The herald., 1894-08-04
AN OLD TIME BORDER TRAGEDY.
An Interesting Tale From an
Indian Fighter.
Some of the Work of the Murder0us
Apaches.
An EARLY Eiiibustering Expedition and
Its Fatal Kesuits-A Story OF
tho Old Mexican Re-
Gimos

pyramid OF stones on O MESA, or table,
land, just to the east Of the station, eays
the San Diego Union. Only few OF the
stones remsin-just enough to mark the
spot where occurred one of the bloodiest
of the many bloody tragedies committed
by the cruel Apaches. On the 9th OF
each recurring March. the anniversary
Of the massacre, few pioneers meet,
replace few OF the scattered stones, re-
late the etory, and after each swears to
kill the next Apache he meets, they sep
arate. Bill Williams, for whom the
town OF Williams, Ariz., was named, and
who was noted scout and Indian
fighter, thus hands down the thrilling
story of the almost unparalleled mas
sacre:
SIT was just before the American oc.
cupation Of California that my party OF
scouts wore on the way from the pueblo
OF Los Angeles to Santa Fe, N. M. We
were following the old trail bv which
the Spanish colonistB came to Califor-
MIA, and which was sfterward used for
the railroad. We reached the spot now
known as Peach Springs, with the view
of camping at the spring on that mesa
near where that monument now stands.
There was an adobe ranch house there,
but, to our surprise, we cav no signs of
life. On entering we found the dead
bodies Of several men, women and chill
dren, and in the rear OF the house were
the smouldering embers OF a fire, in
which were the bones OF those who had
been tortured and burned to death.
The bodies and the charred remains
Of the Saassacred people were buried
in one large grave and stone
monument piled upon the spot. About
rs or 80 people had been killed, the ma
jority of whom were Mexicans, and quite
q number were women and children.
The Apaches had raided the settlement
and all had rendezvoused at this point
for mutual protection. And every cne
of them Was murdered, excepting q
small boy aged about 10 years. He waa
found clinging to the dead body of his
mother. crying piteously. How he es-
capped is. of course. not known. The
corpses were mutilated in the most
shocking manner. Kit Carson and
Alexis Cooley, with q small party, fol.
lowed the Apsches and killed large
number, and all OF as continued, for
many years, to kill every Apache we
could get the drop on. We were not 30
very particular whether he was an
Apache, but he was killed anyway. The
Apaches ars the most cruel of all the
Indians OF the southwest. and all OF the
other tribes have at times leagued
against them to wipe them out.
"Well, we sent this boy on to General
Kearney, snd he cent him to headquar.
ters OF Washington. His name was Juan
HernRndez-that was the name on @
ticket around his neck. Senator BEN
ton took liking to the little fellow,
adopted him and sent him to school sew
eral years. AS soon rs the boy got an
education he deserted his benefactor and
came to Los Angeles. Maybe he did
something mean in the ststes and had
to leave. Anyway he was accused of be-
ing connected with q gang of horse
thieves operating between Los Angeles
and Mexico, and this country became
too hot for him. He left for Sonora and
at the same time o number OF horses
disappeared"
The subsequent career OF this Mexican
boy, who was go miraculously saved
from the general slaughter. is, perhaps.
one of the most despioable ON record.
In the rooms of the Historical eociety
of Southern California ia large paint
ing of the execution OF Henry A. Crabbe
and his party of fillibgsters. The in.
gIRte Hernandez, whose life had been
saved by Americans, showed his lack OF
gratitude by betraying Crabbs's party.
In those days filibustering parties were
numerous. Some were instigated by
patriotism. others from self-interest,
end that was the motive of Henry A..
Crabbe,
A Spanish grandee named Ainsa pcs.
Beseed rich silver mines in Sonora. The
president became jealous OF his power
erty and exiled him. Ainea came to
the pueblo OF Los Angeles with his
family. which consisted of wife and
three very pretty daughters. Crabbe,
who was soldier of fortune and also a
knightly courtier, married one of these
daughters. About this time the usual
revolution broke out in Sonora, ana
Crabbe thought he saw an opening for
sflibustering expedition, which by aid
ing the revolutioniats, might lead to the
recovery of the rich silver mines of his
father-in-law. Hernandez was one of
the leading conspirators, and Crabbe
communicated with him. 1t wsa agreed
that, should the revolution be SUCCESS
lul, the Ainsa estates should be restored
to him.
Accordingly Crabbe organized sn
''army" of about 100 men, and after q
long and tedious march over the burn
ing desert they arrived at Sonata, in
Sonora. There he learned that the
president and the leaders of the revolu-
tion had "compromised," which had
been brought about by Hernandez, who
was given lucrative Office. Hernandez
now showed his perfidy by refusing to
treat further with Crabbe, and pre-.
vailed upon the president to issue his
famous, or infamous proclamation,
"Dsath to the filibusterers."
1Crabbe then isaued his proclamation,
frssing the country, and marched upon
the town of Caborca. Here they were
overpowered, and after more than half
OF the number had been killed the
others surrendered. After surrendering
they were massscred in the plaza.
Crabbe's head was severed from his
body, and at dinner given next day to
commemorate the victory ~ the head
was placed on a dish at the head of the
table in front of the preeident Gsn6ara.
AT his right hand sat the treacherous
Harnandez.
strangely enough, there Was also only
opie survivor of the Crabbe filibustering
party-a boy named Evane, aged about
IL years. Owing to his youth his life
WAS spared, but he was compelled to
witness this ''feast of the demons"