Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-06-13

NSSAN ANoh OAiJ anu bCC btlO III loll-
fled, Mortified people, standing on
the banks on each side of the track,
dumbfounded and motionless. |
called for help as well as l could,
and finally was released with the
few injuries you see."
elbow long have You been in the
express service%
"Ever since 1858, when l went
overland to California. Including
that trip | have crossed the conti-
nent on horseback four different
times and by three different routes.
| have spent much of my time
among the Indian tribes of the
Territory, partially as a govern.
ment agent and partially through
my express business. 1t was dur.
ing one of my transcontinental
trips that lost my arm. Shall l
tell you about it?"
Certainly. l should like to
hear the story"
"In 1885," began Captain st.
John, "the firm of Wells, Butter
field & Co.-aftArward merged into
the Overland Mail Company-ob-
tained a contract for aemi-weekly
mail service from st. Louis, via
Fort Smith and Ell Paso, to San
Francisco. In organizing the ex,
petition | was pat in charge as su-
perintendent to String the line
Besides me, there were in the expe-
dition James Burr, Of Watertown,
New York; Preston Cunningham,
of California; James i. Loring, of
Kentucky, and three Mexicans,
named Gaudaloupe, Bonifacio and
Pablo. On the evening of Wednes-
day, September 8th, we camped
near Dragoon Springs, Arizona,
eighty-three miles from Fort Blu.
chanan. One of the Mexiaans was
placed on guard, and the rest of us
lay down to sleep. About mid
night l awoke and heard two of the
Mexicans pass into the apartment
occupied by Cunningham, and sew
eral blows followed, the sounds of
which | plainly heard. l called to
Barr, but he could not answer, be-
cause, as 1 afterward learned, he
was already dead. | was just
jumping up from my bed, when the
Mexican Gaudaloupe sprang in and
gave me terrific blow on the left
arm with an ugly ak.
The stroke almost severed the
arm from my body, leaving it hang
ing limp and helpless to a bleeding
stump. He struck again, wound
ing the helpless member in another
place. The ak was next aimed
lower, striking me on the left hip,
laying the flesh open to the bone
and completely disabling the leg
bSomehow, can't tell how, / rallied
all my strength and knocked hin
down with one desperate blow Of
my fist. Before he recovered
dragged myself to my gun, grasped
it in my one hand and made ready
to fire. The cowardly Greaser al
this fled. He returned Immediately
accompanied by Pablo. BY this
time l had got my revolver in my
hand, and | met the murderers with
several shots, when they once more
fled. One of the shots took effec
in Palbo's body, and he fell deaC
some distance away from the scene
of the assault. They had done
their bloody work too well. Bur-
was dead, literally chopped into
sections. Cunningham died within
twenty-four hours. Loring stag
gered around with his head clover
to the eyebrows and the brains
oozing out of the bloody cash
Strange to say, he fingered in thi
awful condition till the sixth day
when he, too, died. 1t was fatet
that was to be the sole survivoro
the four, though a cripple for life
After the Mexicans fled | grew fain
from loss of blood, and it took m,
two hours of agony to crawl to tn,
gate, open it, and let loose the mule
so that they could get water. TheI
| as painfully and slowly dragged
myself back to my couch. There
lay and suffered for five long day
aud nights, as no one ever suffered
before. Not an eye to watch owe
me, and not a hand to give me fooc
and drink or minister to my in
famed ard swollen wounds. Buz
yards and crows perched on tn
walls around by day waiting 70
the feast upon my body when ht
should go out Of it.
At night wolves snarled around
gnawing the bones Of my deat
ctmrades. On the second day m,
wounds began to mortify and fl
with magots. Imagine my suffer
ing if you can. On Sunday, fv
days after l was wounded, the Sal
Antonio and San Diego mail part,
arrived, a day ahead of time, a
though sent by Divine Providenc
for my especial salvation. l kney
! | could not live till Monday, whel
l knew it was due, and had writer
out a short account of the tragedy
which ! thought they would find o.
my dead body. All that could b