The herald., 1894-03-04
OLD ARIZONA HoLDUP5.


The Fate of Robbsr who stOI.
Yuma Times: In the early days Ari'
zona was noted as the country where
bandits and road agents feared not the
strong arm of the law, for by the aid o.
corruption law had almost ceased to
exist-and the gentlemen OF that ilk
came focking from all directions.
The consequences were that in a short
time no stage or private individual was
safe from these onslaughts, where blood
counted for nothing if it came in the
way OF the gains. and highway robberies
were OF daily occurrence.
One that will long be remembered by
the officers and ali parties in that sec.
tion at the time took place about 80
miles north of Phoenix on the road to
Prescott. 1t was during the time that
the Vultnre mine was being worked to
theg-eatesS advantage, and the monthly
shipment OF bullion was seldom less
than $50,
On the Sunday morning, the day of
the robbery, the superintendent, a
Scotchman named Gribble, and two
companions started to Phoenix with the
bullion from the months run, which
amounted to about $50, 900. Gribble and
one man rode in two horse buggy and
carried the bullion, while the other
man on horseback was supposed to keep
lookout, acting somewhat in the place
OF an outrider.
Alter leaving the mountains they
came into the desert, where the road is
crossed by numerous arroyos and fianked
by slight growths of greasewood and
mesquite. 1t seems that the horseman
must have been riding alongside the
buggy. The three bandits, who were
all Mexicans, concealed themselves be-
hind the bank of wash and as the
party came up rose behind the grease
wood and killed them all at the first fire.
Gribble, who sat with shotgun across
his knees, pulled the trigger. but he was
evidently mortally wounded, for nis shot
only killed one OF the horses.
The thieves then took the bullion,
secured their own horses and the one
taken from the dead escort and set off
toward the Harqua Hala country. The
next morning ss the stage came up the
driver discovered the tragedy and
brought the news to Phoenix. A party
was at once organized to go in pursuit
and with Mojave Indian trailers they
followed the miscreants to where they
separated. each going in a different
direction. Shortly after two of the
trails were Lost, but the heavy one made
by the lLrge horse belonging to the
escort was followed to the Gla, some
distance above Powers ranch. Here
in attem pting to ford the river the
horse was mired in the quicksand
and his leg broken. The robber left
him and walked down to the ranch,
where Powers was building ferry boat.
On asking ii he could be ferried over he
was told that he could not be taken be-
fore morning. Putting his blankets on
the ground in the shade of the house he
sat down to wait, and while there the
pursuing posse came up. They thought
that he belonged to the place and paid
no attention to him, but riding up to
Governor Powers asked if he crossed
any Mexicans, to which he replied no.
gathered up his bundle and stsrtsd 70
run to the brush, a short distance
away. The posse saw him and shot him
down.
In his blankets they found the bar OF
bullion, half cut in two, but they had
evidently given it up, with the hope OF
getting into Mexico separately and then
dividing up the spoil. Had the cap
tured one succeeded in fording the river
all of the naurderers would have escaped
and the Griddle killing would have been
another OF Arzone's mysteries. AS it
WAS, two Of them get away and no clue
has been discovered By which they
might be appreheaded.