Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-26
MORENO'S DEATH.
He Smiled and Smiled and
Was a Villain Still.
Ed. Vail Of this City Locates a
Noted Arizona Desperate.
An Exciting Chase and Fight End
ing the Miscreant's Career.
Moreno Known as Geronimo Dies Smil-
ing-The Great Arizona Outlaw
and His Career--A Los An
geles Man Locates

Geronimo, alias Santiago Moreno, is
no more. He was the most feared des =
perado of Southern Arizona for many
years, and is supposed to have killed
Sheriff Slaughter of that territory, be-
sides robbing trains and stages, stealing
horses, and killing five or six men.
The following is the Tucson Stars
graphic story Of the chase and shooting
OF the desperate:
In going from Pantano to Total Wreck
Ed Vail met Ghree Mexicans, two on
horseback, and the other on foot, carry
ing saddle and bride. On being
questioned they could not satisfactorily
account for their possession. Wallis
suspicious being aroused, he made in
quiries further up the road and ascer-
tanned that the saddle and bride had
been stolen from couple of Mexicans
VINO were working in the vicinity, and
shortly after he was informed that
three Mexicans had taken a horse, be-
longing to NJ. j. Jones', from the San
ford pasture. Vail telephoned immedi-
ately to Pantano, where posse, includ-
ing Tom Turner, j. M. Orosco Logan
and some others, was quickly organized
for the pursuit.
The posse struck the trail near Pam
tano and followed it in the direction OF
the San Pedro river until darkness COM
PEELED them to stop. Orosco and Logan
pushed on toward the river to arouse
the settlers and the other men went
back to the rodeo at Pantano, The rob-
bers went straight to the river. arriving
at one OF Heney's ranches below Tres
Alamos Just at dusk. Here they re-
malned all night in one of the vacant
houses. Food was given them and they
turned their horses into the pasture.
All their horses were so thoroughly
tagged out, especially the stolen animal,
that the Mexicans were unable to get
started before O'Clock in the morning.
Meanwhile party, consisting of Bob
Hughes, Deputy Sheriff GRAY, J. M.
Orosco, Logan, Gibson, Sam Boon and
Morgan, we'll armed with repeating
rifles and pistols, had struck the trail
near Tres Alamos, arriving at Heney's
just two hours after the robbers had left. |
A hot chase then began, and the robbers
were overtaken at about 2 O'Clock near
Rabell's ranch, about twenty miles fur
ther down the river. The pursuing
party got within seventy yards of the |
Mexicans before their presence was sus-
pected. Immediately on perceiving |
Hughes and Boone, who were in adj |
vance, the robbers discovered their iden-
tity by opening fire. regular fusilade I
ensued, in which some twenty shots /
were exchanged.
At the first shot Leon, who is said to
have been one OF Slaughter's deputies,
sprang from his horse. kneeled and /
threw up his hands. The leading Mex
lean fired three times, as his pistol
shows, before receiving his death wound.
AS he fell to the ground Leon exclaimed
"Geronimo is no more" and only then
did the party know they had run down
the notorious Geronimo, mail and train
robber, murderer and horse thief. The
third man fired five shots before he was
disabled by a ball through the fieshv
part OF the thigh. While the attention
OF the posse was directed to Geronimo.
this man, who answers to the name of
Victoriano, managed to crawl awav and
secrete himself in the thick brush.
Many settlers had been attracted to
the spot by the shooting, and it was
some time before his hiding-place could
be found. There were two pistols found
on the Mexicans, Geronimo having the
regular navy Colts and Victoriano an
old style Remington. Geronimo only
lived few minutes after receiving the
1atai shot. He did not speak, but
smiled as he expired.
The dead man and prisoners were
taken to Benson that hight. After
preliminary examination on Sunday the
prisoners were taken to Tombstone on
the next day by Deputy Sheriff A. N.
Gray: Geronimo's remains await fur
ther identification in Benson. He was
young-looking Mexican, apparently %
years of age, but probably older, me-
dunn height and build and smooth face
with the exception of slight boyish
mustache. According to Leon, his true
name is Santiago Moreno. He is cred
tied with robbing several stages, the
Sonora train robbery and the killing
OF Harvey Katz and Soto some five
years ago.
MOONSTRUCK MUSSELS.