The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-05-29
4 BATTLE WITH BANDITS
A United States Paymast@
Robbed Of S29, 900.
Ambushed by Brigands and EleYa
of His Escort Wounded, #

One Of the most desperate and successfI
robberies and fights in the history Of Arizoi
Territory took place on a recent afternod
five miles north of Cedar Springs, near Fo
Thomas. .. -. a',,ss
Major J. ". Wham, United States Pa
master, accompanied by bis clerk, W.
Gibdon, left Tucson on q trip to pay trool
San Carlos and Apache. They wed
by. rail to. Wilcox and from th.
point, by ambulance, overland. The fund
paid troops in that department are In coin d
account Of the scarcity Of greenbacks. n
funds for this pay-trip were sent froz
Los Angeles, Cal. tho headquarters Z
the chief paymaster, by express to WI
cox. The amount was about $500
Itwas put in strong wood box, banded wit
iron; This was strapped to the hinder BOG
of the ambulance, which carried the payma1
ter and bis clerk. - ~
The guard ride in q large, open, four-sea
wagon, three on seat, so in case Of attae
they can form line and fire from the Wagon
on the front and on the rear. Theta
cort carry large supply Of ammun
ton, and are generally picked soldiers
They follow in the rear Of ambulance abouf
one hundred and fifty yards. IN canyon
and rough country they follow close up TO II
wheels, so as to. be ready for action at
moments notice. r.... ~
The paymaster disbursed at Fort Bowi
and Fort Grant, which reduced his treasur
to $29, 900. He then left Fort Grant for For
Thomas, where he expected to pay Iof
during the afternoon. He had an les
cort Of ten colored soldiers in com
mand Of two colored non-commissione&
officers. The distance from Grant to Thoma
is forty-6ve miles, through a ,neuntainou
and uninhabited country. Cedar Spfi1gI
Station is about midway, and is made his
toric from the fact Of being once an Apach
stronghold. i7ss5ss
1t was at this point, in deep narrow gorge
that Major Wham was attacked. sFs
. As the party approached the point theI
found the road obs5ructed by several ShrgS
rocks. Several Of the escort got out of thef}
wagons, leaving their gun behind them, and
proceeded to remove the rocks from the road
As they gathered around huge bowlders
calling fire came pouring down from th{
cliffs and breastworks. At the first. fry
several Of them fell. The others rushedbacl
Wham's driver was wounded early in th
fight and crawled away into the bushes. ~
During the fight eight of the escort, wert
wounded, four of them fatally. The shooting
was at short range. Clerk Gibbon received
several bullet holes through his clothing
Major Wham was untouched, although th(
ambulance was riddled with bullet holes. Tit
battle continued for half an hour befor(
Major Wham yielded, but seeing that th
robbers were completely protected, and
meant certain death to his entire party, ID
was forced to yield to their demands
The box of coin was taken containing S29,
900. As the telegraph line from Thomas q
Wilcox is under the control of the militaT
authorities, they refused to allow the fnn de-
tails Of the fight to be sent out to the pub
Lie. A special from Fort Grant says thS
wounded driver of Major Wham was found
by D. E. Norton, who heard the firing att
distance of nearly two miles and went to as
certain its cause. He brought in ,th3
driver and sent a courier for trobpsI
Lieutenant Wilson took to the field with
large body Of Apache Indians. Troops alsd
were sent out from Fort Thomas, San Car
los, Bowie, Huachuca, Fort Lowell and Tuc3
SON to cut off the escape Of the robterat
Mexico.
It was thought that the robbers were fedbJ
two old offenders, recently pardoned from
the penitentiary, who are the most desperate
men of their kind in the Southwest. This
the first time in the history of Arizona thai
a paynaster of the army has been moleseed
by LAiwaYmen. 49,, -. -I2