Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-05-12


 3-d instant, contains what purpo-ts to be a statement of the action of ten men sh ho left Captain Joyce's company of rangers al Fort Thomas, osteusibly 0n n prospecting tour, but in reahty, acc rd- ing to tna.r own statement. Co attack ue4ceable Indians on the lower Sat Pedro. They proceeded direct to kim-in-zin's ranch, where they in tended Co kill all the qeaceable Indians they could find or as they expressed if .'shoot up the red devils wherever they fouud them" They report that ''C. NJ Ihorndy yke and Jouny Bland started out -og ther, and had gone but short dIs- tauce when they discovered several armed savases in close proximity tn their camp. Believing that they went to take the camp in, Thorndy ke and Bland resolved To pen the ball before tue Indians discovered their weakness ID numbers. UnLmberIng their weapons they opened fire and dOwned 6 couple Of savages. The remainder were demoral- Ized at the attack. and fed. Hastily packed up, they skipped out and started for old Camp Grant few miles below, where they intended 70 make a stand ID ID an old corral which was admirably adapted for the purpose" !" TDey did not go 10 old Camp Grant sa at first intended, however, having heard that one of the Indians that was shot was a son-in law of Es-kim-in-zin, who was furious at the outrageous proceed iugs of the rangers 10 shooting down ID cold hIs people. The rangers became frightened and at once returned to Tombstone. They state that ''an inter view was had with the settlers in the u-ighborh0od, and the proposition made Co have them stand m and make d grand clean out 1.-the nest. The settlers were all willing enough to have the Apaches killed, but were fearful that the whites might ]. .se the fight, which would resu t in their general massacre This IS the substance of statement furnished by the remnant of Capt. Joyse's Tombstone rangers. But the settlers on the San Pedro tell different story, and We have DO doubt they tell the truth. They state that the rangers came to the white set r.ers m the neighborhond and asked them to jaia them, as the rangers have stated: but they told the rangers they were not strong enough [. attack the mi ns, snl that If they did attack them and failed, 1t would result ID theIr general massacre They protested against the rangers attacking the Indians, but the rangers paid no attention to their protests. The rangers attacked the Indians against the will and advIce of the settlers, and as they themselves report Tan away to Tomb stone, leaving the settlers to fight il out with the Indians and suffer for the rash acts of these senseless towards, who sought Co kill a few peaceable Indians and thereby gam a litt.e cheap not riety winch cannot result otherWIse than dis astrously to the settlers in that vicinity The stat, ueut that they believed that the Indians intended to take tic camp in." Is not SO: they well knew that these Indians were peacesble, and that there vas uo darger nf an attack; aud had -he Indians kaowr that an strack wa- 'o nave been made upon them, t "a slngie ranger would have escaped. The alta, k Of the rangers was shame ui' COW srdly and foolish. They should be taken care of at once, and puui-hsd lccording to the crime they lave committed. They should k4ow, If they know anything that they have pr ven themselves to ol the worst enemies the settlers on tre lower San Pedro have, and they saou d be held accountsble for their acton.