The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1893-06-24
FOR A BAR OF GOLD.
An Incident Of Bullion Transportation
Arizona.

An Incident OF Bullion IranspOrtdtion ~
Arizona.
From 1860 until recently Arizona has
been the favorite resort of bandits and
highwaymen. Both Mexieans and
Americans INDUCED in the practice,
and it is said that many snug for
tune now belonging to respected citi-
zens was founded in that way. But be
that as it may, many bar of bullion
started from the mines to the railroad
and failed to reach its destination.
Years afterward the bones of its Gus
todian 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 citi-
zen from poverty to affluence directed
suspicion, in which case the matter was
allowed to drop.
One of the latest and boldest OF these
robbberies occurred in 1888, a little way
out from Phoenix, and its result has de-
tered the Mexicans from any attempt
at its repetition.
The Vulture mine, the property OF
Senator Tabor, was at that time
worked by an English syndicate, with
ent. In taking away the bullion an
armed guard of five TO ten men usually
accompanied it, riding far enough
ahead and behind to prevent their all
being killed by single fire from am
bush. One morning in August of 1885,
Gribble, with one companion in bug
gy, 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 two hundred
yards in advance and the other two
hundred yards to the rear, but it after
ward developed that they were riding
together.
When the cavalcade reached a lonely
place on 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 Mexicans. They had selected
their targets, and Gribble and two
others were killed at the first fire. The
other man, who was mounted on
thoroughbred horse, attempted to make
Winchesters overlook him and he fell
dead about three hundred yards dis
,tant One of the Mexicans took his
horse, and, strapping the bullion before
him on the saddle, the three rode across
the desert toward Mexico.
Late in the day the stage from Pres
colt came by, and the driver, discover
ing 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 pur-
suit. Late in the day four of them
came upon the robbers while they were
trying to cut the piece of bullion to di-
vide it, they evidently wishing to sepa-
rate. They showed fight, and the
whites returned to Vulture for rein
forcements, and, going back as rapidly
rs possible, found that the robbers had
separated, and two of the trails were
lost in the mail pass of the Eagle Tail
mountains. Pressing CT the trail of
the other they reached the ella on the
evening of the next day. Here they
found the fugitive's horse mired in the
quicksand with leg broken, his rider
having taken his blankets and the
bullion. which he still had in his pos
session, and started down the river on
foot He had ridden the horse more
than one hundred 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 pursuers shot him, and followed
the bank of the river to a ferry few
miles below where Gov. 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 sitting 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 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 Crib.
ble'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 Valenzuela, trusted Next
can employed at the mine. The other
two robbers were never discovered, nor
were the citizens ever able to even
fasten suspicion on any one.-San
Francisco Chronicle.
Efephantfne Dentistry.