Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-11-01
A NARROW ESCAPE.
Something That OId Timers Will
 Remember
Prescott JorrnaI-NIine

BFesc0tl JOurn2EMlQer.
 Few of the mostintimate acquaintances of Murray McInernay, the republican candidate for sheriff, have probably ever heard him mention his connection with one of the severest Indian fights that ever took place in Arizona The fight in question occurred on Sunday, the 26th day of March, 1871, four miles north of what was then known as Duffy's, and afterwards Calderwood's Station, near the Agua Fria, on the road between Phenix and Prescott.
 In company with William Hanna, James Stanley, a Mexican herder, and Hon. Thomas Halleck, who has several Legislature, besides holding other prominent public positions, MT. Me Inernay was attacked by a band of In dians numbering about 150 bucks, who were lying in ambush. At the first fire William hanna wh2 ss9, 9Epes9 s t5T thf 5tTq # teams Ms aT5st s5iso tfie wheel horse which he was riding Mir. NIcInernay, by the same volley, was shot in the face and knocked off the seat of the wagon into the road, while James Stanley received a shot in the right knee, which completely disabled that 1 limb. Mir. McInemay at once recovered himself, and knowing that there was in i the wagon a Winchester rife and shotgun, | climbed up to secure the former, but un- l fortunately 1t had got wedged in between 1 the sacks of wheat in such a way that he could not extractit Finding this the case, 1 he picked up the shot gun, and just as he did so he received a shot in the left breast, which again knocked him off the wagon. | Regaining his feet he opened fire on the ! T,,1 r-1,> I11 4o - | safer distance. Taking advantage of this opportunity, MT. McInernay examined ! the body of Hanna, with whom he came into the Territory in the fall of 1868, and finding him dead he assisted Stanley to arise and, aided by Tom Halleck, succeed ed in reaching the station. Unfortunately the shotgun was the only weapon in the possession of the three men, and after the ammunition for that was exhausted, all they could do to hold the Indians in check was to point the gun at them. The three of them at last reached the station in safety, when 1t was found that Halleck was the only one who had escaped with 1 out wound, while in addition to the wounds already mentioned, Stanley had received twelve and McInernav seven arrow wounds, with nearly all of the arrows still sticking in their bodies At the first fire the Mexican herder stampeded and was captured by the Indians, and on the following day was tied to a sahuarc (giant oactus) by them and, after being subjected to the most fendish torture was slowly roasted to death; his body being discovered a few days afterwards by Major Sanford, of the First cavalry who with his command was sent in pur- suit of the Indians.
 Although MT. McInernay had enlisted while lad of but thirteen years, ii Go 1, Fifty-fourth Regiment N Y. Veteran Volunteers, and served through the war and was inmany other Indian fights during his residence in Yavapai county in the dark and bloody days, it is doubtful if he ever had a more narrow escape,
 One of the peculiar facts connected witl the event, outside of the Indian fight was that the train was loaded with the greater part of the first crop of wheat ever shipped to Prescott from that portion of the Salt River valley where Pheni1 now stands.