Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-08-28
GERONIMO THE DESPERATE.
Tragic Fate of One of the Most Notorious
narndaufls of Arizona

Tragic Fate of One of the Most Notorious
Daredevfls Of Arizona.
Arizona has had good many daring
horse thieves and desperadoes, but it is
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 a 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
s., 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 a sad
die and bride. On being questioned they
could not satisfactorily account for their
possession. Vaipssuspicions being aroused,
he made inquiries further up the road and
been stolen from a couple of Mexicans who
were working in the vicinity, and shortly
afterward he was informed that three Mex.
leans had taken horse belonging to M. j.
Jones from the Sanford pasture Vail tele-
phon6d Immediately to Pantano where .
posse, including Tom Turner, J. NJ Orosco
Logan and some others was quickly organ
lied for the pursuit
hp CT, 1c1y n a fpo Dom
and followed it in the direction of the Sar
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 rodec
at Pantano. The robbers went straight tc
the river, arriving at one of Heney's
Here they remained all night in one of the
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 a party consisting of RoE
Hughes, Deputy Sheriff Gray, j. M. Oros-
co, Logan, Gibson, Sam Boone and Nor
gan, well armed with repeating rifles and
L
Alamos, arriving at Heneys just two
hours after the robbers had left. A hot
chase then began, and the robbers were
overtaken at about o'clock near RabeiPs
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
morer' 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 fired five shots
before he was disabled by ball through
the feshy 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 Mexi-
cans, Geronimo having the regular navy
Colts and Victoriano an old style Reming-
ton. Geronimo only lived a 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 preliminary
examination on Sunday the prisoners were
taken to Tombstone on the next day by
Deputy Sheriff A. N. Gray.-Tucson Star.