Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-05-20
THE WHAM AFFAIR.
Details of How the Robbery
Was Committed.
CUNNINGHAM'S HARD RECORD
Graham County, Arizona. and Its
Inhabitants = Typical Des-
peradOes.
CUNNINGHAM'S HARD RECORD

eral Tor the department OF Arizona, has
returned from the San Carlos country,
whittier he went to make an official in
vestigation regarding the recent robbery
OF Paymaster Wham. In conversation
with Herald man yesterday on the
subject, Colonel Hall said: ''It was a
boldly planned affair, and as the Incl
bents connected with it have not been
made public, they will doubtless prove
interesting to you. When the Paymaster
and his escort entered the pass where the
robbery occurred, they saw that large
boulder was in the road ahead, making
the trail impossible. The troopers there.
fore left the wagon and went ahead to
remove the obstruction, taking their
arms with them, however, and not leav-
| ing them in the wagon, as was said
| in the first account telegraphed. There
was woman riding in front of them,
named frankie Stratton, and she was
| the first to reach the rock. Just as she
did 80, volley came from rocky emil
nence about 100 yards away, and the
woman fell from the saddle. She crawled
into the bushes and lay still, and after
one or two more shots being sent at her,
it was doubtless imagined by the bandits
that she was dead, 80 they paid no more
attention to her. She watched every
thing very closely, however, and will be
our most valuable witness for identifying
the robbers, should they be caught"
"To return to the attack. Directly the
escort found that they were ambuscaded,
they started in to make fight of it, and
every time glimpse was obtained of any
of the bandits, shots were sent after
| them. One of them was doubtless badly
| hit, for he was seen to fall forward
over the rock ,whereupon two of his com.
rades rushed out and pulled him back
into shelter. It isimpossible to say how
many there were in the attacking party,
| the number being estimated all the way
| from six to thirty-fve. The troops were
| finally compelled to fall back, and re-
| linquish the ground and booty to the des.
peradoes. The box containing the money
was found afterwards, but the coin was
| taken in the bags in which it was
shipped. Some of the fellows must have
been shot in the hands or arms, for the
papers which they rified and left be-
hind them were covered with blood.
They also left CORY trail into the noun
tains, but the marks OF their flight gave
out after mile or two. The country
is pretty well surrounded with
troops, and the capture of two of the
men already is very encouraging. There
is also reward of 81 900 offered for each
man, and this inducement is liable to
bring about some good results. 1t is the
general belief that the thieves are des-
peradoes who infest that part of the
country. The title of "Cyclone Bill"
which is borne by the man captured at
Clifton is good indication of the class
Of society he belongs to. Another is
known as Hurricane Jack"
Adjutant Volkmar had no official ad-
vices yesterday of any further arrests,
the only news being that "Cyclone Bill"
and Cunningham were to be taken down
to the Jail at Tucson during the after.
noon. in charge of United States Marshal
Meade.
INTERESTING DETAILS.
Detective Will Smith. of the Southern
Pacifiic's special service, was, until a
year ago, a deputy marshal in the coun-
| try where the robbery occurred. So
HERALD man, imagining that he might
be able to furnish some details relative
to the affair, hunted him up and found
him comfortably installed in his quarters
at the Wolfskill depot.
eyes, know every foot of the coun-
| try" said the courteous special officer,
"and pretty hard corner of the world it
is, too. Graham county, Arizona, prob
ably contains more desperadoes and
tough citizens to the square inch than
any other section in the west. l
have just been sending some dis.
patches to Marshal Meade regarding
this man Cunningham, whom he has
arrested in connection with the robbery.
| l had the work of tracking Cunningham
down about year ago, and hard job it
was, too. He is typical cowboy, in the
sense of being daring and desperate, but
he differs from the usual run of the class,
inasmuch as he is well-educated and in
telligent, and this, added to his nerve,
makes him cool, dangerous man to
contend with. He came to the Territory
about ten years ago from New York,
where it is understood he has wealthy
relatives, and he commenced cattle-
ranching on land near the San Carlos
During the early paIt Of 1883, Captain
Pierce, the Indian Agent at San
Carlos, sent complaint to Marshal
Meade that good many OF
the Indian or Government cattle were
being run off, and detective, named j /.
ID. Brighton, was sent up to look after
the affair. The second day he was out
he ran across desperado named Ike
Clanton, who was wanted for murder,
and Brighton thought that he would take
Ike in and thus do good stroke of side
work. Clanton was sitting on his horse
outside little cabin, but the moment
he was called on to surrender, he dashed
his spurs into his horse's sides and, lev.
cling his Winchester at Brighton, fired
The bullet missed its aim, and second
later Ike was completely
SHOT OUT OF HIS SADDLE
by a well-aimed ball from Brighton, and
fell dead TO the ground with a A in his
body. Brighton then went on to Solo,
monville, which is the headquarters for
the FOUNDERS, and they, hearing that he
was working up the cattle stealing bust.
ness, put up a job on him and
had him arrested on the charge OF
numbering Ike Clanton. 1t was at this
time that the case was put into nv
hands, and went up to where Brighton
was imprisoned, and started in to finish
up the work he had commenced. Mean.
time Lieut.. Fowler, who, with q body of
troops, was patrolling the country in
search of the thieves, ran across
la band sixty head of the stolen
cattle on Cunningham's place, SO of
went after that gentleman. Someone
gave him the tip that he was wanted