
and suderings they had gone through,
everything possible was done for them. -
The men think they killed and wounded
some Indians. They think there were some
20 or 80 Indians on hand the morning of
the fight. They feel pretty certain that
the attack was made and the murder com
mitted by Wallapais with, perhaps, a few
Pah- Utes.
Ferdinand Wonder, the man who lost his
life on this trip, was from Iowa, where, we
are told, his relatives reside.