Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-03
BANDITS OF THE DESERT.
Some Old Time "Holdups'' of the Bullion
Business In Arizona.


From 1860 until recently Arizona has
been the favorite resort of bandits and high
waymen. Both Mexicans and Americans
INDUCED in the practice, and it is said that
many snug fortune now.belonging to re-
spected citizens was founded in that way.
But, be that as it may, many a bar of bull
lion started from the mines to the railroad
and failed to reach its destination Years
afterward the bones of its custodian would
DE found bleaching in the sand, but they
could tell no tales, and the robbers went
unknown unless the sudden rise of some
struggling citizen from poverty to affiuence
directed suspicion, in which case the matter
was allowed to drop.
One of the latest and boldest of these rob-
berries occurred in 1888 a little way out
from Phoenix, and it's result has deferred
the Mexicans from any attempt at its repe-
tition.
The Vulture mine, the property of Sena-
tor Tabor, was then worked by an English
syndicate, with man named Gribble as
superintendent. In taking away the bull
lion an armed guard of 5 to 10 men usually
accompanied it, riding far enough ahead
and behind to prevent them all being killed
by single fire from ambush One morn
ing in August of 1888 Gribble, with one
"
with 40 pounds of gold bullion. His guard
consisted of two men on horseback, who
were supposed to ride one 200 yards in adj
vance and the other 200 yards to the rear,
but it afterward developed that they were
riding together.
When the cavalcade reached lonely
place on the desert near Negro wells, the
road made an abrupt turn to the right, and
directly facing the turn. about 10 rods dis
tant, was clump of greasewood. From
behind these bushes deadly fire was
poured in on them by three Mexicans.
They had selected their targets, and Crib
BILE and two others were killed at the first
fire. The other man, who was mounted on
thoroughbred horse attempted to make
his escape, but the bullets from the win
chesters overlook him, and he fell dead
about 300 yards distant. One of the Mex
leans took his horse, and strapping the bull
lion before him on the saddle the three
made across the desert toward Mexico.
Late in the day the stage from Prescott
came by, and the driver discovering the
bodies brought the news into Phoenix BY
daylight next morning a posse of white
men with Indian trailers were on the
ground and began the pursuit Latein the
day four of them came upon the robbers
while they were trying to cut the piece of
bullion to divide it, they evidently wishing
to separate They showed fight, and the
whites returned to Vulture for reinforce
ments, and going back as rapidly as posi-
bic found that the robbers had separated
and two of the trails were lost in the mail
pass of the Eagle Tail mountains Press
ing on the trail of the other, they reached
the ella on the evening of the next day.
Here they found the fugitives horse mired
in the quicksand with leg broken, his
rider having taken his blankets and the
bullion, which he still lad in his posses
sion, and started down the river on foot.
He had ridden the horse more than 100
miles without food or water, and in trying
to rush him across the river, which was
swollen, the horse had become mired and in
IA frantic effort to free himself had broken
his leg.
The pursuers shot him and followed the
bank of the river to the ferry few miles
below, where Governor Powers had some
MeXicans at work on boat. Riding I'D to
the fence, they asked him if he had seen
such man, describing the one they want
ed. Before Powers could reply the MeXi-
can who was sitting on his blanket in the
shade of the house and within hearing of
the conversation, started to run up the hill
and toward the brush. The white men be-
gan shooting, and he fell dead. He had come
to the house on foot a few hours before and
had obtained permission to rest there until
they had repaired the boat SO they could
put him across the river. In his roll of
blankets they found the piece of bullion
with Gribble's blood dried upon it. The
thieves had tried to cut it in two, but had
failed, and they had separated, the leader
doubtless having given the other two the
slip.
The dead robber was found to be Ynocinte
Valenzucia, n trusted Mexican employed at
the mine. The other two robbers were
never discovered, nor were the citizens ever
able to even fasten suspicion on any one
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.