Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-06-16
DISCOVERED DEAD.
Pulseless Body of Little Jack Down
ing Found Nine Miles from
Town Last Evening.
One of the Most Heart-rending Stories
in the History of New
Mexico.

At $50 last evening little Jack
Downing was found, but his heart had
ceased beating.
This is the sad sequel of the systematic
and vigorous search, in the course of
which hundreds of soldiers and citizens
thoroughly secured the hills, gulches and
arroyss north and west of Santa Fe,
hoping to find the precious little lad be-
fore life was extinct. These good people
have the satisfaction of knowing that
their earnest and humanitarian labors
are appreciated by all fathers and
mothers and those who loved Santa Fe
before love it more because of their noble
efforts to rescue poor little Jack Down
ing from the merciless jaws of thirst,
hunger and exhaustion. Their endeavors
were not fruitful of the result that all
prayed for, but they did their best. Par
ticular praise is due to Lieuts. Littell, Stott-
and Stokes and the soldiers at ort Marcy.
1t was necessary to thunder forth the sad
news from the brazen mouth of cannon
to call in the searching soldiers and
myriad of citizens from the hills last
night. Just when the cannon was fred
from Fort Marcy many citizens were
volunteering to take the tear-stained
trail and follow it all night.
THE HEART-RENDING STORY.
About 1870 yesterday afternoon Har-
vey H. Zumwalt, who had been out
on the search nearly all the night be-
fore, said to Arthur Hudson that he be-
lieved he could find little Jack Downing
| if he had horse. He added that dream
during the few hours he slept had told
| him where to 60. Young Hudson said
"let's take fathers horse and buggy and
CO." This was agreed to and the two
started without delay. Mr.. Zumwalt in
sisted that he knew where to 60 and die
tated the way the horse should go with a
precision that was absolutely astounding
In the light of facts subseq uently dis
closed.
About the same hour Peter j. Suith and
Al. Perry started out on the trail with a
horse and cart resolved to find the miss
ing boy dead or alive. They took wood
road leading northwest and drove rap
idly for five miles before stopping. Then
they discovered
THE LITTLE BOYS TRACKS
crossing the road, hitched their horse and
took the trail on foot. The tracks of the
little fellow indicated that he was going
northwest and they followed him in that
direction about mile and quarter.
Then he turned southwest and started
down a big sandy arroyo. They fol
lowed him down the arroyo about three
quarters of mile and started back to
find their cart. On the way back, at 4:50
p. M, they met Zumwalt, who was also
on the fresh trail and said he would fol-
low 1t till he found the boy. Meanwhile
Hudson had returned to town with the
horse and buggy. The three then took
the cart and went back to the arroyo and
! joined in the search, satisfied that they
would soon find the wearied little wan
derer. As a storm was threatening and
they realized that rain would obliterate
the tracks, they redoubledstheir efforts.
Perry, who has only one leg, drove the
cart and Smith and Zumwait took turns
running on the trail. .......
At $50 p. m. Zumwalt, who was on the
run ahead of the cart, sighted the red
jacket of little Jack on the east side of
the arroyo in which he had been walking,
Immediately ran to the spot and picked
the little fellow up. Evidently Jack had
crossed the arroyo and stumbled exhaust
ed into bunch of cactus. When found his
head was pointed eastward and he was ly-
ing on his stomach with his face slightly
turned up. His face was somewhat
bruised, his eyes we're open and his mouth
was party open, the whites of his eyes
we're nearly black, his
LIPS WERE PURPLE, .a
his tongue was much swollen and his
teeth and lips indicated that he had been
eating grass and other vegetation. His
little hands and legs were lacerated with
cactus barbs. His heavy clothing was
just as it was when he disappeared, ex-
cept that his shoes and stockings were
pitifully worn and his straw hat was gone.
When picked up the little stick that had
marked his trail for miles fell from his
hand.