Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-04

a
Last July there was published in the
Alta an accountof the murder of white
men near Kitchens Rancho, in Arizona,
by the Apache Indians. The names Of
the murdered men were published at the
| time, but now we are called upon TO state
that one Of those supposed to have been
killed is still alive and well. We give
below the story of Mr.. B. B. Smith, as
related by that gentleman Yesterday to
one of the reporters Of the Alta:
am resident Of st. Paul, Mime
sofa, where my family now reside. In
1862 came to this coast, and for several
years Travelled great deal through Arr
zona, California and the northern part
of Mexico After leading the life OF an
adventurer for few years | returned to
St. Paul. Last February | came TO this
coast again and went to San Diego,
where remained until April and then
started for Uriz, the capital of Sonora. !
procured a fine saddle horse, and armed
with Henry rifle and two revolvers, l
started to make the trip alone, as the
whole country was familiar TO me, and l
had Travelled over the route a,great many
times. / overlook party OF seven pros
pectors on arriving at the line between
Arizona and Sonora. II was on the Ith
of July. and found them camped near
Peter Kitchens rancho. They started
out at A pm. but stayed and refreshed
myself and horse by couple OF hours
more rest, promising to overtake them.
As soon as the moon rose, took to the
saddle and proceeded on my journey.
"On arriving within six miles of Mon
ument Station, my horse SHE'D at an OBJ
| iect Just ahead in the road. l dis
mounted and found it to be the dead
body of man-one of the party that
had preceded me. Within hundred
wards | found the dead bodies of the
whole party and three of their horses.
They had been stripped of their clothing.
Things looked little squally, and | hes
litated some time before decided to go
| forward. ! proceeded cautiously on
foot, and within mile / found another
body, which, upon examination, proved
to be that of Juan lnnego, a Spanish
merchant who resided at Altar, forty
miles distant. He was probably on his
way to Tuscon. knew him well when
| was down there in 1862 and 1868.
About twenty rods from there found
the body of Spaniard, known as Clpri'
ano, who lived in Magdalina. A little
| further on came upon the bodies oi
three unknown men. There is no mis-
| take about it, | was now thoroughly
frightened. Death seemed to stare me
in the face every way turned.
"While considering what was best to
be done | was startled by voice, near
at hand, commanding me in loud Eng
lish to halt. My Henry rifle was brought
up for use, and / now made up my mind
to fight to the death. | looked eau
tiously in every direction, but was un,
able to discover the person who hailed
me. Again / was hailed with, Who
are you2" Still / could not discover
where the voice came from, and knowing
| stood at the mercy of the person
speaking / replied, "a friend to all ma
tions." | was then commanded to drop
my arms, and l did So AT this, stal
wart Mexican, whose name | atterwarc
learned was Juan Montoia, strobe out o.
the bush, and taking my horse and arms
ordered me to follow him. He led me tC
camp of Apache Indians only few
rods distant, where was placed under
guard Montoia was the leader of thu
band, which was composed OF, ffty-sia
warriors, and his orders were all obeyeC
promptly That night and the next day
| / talked to him in both Spanish anC
English, and tried to learn from hin
what was to be my fate; / told him | hat
served through the war as an officer II
the United States army, and showed him
my papers, and told him the object o.
my mission to Sonora
The next day number of them
started off up the road and shortly we
heard several shots, and | knew they were
numbering other travellers. | remained
a prisoner twenty-eight days, and was
then released, and proceeded on a mule
which Montoia gave me, to Uriz, the cap
ital of Sonora. While | remained with
the party they continued their murder
ing and plundering most every day
They were held under complete discip
lJine by Montoia, and were trained to
obey commands he gave by the bugle
when in action. All were armed with
Henry and Sharpe rifles, and revolvers
They were well mounted, and fought like
veterans whenit came to close contest
Montoia told me he had scouts on the hill;
as lookouts, and that they sgnaled to him
the approach of parties, and everything
of Importance regarding them | have
no idea why they spared my life wher
they killed everybody else on sight. They
always had a big pow-wow and scalT
dance after a killing, and then the spoil'
were divided. They took all of my cloth
ing, and gave me some old articles taker
from some of their murdered victims, il
place of them, After | had visited Uriz
| returned to Guaymas by way of Her
mosilla Governor Pesquira treated mt
very kindly while remained in Uriz.
"At Guaymas, Mr.. Willard, the United
States Consul, showed me papers con
tanning an account of the massacre o
the party. Ny name, with the initials
wrong, appeared among the rest. The
account stated that my body had beer
mutilated until it was scarcely recog
nizable. Copies Of these papers haC
been sent to my family in st. Paul, BY
my friends. now determined to com'
to San Francisco and telegraph to my
folks, who have been in mourning for me
; Z" made sp agreement with Captain
| Dali, of the steamer Continental, aftel
, telling him my story, to bring me TO Sai
Francisco, and that as soon as | eoult
communicate with my relatives | would
pay him for the passage: OF Cape st
/ Lucas the ship MAS wrecked in storm
and | left her in the boat ecmmanded b.
the carpenter. It looked like preitI
rough deal to jump out Of q nest o
Apaches into a shipwreck. But w
weathered the tempest and reached lane
safe. The account Of the wreck as glyel
by the carpenter and published in %,
Alta was very truthful. ! don't think
have enjoyed my second trip to thi
coast as much as did the first
An ErenffuI BridaI ITOur-Captures
by Pirates. and Rescued only 90 D.
shiPwreekcd,
From the San Francisco Bulletin. Oct. H.