Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-05-04
FOR A BAR OF GOLD.
Tragedy Incident to the Transportation
of Bullion Across Arizona.

Tragedy Incident to the Transportation
of Bullion Across Arizona.
From 1860 until recently Arizona has
been the favOrite resort of bandits and
highwaymen. Both MeXicans and
Americans INDUCED in the practice, and
it is said that many a snug fortune
now belonging to respected citizens
was found in that way. But be that IS
it may, many a bar of bullion started
from the mines to the railroad and
failed to reach its destination, says the
San Francisco Chronicle. Years after
ward the bones of its custodian would
be 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 aff1uence directed suspicion, in which
case the matter was allowed to drop
One of the latest and boldest Of these
rObberieS occurred in 1888, a little way
out from Phoenix, and it's result has de-
tered the Mexicans from any attempt
at it's repetition. The Vulture mine,
the property of Senator Tabor, was at
that time worked by an English syndi-
cate, with a man named Gribble as su-
perintendent. In taking away the bull
lion an armed guard Of five to ten men
usually accompanied it, riding far
enough ahead and behind to prevent all
being killed by a single fire from am
bush. One morning in August of 1883
Gr1ble, with one companion in a buggy,
started to Phoenix with fOrty-twO
pounds of gold bullion His guard con-
sisted of two men on horseback. who
were supposed to ride, one 200 yards in
advance and the other 200 yards to
the rear, but it afterward developed
that they were riding together. When
the cavalcade reached lonely place
in the desert near Negro Wells the road
made an abrupt turn to the right, and
directly facing the turn, about ten rods
distant, was a clump of greasewOod
From behind these bushes a deadly fire
was poured in on them by three Mex
leans. They had selected their targets,
and Gribble and two others were killed
at the first fire. The other man, who
was mounted on a thoroughbred horse.
attempted to make his escape, but the
bullets from the Winchesters overlook
him and he fell dead about 300 yards
distant. One Of the MeXicanS took his
horse, and, strapping the bullion before
him on the saddle, the three made
across the desert toward Mexico
Late in the day the stage from Pres
colt came by and the driver, discovering
the bodies, brought the news into Phoe-
nix. By daylight next morning a posse
of white men with Indian trailers were
on the ground and began the pursuit
Late in the day four of them came
upon the robbers while they were try
ing to cut out the piece of bullion to
divide it, they evidently wishing to
separate. They showed fight and the
whites returned to Vulture for re-
endorsements and, going back as rapid
ly as possible, found that the robbers
had separated, and two of the trails
were lost in the mail pass of the Eagle
Tail mountains. Pressing on the trail
OF the other they reached the ella on
the evening Of the next day, Here they
found the fugitve's horse mired in the
quickSand, with a leg broken, his rider
having taken his blankets and the bull
lion, which he still had 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, he had become
mired, and in a frantic effort to free
himself had broken his leg. The pur-
SuerS shot him and followed the bank
of the river to a ferry a few miles
below where Governor Powers had
some MeXicanS at work on boat Rid
ing up to the fence they asked him if
he had seen such a man. describing
the one they wanted. Before Powers
could reply the Mexican, who was sit
ting on his blankets 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
began shooting and he fell dead. He
had come to the house on foot
few hours before and had obtained per-
mission to rest there until they had
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 sepap9ted,
the leader doubtless having given the
other two the slip. The dead robber
was found to be Ynocinte Valenzuela,
trusted Mexican employed at the
mine. The other two robbers were
never discovered, nor were the citizens |
ever able to even fasten suspicion on
anyone.