Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-07-18
SHY'S INDIAN FIGHT.
NE STOOD OFF SEVENTEEN APAcHEs
WITH HIS RIFLE.

A Single Handed Contest With One Of Gle.
ronimo's bands OF Marauders--It Lasted
All One Afternoon and Put to Blush
Long Haired Fighters Stories.
He was standing on tho station platform
at Las Vegas waiting to take tho south
ward bound train--a quiet, businessliko
man, evidently ranchman or miner. A
resident Of the town called the attention
of n tourist to him and said:
THAT'S John Shy. Never heard of himf
John Il. Shy Of Deming, manager of the
Missouri Florida Cattle company Talk
about your long haired Indian fighters!
They amt In 1t with him. Tint man sin
gle handed fought and stood off l7Apaches
all one afternoon. II was ten years ago
when Chief Geronimo WINS on the warpath
and was making things warm for ranch
men and prospoctors In southern New
Mexico and Arizona. John Shy Mt that
Zine. the Same az now, was the manager
of the cattle company, whose range lies
about the Florida mountains, 20 miles
south Of Dcming. With his wife and little
son no resided upon tho ranch In n neat
frame house In n cottage close ny lived
Mr.. and Mrs. Ycager from Missouri. Mr..
Yeagcr was ono Of the owners of the cattle
outfit.
"On bright autumn morning IN 1885
Mr.. and Mrs. Yeagcr drove to Deming In
their carriage. There they made some pnr
chnses, called on friends In town, and In
the afternoon started for home. IL was
the last time they were seen alive by their
friends. Meantime ut tho ranch John Shy,
who had been hunting Rtrnyed stock out
on tho range, cnmo back to his house ut
noon, played with his hoy while dinner
WINS preparing and then tho family sat
down Mt tho table.
"Somcthing dnrkcned tho window, and
Mrs. Shy screamed. An Apache stood just
outside In the act OF aiming u gun Mt her
husband AS John Shy sprang for his
rife tho Indian fired, missing him. Tho
wells Of II band Of Indians and the trnm'
bling of hoofs outside camo simultaneous.
ly with tho bursting upward of flames and
smoke, showing That tho house hnd been
fired Back Of tho house was n hillside
thickly wooded with low growth OF pinon
and scrub oak. Out through tho back door
tho inmates broke for the hillside, tho
husband covering their rctrcnt with his
rno. Before they could gain plnoo OF
shelter mn Apache bullet wounded the boy.
Dropping behind II bowldor, John Shy told
his wife and boy to socroto Themselves IN
tho thiclSet In the rear and thon gave bat.
Ito to tho Indians
ut was u mounted band of II ApnchoR
TINT no Ind to deal with While como Of
th0m fred upon him from u distance,
others dismountcd md crcpt ns near him
M they dared, taking advantage of every
object and inequality Of ground to shelter
their approach. They were VOL armed md
every time he showed his hend 1t brought
u rnin OF bullets about him. While tho In
,linns nearest him kept up their firing to
compel him to remain closely under cover,
tho mounted ones suddenly charged upon
him. pooring from behind his sholtcrinR
rock, John Shy saw ton Apaches riding at
top speed toward him, not 100 yards away.
without hocding tho bullets from tho on
omics In concenlmont about him, no rose
on ono knee, and, stcndyinR his elbow
upon tho bowdcr worked his repeating
rife with tho skill that comes from cool
ness and lifetime practice. Ills first shot
dropped ono Of tho ponies fiat, at his SEQ.
ond IL warrior rolled to tho ground under
v,
shot another warrior dropped his gun and
clutchcd Mt his elbow That was enough
for tho rod riders who camo no farther,
hut picking up tho fallen Indian from the
ground circlcd back and got AWAY ont Of
range M fnst ms they could.
"prcscntly tho Indians charged agnln,
but this timo they Ind learned To respect
John Shys rino and did not venture SO
near ms before, They orclod back, and,
after that, u fow Of them remained with
tho ponies while the others disinountcd
and joined those who wcrn attacking him
from conccnlmcnt All the characteristics
skulkinR and Strntngcms of tho Apaches
were employed In the attempt To Kill this
lonc white man. Somo of tho warriors
cropt round to tho hillside 50 NJ TO attack
him on tho flank and rear, which com
PEELED him To leave tho bowldcr and crawl
back into the thickot behind him. Here
tho Indians were lunth to follow him, not
liking tho notion Of coming to close quar-
tors with u man who had shown such nerve
and readiness In tho uso Of his rifle, Some
where among tho scrub onk and pinun he
knew his wiic and boy wcro hiding, but
no did not dare cnll 10 Thorn, as every
sound or movement made in tho thlokct
brought yolloy from tho Indians aimed
at tho spot.
"a cowboy riding by ut II distance saw
tho burning house and heard tho sound of
firing mt tho Missouri Florida ranch lie
sot spurs 10 his horse and rode into noming.
A volunteer party was quickly mustered.
Half way to tho ranch they came upon the
first evidences of tho ApnohcS work The
carriage of tho Yrngors who had left Dem
ing that afternoon, lay overturned beside
the trail, and near 1t was stretched MIR,
Nongcr, shot 10 death and mutilatcd, Far
Their along they found tho body Of Mrs,
Ioapor
"HnStcning On through the gathering
darkness, the rcscuing party drew near the
ranch, a frightened, dishcyelrd woman
Cnmo hurrying along the trail to meet
them, II was Mrs. Shy, who tho sound oi
tho ilriug having long since died away,
had oropt from tho thirkot, laid he,
wounded hoy near tho omhors Of the house,
thrown over him her calico dress to Shield
him from tho frosty air and NOW WAS ~
her way TO Doming for help. For areat
that Indians might still hc lurking nca,
sho had not dared call ont for her hus
band, who she feared WAS killed, Sh,
turned and went back to the ranch Will