Arizona silver belt., 1893-05-06
THE BILLIARD PEAK INDIAN FIGHT
 FRED. HUGHES CORRECTED
Gnonn, 4. T., May 9rd, ls93.

EDS. Sli4N sk Bk34Is--Au dfiiciS puo- lished in the Arizona Daily Citizen, of April 2sth, gives an account of what, MT. Fred. Hughes calls the Kids ear ly history" My recollections differ somewhat from that gentleman's. He makes the statement that in 1870, it was two years later, in ls72) "a party of settlers of the country around Sil- yer City fell upon and massacred a band of Apaches, near the heads ofthe Gila."
 MT. Hughes fails to state the causes which led up to the killing, and is wrong in his location of where it oe- cured, It is true a number of men, mostly citizens of Silver City, went in pursuit ofthe Indians, but it was not an unprovoked, cold blooded massa- ere.
 In the fall and winter of 1871, the Warm Spring Indians had made ire quent raids upon prosPeetors and set tiers; had killed quite number of peo- pie, stolen stock and committed SC many depredations that patience had ceased to be a virtue, and when, on the night of Feb. 3rd, 1872, they came into Silver City, cut down Harry White hills corral and stole nine head of horses, there was meeting of the citi- zens held, and t was determined to pursue and punish them, if possible.
 4 picked company Of thirty men. who were known to be experienced, Cool and deliberate, and who would not turn back at the yell of an Indian, under the leadership of that intrepid and daring pioneer, Captain John Bul lard, left Silver City on Che 18th of l Feb. Alter nine days of trailing they came upon them, the morning of the 22nd, campcd near what is now known as BulIard's Peak, about 10 mics northeast oC Clifton The snow and storm prevented the Indians from sec 1 ing our approach, and they were 1 housed in their wickiups with their ] squaws and children, evidently think ] ing thuy were safe from pursuit. With q rush we were upon them. Tho 6gtt i was a short one; fourteen of their num- 1 Der were killed, only four escaping. l Of our men Captain Bullard was the olny one killed. When iC became known that this noble life had been sacrificed the men became so enraged that they begun to tear down and burn | np the wiekiups. Aud itwav heIe that the Silver City Kid was found, moi
 standing upon the summit of high rock, about hundred yards distant, waving hls little fist defantly," but rolled up in some blankets, fast asleep. 1 When pulled out, he proved to be Q child about three years old; his life was spared at the request of James
 Copley, who took him to Silver City and boarded him at William Eckles
 hotel.
 There was ps coon kep. at tho house, and the little Kid was much in-
 terested in it. One day while they 1 were playing in the sitting room, thC l coon slipped down hole in the floor
 and refused To come out again, and tho
 Kid was discovered with matches and
 paper trying to smoke him out, re i gardless of the dangor of burning thc
 house down. This must have been
 "The attempt to burn up the wholC
 settlement, referred to by Hughes. 1 However, it was thought desirabl,
 to find him another home, and he wa
 taken to Mr. Campbell's, al Lont
 Mountain. Be had been there but
 short time when one day growing an
 gry with the little babe of the house
 ia child not able to walk he picked u hatchet, and creeping up behind tn child, was about to split it's head open when Mrs Campbell came in an, rushed to the rescue of her child Again another home had to be foun
 for Kid, General mot Captain Ward
 well, with his well known kind.heart
 edness, determined to see what h
 could do with him, and took him t
 his home where he remained until |
 was given back to his tribe. Ri was at this time between five and si years of ago.
 MT. Hughes says he knows his sth Kid's) parents well, but he must b mistaken as it is not probable that ( the four Indians who escaped, two ( them were his parents. There has n ways been q story told, that after h
 came to live at San Carlos, some on told him it was Jack O'Nedl who ha killed his parents, and the Kid ha !, made threats that he would some tim T kill O'Neal, The death of that gentle 2 man, some years ago, saved him froi
 such Q fate.
 ONE WHO WAS THERE. 3 Readers of the BELT might infC - from the above las Mir. Hughes wonl + have them belieye) that the Kid spoke 6 oP ;e ;da,,f;oa1 x,f;tl fba rotnf.if,tiS n.