The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-13
GERONIMO THE DESPERATE.
Tragic Fate of One of the Most Notorious
DaredeviIs of rizona.

| Tragic Fate of One of the Most Notorious
| DaredeviIs of Arizona.
| Arizona has had a good many daring
| horse thieves and desperadoes, but it is
T! doubtful whether more thorough dare
devil ever infested the territory than the
Mexican renegade known as Geronimo,
who was killed by sheriff's posse while
| he was trying to run off a stolen horse.
This fellow, whose real name was Santiago
| Moreno, was scarcely more than boy, yet,
! like Curly Bill, so great was his nerve,
skill and endurance that for several years
| he had been the terror of southern Arizona.
| He had stolen hundreds of head of choice
stock, which he had run into old Mexico,
had committed several stage and train
robberies, and had killed more than one
man. Rewards amounting to more than
81, 900 were on his head. The following is
the story of the chase and shooting of the
desperate.
In going from Pantano to Total Wreck,
Ed Vail met three Mexicans, two on horse
back and the other on foot, carrying d sad
die and bride On being questioned they
could not satisfactorily account for their
possession. Wallis suspicious being aroused,
he made inquiries further up the road and
ascertained that the saddle and bride had
been stolen from couple of Mexicans who
were working in the vicinity, and shortly
afterward he was informed that three Mex
leans had taken horse belonging to NJ. j.
Jones from the Sanford pasture. Vail tele-
phoned Immediately to Pantano, where a
posse, including Tom Turner, J. NJ. Orosco
Logan and some others was quickly organ
lied for the pursuit.
IL l. Al
and followed it in the direction of the San
Pedro river until darkness compelled
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 robbers went straight to
the river, arriving at one of Heney's
ranches below Tres Alamos just at dusk.
Here they remained all night in one Of the
vacant houses. Food was given them,
and they turned their horses into the pas
ture. All the 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 q party consisting of Rob
Hughes, Deputy Sheriff Gray, J. NJ Oros-
co, Logan, Gibson, Sam Boone and Nor
gan, 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 Rabeil's
ranch, about twenty miles further down
the river. The pursuing party got within
seventy yards Of the Mexicans before their
presence was suspected. Immediately on
perceiving Hughes and Boone, who were
in advance, the robbers discovered their
identity by opening fire. A regular fusil-
lade 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 Mexican fired
three times, as his pistol shows, before re-
ceiving 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 Geroni-
mo, mail and train robber, murderer and
horse thief. The third man fred five shots
before he was disabled by ball through
the fieshy part of the thigh. While the at
tention Of the posse was directed to Geroni-
mo, this man, who answers to the name Of
Victoriano, managed to crawl away 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 Next
cans, Geronimo having the regular navy
Colts and Victoriano an old style Reming-
ton. Geronimo only lived few minutes
after receiving the fatal shot. He did not
speak, but only smiled as he expired
The dead man and prisoners were taken
to Benson that night. After a preliminary
examination on Sunday the prisoners were
taken to Tombstone on the next day by
Deputy Sheriff A. n. Gray-Tucson Star