The examiner., 1882-04-01
APACHE MATT, THE SCOUT.
A Famous sFrOntiersman's Rea son for Was
 ing War Upon the Indians.

ing War Upon the Indians.
 A recent issue of the Denver Tribant says: Matthew Johnson reached this 1 city from Fort Hualapai yesterday, and
 to-day will leave for his old home in
 New York State, there to spend his re-
 maining days. Several years ago he
 was living with his wife and sev- eral children near Hualapai. One
 early morning, while the father
 was absent at the military
 post, the band of Majave En-
 dians of which De1shay was chief
 attacked the ranch, and tortured the
 mother and the three children to death.
 When Johnson returned his cabin was
 in flames and the blood of his dying
 family yet warm. Almost crazed, he
 went back to the fort without even
 waiting to inter the remains of his wife
 and children and briefly told the awful
 tragedy. Within fifteen minutes de-
 tachment of K company of the Fifth
 cavalry were mounted, under the com
 mand of Colonel Mason, and on the
 trail of the copper-skinned devils, John
 son going along.
 On the morning of the third day the
 cavalry entered the Black Hills, at the
 headwaters of tho Verdi river, the home of the wild Apache Mojaves. That evening camp was made near the Verdi and scouting party further followed the trail. which appeared to be only a few hours old. In a small clump of cottonwoods and near marshy DOT tion of the river the smoke of the In- dian fires was discovered. It was too late tc attack the Indians, as the dark ness would afford them an escape. They had apparently located with the intention of remaining.a few days and hunting, so the assault was deferred until the morning, the cavalry coming up, however, and putting out sentinels. On one of the posts Johnson stood keeping vigil through the night, In the morning the cavalry swooped down upon them. Surprised in their strong hold, and with their arms scattered carelessly about, the Indians could do nothing better than fly; and fly they did toward the river, the soldiers pick ing them off one by one in the chase. Delsbay was more cunning and self possessed than his followers, making 1p the river through the thick cotton wood. The six Indians were killed before one of them had reached the stream, but Delshay, the seventh, had such start that the cavalry almost gave up all hope of overtaking him. They spread out, however, and made ! skirmish through the cottonwood crest. e
 When they brought up in 8 little glade up the stream a couple of miles hey were astonished to find Johnson eaning over the dead body of the h. lian chief, hacking and cutting it with l huge bowie-knife in insane frenzy. | The body lay upon the river bank as if | t had been pulled out after the infic- ion of the death wound. The head was rearly severed by stroke of the knife, nd Johnson had scalped it. It was aany minutes before his fury had pent itself, the soldiers never in- with the horrible satisfaction 7hich the widowed husband and Finally, when he had grown ad seen the Indians making up the iver, and, resolved that none should scape, he follow wed as best he might. When he got through the timber he ound the trail, and, although it was one with much difficulty, he succeeded I tracing it to the river bank. There it ecame lost, and knowing that the h. ian could not have crossed the stream 'ithout having been seen on the op- osite side, which was open and de- uded of trees and underbrush, he con- luded that the Indian was secreted in the ank. While walking down the bank
 head was protruded from pool near he shore. It was Delshay taking air. Leadily Johnson approached, and be- ore the Indian could realize that the venger was nigh he was grasped by the air and his throat slit from ear to ear.
 When the fort was reached Johnson squested to be employed in the scout ,g service and he was engaged. He ecame the bloodiest and most relent- sss of the border scouts and figured in all the campaigns against ne Apaches up to the recent one which Feneral Carr led, earning the title of
 Apache Matt,''