Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-09-09

A Man who Fought Band Of Apaci,ss
sineie-s faRahA,

huhEtSNeAhhHEHi
A company OF ranchmen sat abort
the railroad citation IN Pomona, Cal,
the other afternoon waiting for the
belated overland train for Los An
geles. Every man in the party
knew the others, and there being an
hour or two to wait, story telling Of
the early days on the border and in
Arizona and California came natural
Stories q old times. when Indians
were BAT. and the white pioneers
knew what bravery meant, were re-
lated. John Wilson OF Fl Monte,
told the most absorbing story OF the
hour, as follows:
Talk about sand in a man. gentle
men! ! am telling you that il takes
sand Of the genuine article in any
man 20 try and stand off, single
handed. forty or fifty Apaches, when
he knows just how the scrap viii
end. and that the end will be his own
death But that was just the kind
Of sand that was in Felix Knox when
he was killed by the Apaches. You
see. Knox was an all-around gambler,
such as the tendcrfoot from the
East scorns so much and knows SO
/ little about. but he had heart in
him bigger than any tenderfoot's
I head.
We'll. it was in the spring Of 1873.
/ Knox, with his wife and baby and
/ Mexican driver, were coming from
f Silver City to Clifton, down in Arizo
ma. They got to YorK's ranch, which
is on the Gila river. about thirty
miles from Clifton. all right, but
were told there that signs OF Apaches
had been seen, and that they had
better 60 in camp there for a few
DAYS, but Knox-who had fought the
Apaches dozens OF times and didn't
know what fear was--said he wanted
to make Clifton that day Indians or
no Indiens
well. the Knoxes drove on.
When they were about two miles
from York's ranch, sure enough a
big buck Indian came from a Low,
round-top mesa Knox knew there
were plenty more Of the red devils
hid there. and that il meant fight
to the death for him. He was as
cool as a cucumber. He jumped out
Of the wagon, filled his pockets with
two boxes OF cartridges, and then
kissed his wife and baby for the last
time. but saying that he would have
the red skins quoted in a few min
utes He ordered the Mexican driver
10 lash the team for all he was worth
and to drive back to York's ranch as
~. L. ,,g.sT1d fAhnH
Knox waved his hand 10 his wife,
and said he was going 10 stand Of
few Apaches-although he was sure
there was big band Of them As
the team and wagon few back 70 the
ranch. Knox, rife in hand, started
toward the hill for his last fight.
He turned once and waved his som,
, brero to his wife and child, and ther
. strobe on to his certain death.
! The Apaches a second later rushed
. on from behind the hill whore thel
! we're secreied. Knox faced his foes
! and standing stock still. pumpeC
4 lead AT them until he fell down dead
, The next day a party Of US wa
made mp and we went out where th'
! fight took place. Knox's body Ia,
there amid the cactus in the sun
The Apaches. contrary to their usua
: custom. had not mutilated the fel
Q lows body in the least. They ha'
e taken clean pocket handkerchie
n out OF Knox's pocket and CAREFUL.
! spread ii over his face. and had fast
ened it there by putting a small
: stone on each corner Of il to hold /
{ in its place and keep the sun fror
I the dead mans face. That was thei
tribute to the sand in Knox. Seven
=. ty empty shells were found that ha
been empt!ed from Knox's Winches
/ ter. and one Of the raiding Indian
d afterwards said that their part
r numbered forty-two and that kno