The herald., 1893-05-28
KNOX HAD SAND.
now A PLUCKY GAMBLER FOUGHT
THE APACHEs.
The Episode which Happened Near
York's Rsnch-A Man Whose
Bravery Was Respected by
the Indians.

A company of rsnchmen sat about the
railroad station at Pomona the other af-
ternoon waiting for the belated overland
train for Los Angeles, says the Progress
of that city. 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 of
old times, when Indians were bad and
the white pioneers knew what bravery
meant, were related. John Wilson OF III
Monte told the most absorbing story Of
the hour. ss follows:
"Talk about sand in man, gentle
men! / am telling you that it takeI
/ sand of the genuine article in any mai
TO try and stand off single-handad 40 Of
so Apaches, when he knows just how
the scrap will 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-round gambler
such as the tenderfoot from the east
scorn so much and know so little about,
but he had heart in him bigger than
any tenderfoot's head. Well, it was in
the spring of 10. Knox, with his wife
and baby and a Mexican driver, were
coming from Silver City to Clifton, down
in Arizona. They got to York's ranch,
which is on the Gila river, about 80
miles from Clifton, all right, but were
told there that signs of Apaches had
been seen, and that they had better 20
in camp there for few days. but Knox
who had fought the Apsches dozens OF
times and didn't know what fear was
said he wanted to make Clifton that day
Indians or no Indians
"WelI, the Knoxes drove on. When
they were about two miles from York 8
ranch, sure enough big buck Indian
came from behind low, round-top mesa.
Knox knew there were plenty more of
the red devils hid there, and that it
meant fight to death for him. He was
as cool az 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 say
ing that he would have the red skins
uuieted in few minutes. He ordered
the Mexican driver to lash the team for
all he was worth and to drive back to
IOIk IdnCn ms lnbb 90 shO hOtbOc SSuA0
Jump. Then Knox waved his hand to
his wife, and said he was going to stand
off a few Apaches-although he was
cure there was big band Of them, AS
the team and wagon few back to the
ranch Knox, rife in hand, started to-
wards the hills for his last fight. He
turned once and waved his sombrero to
bis wife and child, and then strode on to
his certain death.
The Apaches a second later rushed
out from behind the hill where they
secreted. Knox faced his foes, and
standing stock still, pumped lead at
them until he fell down dead. The next
day party OF US was made up, and we
went out where the fight took place.
Knox's body lay there amid the cactus
in the sun. The Apsches, contrary to
their usual custom, had not mutilated
their victims body in the least. They
had taken clean pocket-hsndkerchief
out of Knox pocket and carefully spread
it over his face, and had fastened itthere
by putting small stone on each corner
of it to hold it in its place and keep the
hot sun from the dead mans face. That
was their tribute to the sand in Knox.
Seventy empty shells were found that
had been emptied from Knox's Winches-
ter, and one of the rsiding Indians after
wards said that their party numbered
AZ, and that Knox had killed seven of
tham -