River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-02-14
ooLD.HuNTERs SLAIN.

A Party Of Eight Mexican Prospectars In
Search Of Ancient spanish LOdes In wy
oming Find Them In Possession of Amer
icans-A Fight Ensues in Which the
Foreigners Are Killed.
CHEYENNE, Wy. T.. Feb IA party OF
eight Mexicans travelling overland reached
this city six weeks ago and halted forty
eight hours 70 rest their stOcktand refill
their larder They were richly dressed,
splendidly outfitted and bore every appear
ance OF being aristocrats or Castilians, as
they are called IN Mexico. The wealth and
reserve Of the travellers excited curiosity
and they were piled with questions as 70
their mission and destination They were
extremely reticent and gave eyasive replies
TO their questions.
They had been gone for some time when
1t was whispered about that they were IN
search of old Spanish mines l25 miles north
of here, which a local legand says are
very rich in gold and were operated
some 2OO wears 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 III the mines operated by his country
man 100 years before the revolution
The rich aud mysterious MeXicaas had al
most been forgotten when GeoI e Keller
arrived from the north SATURDAY 10 pur-
chase supplies for a party Of wild-hOrse
hunters. He reported that two weeks ago
he and his companions after following for
several days an extraordinary fine bunch
- a.
capture, camped in the isolated locality
designated as the old Spanish mine country.
The horse hunters could not resist the temp
tation to do some prospecting for the aban-
doned lodes They found them, aud near
the entrance of what seemed the main
shaft came upon the bodies of the
eight Mexicans, who had met VIC
lent deaths. The hunters fed from the
scene but after a council decided to inyesti-
gate. The adventurous MeXicans had found
the Spanish on hir but American pros
pectoTs were in possession. The for
eigners had claimed ownership and n
battle to the death ensued. After a
terrific hand-to-h hand combat, in which
knives and six-shooter7 We're the rincipal
weapons, the Mexicans We're literally wiped
out There was every evidence that at least
three whites had been killed. Some OF the
MtAlcslllS ndu Deen frequently etdubtu ANA
gashed and blood was every where. Wolves
had partially eaten the flesh from the bodies.
Keller said the fight occurred in q canyon
high up in the mountains and difficult of ac-
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
fled, presumably TO Montana.
When the gambler, Mexican Monte,
heard of Keller's story he was beside him
self He said the Mexicans were scious 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
af untold wealth