Arizona citizen., 1879-08-15
TIE AZTEC cAEYoE MURDER.
Probabiy Not the Work Of Indians.
TUBAc, A. T., August ', 1879.

ot July 30 NIT. T. B. Merchant, a well
 known miner, came to my place of
 business and made the following state
 ment, viz: Henry and Matt Schoen-
 bach and myself left the Patagonias
 this morning on prospecting tour
 into the Santa Ritas. At about 2 D..
 m., when about one-half mile from the
 Montezuma mine, Aztec District, dur
 ing rain storm, we were surprised at
 hearing shots in front of us and but thirty-five or forty yards distant. As l looked up 1 saw Henry, who was
 riding in front, fall headlong from his
 saddle as if shot dead. Immediately
 afterwards Matt, who rode behind
 him, reeled in his saddle and fell with a siding motion to the ground,
 whether dead or not 1 could not tell. At the first discharge my horse jumped
 oil the road and ran away at the top of his speed; so frightened was he | that l could not control him. As I passed the gulch where the assassins
 lay concealed they fired several shots at me, wounding me in the head. I distinctly saw two men; do not know how many more there might have been. The shots were fired so rapidly that l believe there were more than the two men seen. My life was un- doubtedly saved by the running away of my horse. I did not see any other animals than our own about. With 1 the exception of my horse every ami nal stopped still at the first discharge. 1 Our outfit consisted of three horses. two mules and two burros, the mules and burros laden. But my horse escaped, and the value of the outfit captured foots up about $350 or $4OO
 We had just met and passed a wagon loaded with lumber going to the So- noita. They had evidently seen noth- ing wrong. II. and M. Schoenbach were well and favorably known throughout this district; particularly at the Arivaca, where they had sev- eral valuable claims. I think the men were Indians, although cannot say. They wore buckskin coats, mocasins, were dark featured, had black hair, and at the time l saw them were with out hats"
 Immediately on receiving the news I sent the information to Capt. Juan Elias, Sabino Otero (who have the Ter rito-ial arms in their charge) and others, who immediately responded, and by II D. m. quite a little force started for the Santa Ritas; arriving at the hacienda a short delay was made and then the march was taken up for the scene of the butcheries. Arriv- ing there the body of Henry was found as he fell. Matt was found some fifty yards off-having crawled that distance-and, strange to say, still alive He asked for water, which was given him, when he shortly afterwards expired. Henry was shot in the breast, the ball coming out at his back, and had the side of his head smashed in as if with a stone Matt was shot in the side and had the bones of the side and top of the head crushed in as if with a stone or revolver. Both were put on a wagon, taken to the hacienda and buried. Near the scene of the mur- der one mule, an old one, and the two burros were found. Some of the goods had been taken, the rest scattered round promiscuously. The riding sad dies and one pack saddle were taken, as also portion of the provisions and outfit. After burying the bodies the party returned to Tubac and dispersed. The stories have been so conflicting that 1 have deemed it best to wait few days before making this report, and my theory is that thIS is a second Adams and Finley affair, and that no Apache" had any hand or interest in it; but that the deed was committed by ] had Meyicans or Americans, and from the way the bodies were mutilatted, their dress, etc, l believe the assassins to have been bad MeXicans.
 The attack on Shaw's train was made in the night, and it is not known whether the attack was made by Mex jeans. but from the fact that not shot was fired and that the stampede was made in such a systematic manner l am led to believe that Mexicans were the robbers. As to the story published about the child stolen, stripped and left tied on the desert at Kitchens, the whole yarn is a fabrication. 4 young man was captured and tied to a tree while the horses in his charge were robbed; this was done by Mexicans without doubt. The horses stolen from Benedict and Chato Martinez are Isupposed to have been taken by MeXi- cans. I cannot learn from any reliable source that any hostile Indians have been seen. I am nov satisfied that all tbe o,,traTes lately committed in this district have been perpetTated by bad Mexicans. M.
 Surplus Capit1L