The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-04


toward Phoenix, which WAS then village
consisting of only few adobe jacals.
BY the time night fell the pursuers ar
rived there, but lost the trail at the ford on
the Salt river, and could not at once IocaAe
the robbers. During the night they discov-
cred where the thieves had occupied an
adobe which has long since been pulled down
/ 10 give place TO more pretentious buildings
but they had gone, and the only evidence Of
1 the disposition of the treasure was a broken
! spade and a pickax which had been lately
| used, and which convinced the pursuers
that the bullion had been buried somew here
In the vicinity. They relinquished the pur-
| suit, but try as they might they could not
locate the spot where the bullion was hid
den. They knew the names of the robbers
however, and thinking that they would flee
the country for few years, until all recol-
lection of the crime had died out, then re-
turn and unearth 1t, they began a persistent
search for it.
After prying into, as Il appeared, every
loot OF ground in the vicinity of the cabin,
they determined to trJ other means, and
began trying to locate the men, hoping to
learn something from them. A few years
ago they learned that Grljalva was in Silver
City, N. M, and they went to arrest him.
de was found in dance hall, and was sum-
Inoneo 70 surrender by one of the pursuers
ne refused, and on attempting to draw his
pistol, was shot down, but not so badly
wounded but that he lived till next morn
sng. Being Catholic, he desired final alb
solution. and the other pursuer, Disgusting
nlmsen as priest, was sent for. The time
Tor which they had longed was at
hand. From the lips Of one of the men who
had concealed it they would learn the loca-
ton OF the treasure they had searched for
30 long. When he appeared before the
wounded man the pseudo priest refused TO
absolve him until he made confession of the
6na6a M 10 or
desired effect, and Grijalva told meagerly
OF the occurrence, of the killing of the
driver and the burial Of the money, saving
That he did not know where Ortiz was, bus
that they intended one day TO return and
get the bullion. He also bsqueathsd his
halr OF IL to the church. telling as near as he
could where 1t was buried.
The Americans were highly elated over
their success and returned TO Phoenix at
once TO dig up the gold. Years had been
consumed in the search for Grijslva and
when they reached this city the adobe had
been torn down and a handsome residence
put in its place. Streets had been laid out
and changed. and all the trees and brush
which were landmarks when they left were
gone. They began another fruitiess search.
ana FOR months spent their time prodding
into the ground where they thought the
cabin was located. The work developed
nothing, and as they had to do il secretly in
Few months they grew discouraged and
gave it up, still expecting, though, that
some day somebody would accidentally
come upon it. All this time the where
abouts of Ortiz was unknown, and as he,
during his Arizona career, was 80 reckless
OF his life it was supposed that he had been
killed IN some encounter aud had taken the
secret with him.
Last winter the writer was &C Hermisillo,
Mexico, and on registering from Phoenix at
MaxiCap .hoz
that the Christmas before a Spaniard from
Arizona had died there, and that during his
sickness he was frequently delirious and
spoke of Arizona, buried bullion, robberies
aud many other things The Mexican de-
scr1bed him as tine-looking man, said that
he had several hundred dollars In money,
was we'll armed and had good horse and
that before be died he was absolved by the
Oldest priest in charge Of the church there
knew nothing then of the robbery and
buried bullion, and had never even heard
OF the search for the money, nor the killing
OF Grijalvs, but being curious to learn more
OF the man who had so mysteriously died in
foreign country. determined to see the
priest and il possible find out who the dead
man was.
Accordingly, in few hours presented
myself at his Office in the rear OF the church,
and finally, after much persuasion, sue
ceeded in getting the following story:
The man was Ortiz, though that was
an assumed name. He was born in
Spain of a noble family, and was ed
ucated at the University OF Madrid. He
finally was accused Of serious offense and
lied the country, coming to America the
first year Of the civil war and enlisting as a
private in the confederate army. He was
wounded several times, and at the close of
the contest fed to Mexico and enlisted under
the flag Of Macmillan and was made a cap
tain for bravery in the field. When the
empire broke up price was set upon his
head, and in company with one Of his SOL
diers no went to Arizona and engaged in
orlgandage for years without being ever
wounded or sentenced to prison.
He detailed fully the robbery Of the Tiger
mine exprese and the killing Of the man in
charge. Fearing to attempt crossing the
border into Mexico with the bullion, which
was very heavy, they determined TO carry
1t into the mountains north of Phoenix and
conceal it until such a time as they could
| conveniently dispose of is. On reaching
Phoenix they decided to stop few ho1rs
and rest their horses, when they would 20
out under cover Of the darkness. Before
this they had divided the paper money
| among themselves, so that in the event Of
their being suspected and had to drop the
heavier bullion they would still have enough
to get them out OF the country.
They stopped at q noted house kept by a
Mexican woman, aud soon after dark they
| learned that they had been trailed, and
that their pursuers were then in town. Ex-
pecting fight momentarilY, they cent the
woman in town to watch and proceeded to
bury their booty. They feared their cons
panioD, and when the hole was dug they
knocked him on the head with the pickax
| and buried him with the treasure. They
took his share Of the greenbac and when
the woman returned they were gone. They
separated, and after that Ortiz never had
seen Grijalva, but he kept the best lookout
that he could on the location of the buried
treasure, and intended some time to re-
turn and get 1t.
He went to Cuba aud remained a while
| and then came back to Arizona. No one
knew him, aud the Americans who followed
him were dead with the exception Of one
still living in Phoenix, Though he spent a
week in Phoenix, things had changed 80
that he could not locate the spot where he
buried the gold, and, fearing to excite sus-
picion by digging, he gave it up for the time
and ventured into Sonora again, where,
though an old man, he again engaged in his
former occupation Of brigandage. When at
Hermosillo he was taken sick from an old
wound and died.
The story was 80 strange chat when I re-
turned to Phoenix mentioned the name of
Ortiz TO some of the old settlers and found