The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-02-29
Aubrey.s Great Rlde.


weSt, the fan0us ride Of =. X Aubrey
from the plaza of Santa Fe 70 the pablss
s9slare Of IndepensIenoe, No. ~ a phys
ieal aehievenenf stands without an equal
InSleesi, Il = doubtful whether the history
Of the world can present a parallel TO
that great ride of 500 miles. through 4
eouniry overrun with hostile Indians, 4
portion Of the distance being through
sandy deserts sad lesdiag acruss rivers.
aozntAins and psairies, With only the
SKY for eoyeFinzaad tie earth as q rsst-
ing place. IN old resident o. this city.
who used 70 know aubrey very vel. IN
conversation recently said
When ! first niss Aubrey. about ISIS
he vas young man Of S5, the peEfect
picture of health and strengih. Short.
rather heavy-ssr, weighing about Is5
pounds. he had an honest. open coun.e-
nance and was one of the rising men Of
the plains. Hs was4 Freach Canziiaa.
came 10 s. Louis IN 1870 and verr soon
afierwArIl engaged IN business "a santa
Fe trader. making trips'to santa F. from
Independence. No, and sp.-ndins the
larger part of his time in the saliie. He
was a aote,i horseman. anil s,arel nsifli-
r maa nor bssssf NheH on = Journey. Er-
erythiss he did vas done win rush
Aubrey Esa,le two rides alone from
santa F. 20 Independence. The hrst
waS on wase- Of slno thar he could
cover the distance In eight DAYS. He
succee,ied in reaching his destination
three hours hasore the expiration Of tbe
time. He killed severa, harSes in the
ri,lc. and Il i slid t.at the death q ore
horse wi,icii obliged him te valk =
milss - Council tsreve. Carrying his SD
lie on his back. beforu he fpunI anoih-
er. He Uas ihe hon n ihe day AZ -;
Louis and independents affer his ride
There were many powerful men and
many eaei riders in those iimes. bat nat
eue of them darrell 70 attempt - beat 1u-
brey's record He Eeternized 20 beat it
hizase,C an5 or a secend wager he len
santa p in 1851. ami gave the severest
tes; oT hurnan eziu-ance have ever
kaoxn-
g I was on The way 70 santa Fe fit VS.
8 wears ago with a train Of y wagons
fllsi with iaercllantise. and knew no:h-
ias q his desi.n. When Ne we're 81 the
Rabhi; Elrs. al.ous Io0 miles fr1m the
ali spanish city. xesaa 2 man approach
lnS in = sweeping raiioP. mounted IN 3
yellow mare and leading another ~
be came nearer. missakins n fo- Iniians
be Whiried and re.rea;ei . or 90 Yards
.hen turaei 70 take a second look. Our
wagons coming r5und bin proved what
Te were. and putting spurs 70 his rcei
be dashed pas. merely noiding his head
l the dust few into oar faces. Il was
yreat surprise 70 me f7- Aubrey 20 treat
! friend Is thar style. bat when ] reached
saata Fe understood il. Every mo-
aent vas precious. u vas the su4reme
s.FoTt q his life Night an.l d1y be Tr.sli-
= on TX horses dropped dead - he
-~ie Them His own beautiful lhar..
Nellie, the one be was riding a he pas=-
\ cur PARTY. and one of the finest piers
# h0r~eile=sh I ever saw. guivenri ard
I'll in the aeouies of death AZ the en,i q
be first I'D miles. Several splen,iid
horses had been sent ahead and station
= a. different points on the trail No
nan could keep up with Aubrey, be
Foali have sseTihcesf every horse in the
sest If Necessary % the accomplishment
3 his design Il Was Eo. money he vas
,ifer, bat fame. lie had lzid a wager
hat the trip World ~ -iade in six days-
At the end Or FIRE days and = hours.
exhausted and fliuting. he WIS taken
nom a horse that vas trembling from
head % FOO; and covered with s~eat anf
'oam, AZ the southwest eorner 81 the
PRESENT sg1aFe Of Indeper ience. lie
z4nk into q stupor from which be vas
loJ sro1se1 FOR ) hours. Aubrey was a
nan Of maTvelogs enluranee or he eouid
sever have recovered from the strain sf
bat Tisle upon his system There Was no
-;a-e running - santa F. al TIE tirne OF
AnhTey's ride and he vas uaznimousiv
pronounced By western men Is the great
- exhibition Of nerve ami strength ever
-iowu on the plains.
After the rlle AUBREY wandsred into
alifarnia, but retnTned % santa Re Ia
81 Immediately upon entering tae
iiy he met MAJ. Richard P. WeiahS-
ian, formerly Al officer of the regular
lrmy- who had been one q Aubrey-s
.Iasest friends Affer exchanging -alssa-
ioas. aubrey inyitel HI friend t. step
nto saloon AMI AXE c drink. Weight
nan. hy the way, was editor Of q sa,aI
Iaper Isusiisilsd n the eisy- y the lrr-
,e-per Hogrei 3ut the Ehiskv Aubrey
armed - Weisht1nan. ami - whole
manner changed a. be spoke Weight
nan, what ulaie yoa publish that lic
bout my going 70 Californizz' withous
moments hesitation. feeling the insuit
.eenly. Weizhtfaan ssize.i ihe glass.
low flH of liq1or, and fhTcw the csn-
eHts into Anbrey's face Aubrey -ezch-
4 for MS revolver. but- besore he could
-ax !. from his pocket. Weighfman
zatched boEie knife from IL sheath
nj buried the blade into TIE heart q
be- great rider.
That vas the Ia. q aubrey. He vas
.uTiel n an unknown grave. and al that
: remembered q him J. bis exploit N
ro=sins the plains Wei-htsnzn vas
e4sItte-l q the charge of MURDER. ioine-l
be Confederate army in the kfe war.
nj vas shota; the head ofhis bri-lieat
Filsoa's creek. falling near the srot
rhsre Gen LYON lsv.~
Dhat the Fruit Grower Ought