Arizona silver belt., 1883-07-21
Crooks Tagged Pets.
CnnoMo DIsrnIcT, July Is, 1888.

:
finding it anything buta pleasant one
would like to give their experience for
the benefit of any other camps whom
the Indians may favor with their pres.
ence. There were FIVE of them
mounted on three horses, and they
had pass for two. They were armed
with two needle guns, one shotgun, a
revolver and lance; their pass gave
them permission to be gore six days
to McMillen, Globe and vicinity to
find a mule stolen on thes11th from
San Carlos, and to "take and bring
this mule wherever they found him,
A few rods from the McMillen road,
on the road to Tidwell 6 Netf S mill,
they met Mr.. B. w. Snedekor driving
team of three mules and one. horse.
They rode in front of him and stop
ped the team, and demanded their
mule. He told them he did not have
their mule, but they insisted that he
knew where it was. The, two who
had been riding double would run into
the brush, and then un,-around and
come out again as they saw that they
could thus brighten the mules. When
Mr.. S. would get the team. quiet and
start they would repeat this perform
ance. They became more and more
menacing, keeping their guns all the
time in their hands in a threatening
manner, and said: "You get us our
mule or we will kill you," which
threat Mr.. S. saw no reason they
should not put into execution as he
had no weapon with him. Finding he
was getting near the mill, they said:
"give us the mare out of the team and
you may keep the MULE" this he re-
fused. Then they went to the house
and made the same demand for their
mule.
The pass gave no description or
brands, and when the Indians were
asked what it (the mule) was like,
they pointed to light mule saying
like that one They were told that
no such mule had been seen, but they
were not satisfied with this; and see
ing that Mrs. Neff and the children
were afraid of them, they stood at the
doors and windows with their guns in
their hands and refused to leave.
When any one would pass from one
room to another, they would change
from one window to another so as to
keep them covered. They were i'm
pudent, and did everything they could
to annoy. This lasted nearly two
hours, when Mr. Neff and his Mexican
began to load their guns; seeing which
the Indians mounted and rode away,
saying, 1--WE no find our mule, we
come back
They came down the Stockman gulch
a mile or so, and here they found Mr.
A. Clawson, alone, cutting wood. He
thought them scouts, and was not
afraid hailing them. with friendly
words. They ran up the side of the
hill where he was; two of them drop
ped down and rested their guns so as
to hold him directly under fire, and
again demanded their mule. He gave
them the same answer, that he knew
nothing about it. Talking short
time they told him to so home. On
his refusing to do so they gathered up
his lunch pail and canteen, and gave
them to him, telling him to go, and
u.ing such threatening language that
he concluded discretion was the bet
ter part of valor," and left them.
They came on down to John NJ. Jones
ranch, here they found two Mexicans;
asked them for the mule, and one of
them told them there was mule on
the range that had been given into
his care by a white man on the 9th,
(their pass said "stolen on the 11th''
and he would show it to them. They
at once claimed it, although it was a
black one, and took it with them aero $
the trail to San Carlos. This may be
their mule and it may not, but there
is one thing certain, the white people
will not permit bands of well armed
Indians to make such visits with i'm
punity.
Only one year ago-on the 9TH, Nc
Millen was raided. Less than a year
ago, Agent Wilcox told one of oul
men: 1.-THE Indians have no bushes:
at McMillen, and if you see any there
shoot Them and it was little start
ling to meet these five on the road
and have them ride up in front Of thu
team and stop them as they did Mr.
John NJ. Jones and his wife. Mr.
Jones told them to go to one side ant
they did so, and offered no furthc
violence. The people are willing ant
ready to assist in recovering stolel
property, whether from white mai
nv o,, I,1;o,, b,l Il, ,o+ 4h;nly h