The Worthington advance., 1889-02-14
ooLD.HuNTERs SLAIN.

A Party of Eight Mexican Prospoctors IN
Search Of Ancient Spanish Lodcs In wy
oming Find Thorn in Possession Of Amor
icans-A Fight Ensues In which the
Foreigners Arc Killed.
CHEYENNE, Wy. T., Feb. ia party Of
eight Mexicans travelling overland reached
this city six weeks ago and halted forty
eight hours to rest their stock and refill
their larder. They were richly dressed,
splendidl. outftted and bore every appear
ance of being aristocrats or Castilians AZ
they are called I'm Mexico The wealth and
reserve of the travellers excited curiosity
and they were piled with questions as to
their mission and destination They were
extremely rcticent and gave evasive replies
to their questions.
They had been gone for some time when
! it was whispered about that they were in
search of old Spanish mines 125 miles north
of here, which a local legand says are
very rich in gold and were operated
some zoo years ago with rude tools. Some
gamblers and more especially one called
Mexican Monte" stoutly averred that
the travellers were hunting for the Spanish
mines, and that they were guided by a map
or chart OF great antiquity. Mexican
Monte declared that the chart had been In
possession of the family of Don Martinez for
several centuries, and that it showed every
vein in the mines operated by his country
man 100 years before the revolution.
The rich and mysterious Mexicans had al-
most been forgotten when George Keller
arrived from the north Saturday to pur-
chase supplies for party of wild-horse
hunters He reported that two weeks ago
he and his companions, after following for
several days an extraordinary fine bunch
OF native equines very difficult of
capture, camped In the isolated locality
designated as the old Spanish mine country.
The horse hunters could not resist the temp
tat1on to do some prospecting for the aban-
doned lodes. They found them, and near
the entrance of what seemed the main
shaft came upon the bodies of the
eight Mexicans, who had met vio-
lent deaths. The hunters fed from the
scene, but after a council decided to investi-
gate. The adventurous Mexicans had found
the Spanish o. hir, but American pros
pectors We're in possession. The for
eigners had claimed ownership and q
battle to the death ensued After o
/ terrific hand to hand combat, In which
knives and six-shooters were the principal
weapons, the Mexicans were literally wiped
out. There was every evidence that at least
three whites had been killed Some of the
Mexicans had been frequently stabbed aud
gashed and blood was every where. Wolves
had partially eaten the flesh from the bodies
Keller said the fight occurred in a canyon
high up in tho mountains and difficult of &C
cess. After the slaughter the Americans,
who came here from Arizona late last sum-
mer, appropriated the stock, equipments
and personal effects of the Mexicans and
fed, presumably to Montana
When the gambler, Mexican Monte" !"
heard of Keller's story he was beside him.
self. He said the Mexicans were scions Of
the foremost families of their country, and
their parchment chart a Government docu-
ment of great value, as it was perfect map
OF this country and an accurate plan of the
Spanish mines He thinks that the Amer
lean miners will return as soon as they re-
cover from their fright, as with the aid OF
the map they can easily possess themselves
| Of untold wealth