Los Angeles herald., 1892-06-13
SAVED FROM THE DESERT,
j.. A. Van Horn Found Partly
Buried in the Sand.
The Bones of Two Men We're Found
Near Him.
The Terrible Experiences Of Desert
Prospector-How He Was Found
and Rescued by Search
ing Party.

AnB sEys
The Tucson Star publishes the follow
ing story Of the experiences Of two we'll
known prospectors who braved the ter
rors Of the desert in the search for gold !:
About twenty days ago ]. A. Van
Horn and Martin Waer, both in the
best Of health and spirits, left this city
in wagon for the purpose OF making q
prospecting tour. Yesterday Van Horn
was brought back In terrible condition
after having undergone experiences that
will linger in his memory till his dying
day. His partner also went through
many hardships.
AS announced in yesterday mornings
Star, the east bound passenger train
brought to the city Mr. Van Horn. He
was accompanied by Mr.. George Wheat
ly. He was in bad condition and had
to be carried to carriage. He was ct once
removed to the home of Mr.. Wheatly
near the university, and everything
possible done to relieve his suffering.
The Star reporter visited the home OF
Mr.. Wheatly yesterday, but was unable
to interview Mr.. Van Horn for he was
in no condition to talk. From Mr..
Wheatly, however, the reporter learned
the true details of what took place on
the desert. It will be remembered that
Mr.. Wheatly left the city last Wednes-
day afternoon on freight train Tor
Yuma. When he reached his destina-
tion he at once proceeded to organize
q party to search for Van Horn, but was
advised by Sheriff Nugent not to do this
for party composed of Martin Waer,
Manuel Bedowy and friend had al
ready started out and had by that time
reached the wagon. He was further in
formed that the party knew every inch
of the desert and would find him II any.
body could. Later developments proved
that they were we'll acquainted with the
country and that had it not been for
them Van Horn never would have been
found.
In speaking of the finding Of Van
Horn by the rescuing party, Mr.. Wheat
ly said that Waer. and Others OF the
party were about mile ffom Van Horn,
having passed him in the night. They
heard the faint report Of q gun and
Waer made the remark that it was
either Wheatly who fred the shot or else
the old man, meaning Van Horn. In
the course OF q few minutes another
shot was heard and the party turned
back to ascertain who was doing the
firing. In few minutes another shot
followed. The party kept going back on
the road in the direction where the shots
were fred. Waer fred q shot which
was answered by Van Horn and this led
to his discovery.
He was found stretched out on the
ground. resting onlhis elbow. He was
partly buried in the sand.
Lying about him we're the bones oi
two men. He had then been without a
drop of water for over eight days. His
feet and limbs we're covered with cactus
thorns. There is no question in the
minds of those who found him that be
could not have survived to see another
sun rise if aid had not come.
After Waer left Van Horn to get
water, Van Horn remained in the wagon
for four days and lived on canned fruit
until he could not subsist on it any
longer, and thinking Waer had perished
he decided to return to the Sonoyta
river in Mexico to obtain water for him
self and organize relief party to search
for Waer. He wrote two notes and
left them on the wagon. They ran:
I SUNDAY, May 20, 1892.
{ MARTIN: have waited until this 5
D, m. for your return, and thought it
best to 60 back to the last ranch we
stopped at and get party out in search
of you. Should you get back to the
wagon, you had better put up enough
provisions to last you and come on to
those friends of yours at the custom
house and see if you can get them to send
on pack mule train to get this rig and
bring it back. Yours, in haste,
J. A. VAN HORN.
SUNDAY, May 20. 1892.
This rig belongs to Van Horn and
Waer, of Tucson. We ran short of water
for our animals and ourselves. Sent
Wear with the horses to look for water
Saturday, 28th, at 2 o. m. have not seen
him since. have gone back to the last
watering place we left on the 9th.
Whoever finds this, please report the
same to the authorities at Tucson.
am truly yours,
J. A. VAN HORN.
On the back OF the first note were
written.the following words:
TO MARTIN WAER: II you get here this
morning fire the gun to let me know yor
are alive, If in hearing.
From the VINE he left the wagon ~
| travelled distance Of about thirty miller
in four days and subsisted on cactus
fruit. s
The rescuing party took him *
Liguerta station and Mr.. Wheatly theI
brought him to this city. He is, as {
matter of course, very weak; but it il
thought he will be all right in q few
days.
Martin Waer remained behind to SCI
to shipping the wagon to this city. !
| is said he has lost about sixty pounds 0
flesh. He is expected to arrive here OF
this mornings train. ~s8