Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-09-02
ng MAD sANp.
A Man WHO FoHRht Bsnd Of Apaches
biRGfe. Handed.

biRGfe- Handed.
A company OF ranchmen sat about
tho railroad station in Pomona, Cal,
tho other afternoon waiting for the
belated overland train for Los An
geles. Every man in the party
knew tho others, and thoro 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 tlmos, when Indians
wcro bad, and the white pioneers
know what bravery meant, were re-
lated. John Wilson of FL Monte,
told tho most absorbing story OF the
hour, as follows:
Talk about sand in man, gentle
men! ] am telling you that it takes
sand of the genuine article in any
man to try ARd stand of, single
handed. forty or Hfty Apaches, when
he knows just how the scrap will
end, and thst the end will be his own
doOth. But that WAS just tho kind
Of sand that Was in feliI Knox when
he Was killed by the ApAcheS You
see, knOx vas an Sll-around gambler,
such rs tho tsnderfoOt from. the
East scorne so much and knows 30
little about, but he had heart in
him bigger than any tenderfoot's
head.
We'll, 10 was In the spring OF 1879.
KNOX. with his vim and baby and a
Mexican driver, we're coming from
Silver City to Clifton. down in Arizo
nA. They got TO FORKS ranch. which
is on tho Gila river, about thirty
miles from Clifton, all right, but
were told there that signs OF Apaches
had been seen, and that they had
better GO in camp there for Il few
days, but RnO1-who had fought the
ApSches dozens OF tines and didn't
know what fear was-snid he wanted
to make Clifton that day Indians or
NO Indians
Well, tho KRO1es drove on.
When they were about two miles
from Y0rE's raRch, sure enough u
big buck Indian came from low,
rOund-top mesa Knox knew there
were plenty mere of the red devils
hid there, and that II meant fight
to the death for him. lie MAS as
cool aS cucumbeV. He jumped out
OF the wagon, Allied his pockets with
two boxes Of cartridges. and then
kissed his wife and baby for the last
time, but saying that no would have
the redskins quietod In q few min
utes. He ordered the Mexican driver
to lash tho team for all he was worth
and to drive hack to York's ranch as
fast as the horses could jump Then
KNOX waved his haBd to his wife,
and aaid he Was going 10 stand off u
few Apaches-s slthough he was sure
there was big band OF them. As
the team and wagon dew back to the
ranch. HnSx. ride In hand, started
toward the hill for his last fight
he *uFncd sRce and waved his SOM
bTSrO to his wife aud child. and then
Btrsde on TO his certain death.
The ApachSs second later rushed
ON from behind the hill where they
were seereted Knox faced his foes,
and, standing stock stlll, pumped
lead st them until he fell down dead.
The next day q party Of US was
made up, And ve went cut where the
fight took place. KhSx's body lay
there AMID the cactus in the sun.
The Apsehes. contrary to their usual
custom, had not nutilstee the fell
lsw's body in the least. They had
taken . clean pocket handkerchief
out Of knox's pocket and carefully
spread it over his face, and hal fast
ened it there by putting small
stone on essh cOrRcp of ID to hold 1t
iu its place and keep the sun from
the dead plaA'g face. That WAS their
tribute 10 the sand ia Knox. Seven
ty empty shells wore found that had
been emptied from Knox's Winches-
ter. and one of tho r0iding Indians
afterwards said that their party
Rumbere fOrtY-twO and that Knox