Arizona weekly citizen., 1889-05-25
AN INTERVIEW
With Major Wham Giving Full ParA ticulars of the Famous Hold-up on the Fort Thomas Road.

Although the CITIZEN has kept its readers fully informed in regard to the robbery of Paymaster Wham, and stlll has its representative at the front, it was, nevertheless, decided to interview Malor Wham on his return home and secure additional information on this interest ing subject. The major was seen yes terday and with his accustomed cordial ity consented to recount the details of the most exciting fight with robbers m modern times.
 In company with his clerk, MT. Gib- bons, and an escort of eleven picked men from the Tenth cavalry, colored, they left Fort Grant in two ambulances, for Fort Thomas with S29,OOO to pay the troops at the latter place. In the first ambulance was Major Wham, his clerk Gibbons and a medium sized satchel containing his vouchers for money paid ont. In the boot was strapped the money chest, while in the second ambu- lance immediately following, was the escort. armed with carbines.
 Between Fort Grant and Cedar Springs there are two roads, one the up per. known as the mountain road, the other as the lower, or Gila valley road The paymaster and his escort travelled the upper road and reached Cedar Springs without incident of note. Here they secured a relay of fresh mules and then drove rapidly on until the road leaves the plateau and descends down the side of hill, round which 1t par tially curves and into an abrupt deep gorge that debouches into sort of horseshoe basin in which stream known as Cottonwood creek, takes its raise.
 Within 100 yards from the top of the hill, but hidden by the bend in the road the robbers had placed
 AN IMMENSE ROCK,
 apparently weighing tons. As it was impossible to pass on either side the teams were necessarily forced to halt Clerk Gibbons went forward to examine the rock, the supposition being that il had fallen from the bluffs above, which at this point rose almost perpendicular to the height of about fifty feet. He was immediately followed by the guard who with carbines in hand, came for. ward to remove the impeding rock, when all at once and without note oi warning, came a shot from the bluffs above. This was almost immediately followed by a volley and the three mules in the lead dropped dead and the driver fell from his seat with bullet through his left side.
 Near by to the first ambulance on the lower side of the road, and within few yards of the one that had blocked theil progress, lay a huge rock capable o sheltering fifty men. Behind this Majol Wham at once sought safely. He wa; immediately followed by his escort anC the fight began. The pluck displayed by the soldiers was evidently a surprise to the robbers as the leader of the gang was distinctly heard to angrily say:
 ''sHooT THE BLACK s- OF B's." With that and to the unbounded aston ishment of the defenders of the rock, ; fire was poured into them from the real thus rendering their position no longer tenable. The troops turned and faced their new assailants, three of whom were distinctly seen, but the fire was so gall ing that they eventually had to give way, but while retreating to cover which was not reached till they turned tn, point of hill and entered Cottonwood creek, they returned shot for shot witt the robbers.
 Here they were eventually joined by Major Wham and the corporal of tn, guard who had been the last to leav, the rock. AS they did so at least 5( shots were fired at them, but fortunate ly the Major escaped untouched. Be fore joining the men in the canyon ht took position behind another rock on the adjacent hill from which he distinctly heard the robber captain order the es cort driven further back. He said ''twC of you men go down to that point oi rocks and
 DRIVE THOSE MEN FURTHER AWAY" He also heard them break the treasure box open with an axe On rejoining his men he endeavored to rally them for 6 new attack on the robbers, but finding eight of the eleven wounded, and two oi them shot twice, he was obliged to fore go the attempt.
 Up to this moment Major Wham was of the oppinion that but one man had been injured as not groan had escaped anyone, and the gaping wounds of his men was sad revelation which preclud- ed any further attempt to recover the lost money. The wounds of the men were dressed to the best advantage with such means as was at their disposal, and as soon as the robbers were gone the party returned to the ambulances. Of the twelve mules three lay dead, the other nine had been cut loose from the harness, four were found in the canyon and secured, the other five having stampeded, but were found later at,,Nor- tons ranch two and half miles below. The harness was taken from the dead mules and the four animals secured were hitched up, the ambulence was
 LOADED WITH WOUNDED
 men and driven into Thomas, where the news of the holdup was telegraphed to Fort Grant, and steps taken to capture the fleeing robbers.
 It was not until the return of the par ty to the scene of the robbery. from their haven of safety, that they became apprised of the presence of Frankie Stratton, the colored woman mentioned in previous articles as having been pre-