The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-11-20
A BORDER TRAGEDY.
Mail.Carriers Attacked by Apaches
i'm New MexicO-The Heroic De-
Tense Of a Companion by John
Dorm.

Dorm.
A correspondent of the Santa Fe New
Mexican writing from Fort Wingate,
! Y. NJ, gives the following additional
particulars of the attack by Apaches on
/ Dorm and Kennison:
alt NAV be of some interest to your
citizens to know that the mail which
left your post-ofice on the 31st ult., for
| Prescott arrived at this Office on time,
and was forwarded from here at
o'clock a m on Wednesday, the Sd inst,
in charge of John Dorm, mail-carrier,
who arrived at Sunset Crossing, on the
! Colorado river-150 miles west of this
post,-on Thursday, the 4th inst, at 10
p. m,-the end of his drive. At this
place he met and camped with Daniel
Kennison, a carrier on the same line,
running from Sunset Crossing to Arnold's
Ranch, on Beaver Creek. On Friday,
the 9TH inst, just at daybreak, these
mail-carriers, while sleeping, as they
usually did, about sixty yards apart,
were attacked by Indians, Kennison, at
the first fire, being shot through the left
hand. The firing aroused Dorm, who
Immediately returned fire upon the saw
ages. Kennison, though wounded, as
sisted to keep the Indians at bay. At
ter e-half an hours fighting, Kenni-
son received three other wounds in the
body, which completely disabled him
from active participation in further as
sault; but as he lay upon the ground,
held his gun in readiness in case
charge was made by the Indians. In
about an hour after the first attack,
Dorm got good sight on one of the In
ians, and sent ball through his brain,
killing him instantly. The shot had
demoralizing effect on the Indians, and
they retreated to safer distance, though
they kept continuous fire on the two
mail-carriers. One of the Indians had
crawled up to the mail wagon and took
therefrom the mail bag and an ak. As
he was making of with his booty he
was discovered by Dorm, who immedi
ately gave chase and fired so closely to
him that he was compelled to drop it to
save his life. Dorm, after recovering
the mail and AK, returned to the wagon,
determined to defend himself till the
last shot was fired. Having placed his
wounded companion in the most shell
tered place within his reach, he prepar-
ed himself as well as he could to stand
the seige. All that day the Indians
we're in sight, sending occasional bullets
into his camp.
"When night came the firing ceased,
but not the vigilance of Dorm. That
night was given to the guarding of and
ministration to his suffering companion.
Salve for his fearful wounds was taken
from the cans of axle grease, which was
the only remedial agents at hand. The
long night was passed, and Saturday
morning at break of day the Indians
we're seen in force on the hills overlook
ing the camp. Dorm, who hadn't tasted
food since Thursday night, now began to
study up the chances of escape. He had
saved his mules and his wagon, with all
the property committed to his care,-
now he had the additional care of his
helpless friend, and must make an effort
to save him from the bloody scalping
knife of the savage. There he could
, stay no longer; without food he knew he
would soon be overpowered, so he set
; his life on the hazard of the road, and
determined to reach Fort Wingate il
1 possible. At 10 o'clock on the morning
of the 9th he placed the wounded Ken
| nison in the wagon, hitched on his mules
and started east, in the presence of his
tormentors. Onward he urged his ami.
mails, with his eyes ever on the lookout
Z for attack, and ever and anon would the
= whizzing bullets pass close to his hurry
ing team; occasionally he would plact
the reins within the pressure of hii
= knees, and return from his seat the lead
en- compliment. For 40 miles did th'
!, = Indians keep along in PARALLEL with
him, fearing, however, to make a clos'
attack, lest another of their numbe
Il should smite the earth; they left hin
: just before nightfall to pursue his jour
ney without further molestation. Al
the second sleepless night did he pusl
. forward, occasionally talking with poo
Kennison, whose life then seemed to b.
fast flowing from his wounds, and tax
| l. >f
tion regarding his family as might be o
interest in case death should result. Sun
day, the 7th, found the heroic Dorm still
urging forward his jaded animals, ant
not until the end of the day and full 81
u miles lay between him and the camp OIL
i Sunset Crossing, did he stop to sleep O
u rest. This was at Emigrant Springs
!. At the first approach of day, on Mon
- day, the 9Th, Dorm made ready to star
u for the terminus of his route. Observ
N ing, however, the almost lfeless condi
?, tion of his charge, he tarried till jus
Il as the sun was rising, when poor Kenni
T. son breathed his last.
"Dorn did not then forsake his friend
- mortal remains, but enyeloped his bod
- in blanket for a winding sheet, an
\ carried it that day over sixty miles, tina
he might assist at the Christian buria
At seven o'clock in the evening this fur
- eral in the wilderness arrived, and tn
/; body was exposed to the view of tn
:. commanding officer of the post, Capt. ,
= P. Brown, Fifteenth United States II
= fantry, who gave directions for its car
of and proper preparation for interment o
= the following day"
= The Brussels Conference decided O
70 the prohibition of poisoned arms, as we
:, as of the murder of any disarmed MAJ
:, the use of explosive proiectiles and Il