Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1895-02-22
ABIOODY TRAGEDY.



pyramid Of stones on a mesa, or table,
land, just to the east Of the station.
Only a few of the stones remain just
enough to mark the spot where oc-
CURED one Of the bloodlest OF the
many bloody tragedies committed by
the cruel Apaches On the 5th Of
each recurring March, the anniversary
of the massacre, few pioneers meet,
replace few Of the scattered stones,
relate the story, and after each swears
to kill the next Apache he meets, they
separate. Bill Williams, for whom
the town of Williams, Ariz., was
named, and who was a noted scout
and Indian fighter, thus hands down
the thrilling story OF the almost un-
paralleled massacre:
:" 1t was just before the American
occupation Of California that my party
of scouts were on the way from the
pueblo of Los Angeles to Santa Fe, N.
NJ. We we're following the old trail by
which the Spanish colonists came 20
California, and which was afterwards
used by 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 monu-
ment now stands. There was an adobe
ranch house there, but, to our surprise,
we saw no signs of life. On entering
we found the dead bodies Of sew
eral men, women and children, and
ia the rear of the house were the
smouldering embers of a fire, in which
we're the bones Of those who had been
tortured and burned to death. The
bodies and the cbarred remains of the
mastered were buried ia one large
grave and a stone monument piled
upon the spot. About seventY-1ve or
eighty people had been killed, the
majority of whom were Mexicans,
and quite a number were women and
children. The Apaches had raided
the settlement and all had rendez-
voused at this point for mutual pro-
lection. And every one Of them was
murdered excepting a small boy aged
about 10 years. He was found cling
ing to the dead body of his mother
crying piteously. How he escaped is
of course not known. The corpseS
were mutilated in the most shocking
manner. Kit Carson and Alexis Cooley
with small party followed the Apa
ches and killed a large number, and
all OF us continu ed, for many years, Il
kill every Apache we could get the
drop on. We were not SO very partlc
ular whether he was an Apache, bui
he was killed anyway. The Apache'
are the most cruel of all the Indians
of the southwest, and all of the othel
tribes have at times leagued against
them to wipe them out.
"Well, we sent this boy on to Gen
Kearney, and he sent him to head
quarters at Washington. His name
was Juan Hernandez-that was the
\ name on a ticket around his neck
Senator Benton took liking to tht
little fellow, adopted him and SEN
him to school several years. As sooI
as the boy got an education he de
serted his benefactor and came to Lo
Angeles. Maybe he did something
mean in the states and had to leave
Anyway he was accused of being con
nected with a gang Of horse thieves
0 operating between Los Angeles anC
Mexico, and thls cofftry became toe
hot for him. He left for Sonora anC
at the same time a number Of horses
disappeared"
The subsequent career OF this MeXi
can boy, who was so mraculOusl!
saved from the general slaughter, is
perhaps, one of the most desplcable oil
record. In Che rooms of the Historical
Society OF Southern California is {
large painting of the execution o
Henry A. Crabbe and his party OF fili
busters. The migrate Hernandez
whose life had been saved by Ame7i
= cans, showed his lack Of gratitude b,
betrayihg Crabbe's party. In thos
days fillbustering parties were numeT
Gus. Some wereinstigated by patriot
: ism, Others from self-interest, ant
that was the motive of Henry A
Crabbe.
A Spanish graudee named Ainsi
possessed rich silver mines in Sonora
, The president became jealous Of hi
power and inufence and eonfscate'
his property and exiled him. Aims
came to Los Angeles with his family
which consisted of a wife and thre
daughters. Crabbe, who was a soldie
of fortune and also a knlghtly courier
Buoklen's ArnIca salve.
, The best salve in the world for cuts