Arizona weekly citizen., 1891-07-18

I
| orable means should be averted, but /
is necessary to perpetrate this eacre'
institution, We exclaim in the languag'
of one whose name will ever shine will
} the effulgence of the greatest luminar!
in the galaxy of American statesmen
"Let 1t come, let it come"
A reward of merit is due to that no
BILE band of pioneers who fed the shores
of Europe where civil and religious
liberty was denied them, to the wilder
ness Of America, here to face lndescrlba
bic dangers, both seen aud unseen.
Verify they have passed to their rewar d
and their deeds Of valor and disln-
terestedness are cherished in grateful
remembrance by their faithful descend
ants. And while we dwell upon this
theme let lis not forget the valorous ex-
ploits of these Of our time, whose lamp
Of life is nearly extinguished. One by
one they are passing from the stage Of
action. To them we owe homage.
They have explored this country, and,
at the hazard of life, health and strength
Arizona was put In a habltaOle condi-
ton. Railroads with palace cars did
not precede their painful and dangerous
tranps over mountain and desert.
Civilized law there was none. But to
their enterprising and self sacrificing
efforts is due all that is here aside from
natures gifts.
This strain of thought is drawn out
from perusal of an elaborate account
published in Harper's Weekly Of July
11th, 1891, of the celebrated Wham
robbery, perpetraued a short time ago
only a few miles south of Fort
Thomas, which correspondent Of the
CITIZEN recently alluded to in his cor
respondence from the ighborhood
of the scene of this tragic event in the
history of our territory. Well merited
recognition of the valor displayed by
certain members of Wham's guard has |
been paid, and description given in
is go graphic that we are sure |
all will read it with interest, and accord
ingly We reproduce it entire:
"On May IL, 1889, Major Wham, pay
master of the United States Army, left |
Fort Grant, A. T., to pay off troops at |
certain other forts. He had S28,345 in |
the boot of an ambulance. Major Wham |
knew what he was about, and had with |
him an escort Of two non-commissioned |
officers and nine privates-and that was
two moro than the usual number. All |
the soldiers were Of the Twenty-fourth |
Infantry and Tentb Caiavery, anI we're |,
colored men. Everything =. oAt pes
antly until about twenty SIX miles From
Fort Grant, down the rugged road a
peculiar obstruction WAS seen. 1t was
an uncommonly large boulder in the
middle of the canyon. Had it rolled
down the mountain of It's own volition,
,r had somebody put it there. It
lad to be removed, no matter how
t got there. There is nothing that
ought to stop paymaster. Off got the
paymaster, sergeant and men, ,and began
aboring with The big boulder, when
crack went rife from the rocks above,
ollowed hy volley Of shots; an enemy
,nsconced In the natural fortress was
pumping lead with the soldiers.
Then came pretty fight-that is 'pret-
"" in an Irish sense; but the committee
IN military affairs, who sifted out the
whole thing, state that Major Wham
md his party made stubborn and eff
icient resistance" The men IN blue
showed no fear, and they rallied and
stuck to their arms until eight of them
we're wounded. Major Wham and his
,scort did not seem TO care about the
isks they were running. The case OF a
with government funds in
lis keeping is peculiar one. 1t carries
With it great responsibilities. He must
lot lose the money or the accounting
or its disappearance is state Of affairs,
igidly examined. Major Wham rallied
lis men, and fought them to stand
till; all were wounded excepting the Of
icers and one man. The corporal, who
vas not touched told them how impos-
ible it was to fight any more. HE did
lot think it possible;" that was his
estimony. At last Major Wham, with
lis wounded men, had to retire behind
ome mesquite brush. The rascals kept
I'D a desultory fire for an hour after
ward, sweeping the place Of action.
rhey understood their business. Then
hey got to the ambulance, broke open
he treasure box and looted it. The mo-
ley was lost to the last penny, but not
shred Of the honor of that plucky
Major and his gallant colored escort.
When the ground was carefully looked
,ver afterwards by military experts, it
vas seen that the robbers knew exactly
What TO do, and had arranged their
,lans long before. They could throw in
CALLING fire whenever they pleased. 1t
vas believed there were from thirteen
% fifteen bandits, with all the advant
lges of n surprise. 1.-The robber chief"
70 testified the infantry officer, "had
foreseen that if the soldiers
resisted they would retreat to the
particular position which they did oc-
,upy, and he had therefore placed part
If the outlaws TO The right snd rear of
he rocks TO flank t.cD" ''o~ = at
rood fight with robbers, tor gailah. and
neritorIous conduct, meuais VI a.oIor
we're given to Sergeant Benz. Brown,
company G; Corporal Isaiah Mays. com
oany b, and certificates OF merit to
1rivates Geo. Arlington, Benz. Burge,
julius Harrison, Hamilton Lewis,
Squire Williams, Jas. Young, Thornt IN
Hams, and Jas. Wheeler.
BTe wHyS OF Putting 1t.
Little distinctions will always carry
IL; f,,l - |