The morning call., 1890-06-22
TRACKING THEM
LIKE HOUNDS.
McCOy's Journey Through the
American Desert.
Special Agent Twin Tells of the Chinese
Expedite n-Cusioms of the Coun-
try-A Treasure Church.

Special Agent OF the Treasury L. S. Irwin
returned from Tucson, AriZ., at late hour
on Friday night.
1t will be remembered that Mr.. Irwin had
charge of the expedition sent to follow and
capture the Chinese who were seeking to
enter the United States through Mexico,
the story of which. from the lips of me
no." Agent Twins companion, was pub
lished some days ago. Mr.. Irwin was seen
by CALL reporter yesterday at his Office
in the Appraisers Building and asked
about his trip.
"Well," he said, i cannot tell you much
more about the expedition than was told by
'Nemo,' except to refer, perhaps, to the
splendid capture of the twenty-four Chinese
by Special Agent Mccoy and Young Paul.
These Cinnamon left the town of Altar i'll
Sonora, under the care of some Mexican
guides, and instead of proceeding due north,
struck to the west over the trackless desert.
hoping by this means to throw our
men off the trail. After they had gone far
into the terrible desert they turned to the
north ana pushed for the border.
ON THEIR TRAIL
" But Mccoy and Paul were on their trail
Young Paul had been reared in these wilds,
and knew them well. Sometimes the two
men would nave to make wide detourS in
order to get at the water without letting the
Chinese see them. They slept on the ground
wherever night found them, and lived on a
few beans. They followed the Chinese in
this manner for three long weeks, and then,
when the coolies had gotten well over the
line and their Mexican guides had left
them, the two men overlook and captured
the Mongolians.
at was a good thing for the Cinnamon
that they were arrested when they were,
otherwise they would certainly have per-
iShed. They were thirty miles from water 4,
without any idea of where 1t was, and only
had few quarts of water to divide among
them. L did not keep Memo at Tucson to
testify against these Chinese, for | found
that | could personally identify them all.
l cannot give you a detailed description OF
my movements and plan Of operations dur
ing that campaign for the reason that all
such information must first be sent TO Wash
ingtOn IN my report. The incidents of the
affair you have already published in the
story obtained from Memo
BARREN PLACE.
That country down there is barren
place. Sonora Is rich in mines, richer by
far than Arizona; but the policy of the
Mexican Government is such that invest
ment of capital necessary to work them is
discouraged. | do not think much of the
country as an agricultural region. There
are good farms in places, such as around
Magdalena and lmuris, but the tilling is
done in the most primitive manner and by
hand.
Il think that Sonora would be vastly
benefited by annexation to the United
States American capital and business
methods would bring millions OF wealth
from her mines anu valleys. There is an
immense amount OF smuggling from the
United States Into Mexico, but not much
the other way, the reason being that there
is little to smuggle over here. The Snug
glerS are desperate men, armed TO the teeth,
and carry their goods through the noun
tain passes on pack-anlmalS. The Mexican
customs officials patrol the valleys with a
strong force of men, but, as the smugglers
never go through the valleys, Jew are
caught.
Years ago the Spanish missionaries
established a liue of splendid mission
churches. about forty miles apart through
the country. The settl ements around them
were mostly all wiped out by the frequent
raids of the warllke ADaches, who would
in time have driven the Mexl2anS out OF the
country, but for the appearance OF the
Anglo-Saxons in the north. One OF these
churches was at place called Tumacacari.
about forty miles south OF Tucson. Some
twenty years ago priest came from Rome
on curious mission TO this church.
IN QUEST OF TREASURE.
sit appears that in the archives of the
Vatican an old record was discovered which
stated that in the wall OF this church, SO
many feet from the altar and SO many feet
from the floor, was concealed treasure OF
$4,000 in gold.
The priest had great difficulty in
securing an escort TO the church, but finally
hired number of men at $50 per day
apiece. They repaired to the church, found
the place in the wall, and at the first blow
of the pick the gold came falling out
Since then that church has been pulled
stone from stone in the search for further
treasure by adventurous spirits.
"a curious war has been going on down
there for many years between the Mexican
Government and the Yaqui Indians. The
Indians live in territory Inhabited only
by themselves. The Mexican Government
imposes tax on them which they refuse to
pay. Every year the troops are sent in
there to collect the tax, and every time they
are driven out again by the Yaqui braves.
No sooner does the discounted military re-
tire than the Governor of the State grayely
declares peace with the YaQui Indians.
"a better illustration of the habits of the
people cannot be given than is contained in
the word used as a nickname for the coun-
try. 1t is called the 'Manana' country.
'Manana' meaning Tomorrow. The people
are, indeed, a tomorrow people. The
Mexican officials were kindness itself to us,
and afforded us every aid in their power"
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