Arizona republican., 1896-05-09
A BRAVE OFFICER GONE The Death of Henry
 GarfiaS. He Was One Who Knew Not
 Fear. Some of the Deeds that Won for Him Southwestern
 RenoWn.

Henry Garfisas is dead and from Ari- zona has gone one of the men who a1e.d its peace in days gone by, when the pistol was the mode of argument and when the position of an officer of the law was far from sinecure.
 He, died yesterday morning about 2 o'clock at his home on Adams and Eighth avenue. The cause was mainly injuries received in being thrown from a horse several weeks ago, though Gar fias for several years has been far from we'll. He was a widower and leaves two children, one a girl F years old, and the other a boy about g. Both have been lately living with him.
 Garfias was appreciated by Arizonans as one of the bravest men who ever was known in this region of brave men. He came here in 1874 from An aheim, California, and Wns a native of the golden state. For "a while he freighted between Phoenix and Wick eniburg. In 1876 he was elected con- stable of Phoenix precinct and since that time had continued till his death to be peace officer in some capacity. He was deputy under Sheriff Thomas and during the early terms of Sheriff Orme, and for seven or eight years was city marshal of the city of Phoenix, being finally retired by ,dhe election to the place of Frank P. Trott. Since then he had been in the same busi- ness continuously as a deputy sheriff or constable
 In the apprehension of criminals there was never locally known his su- perior and his close acquaintance with | the Mexican population and his fla miliarity with the Spanish tongue made him wonderfully successful in his dealings with that class of tihe pop ulation.
 One of the famous episodes Of Phoe- nix history was participated in by 1 Garfas. A Mexican who inas descend l ed to history as ''Ihe SaIber S.asher,' '' rode amuck down the main street one Sunday, slashing with a great cavalry saber every American he could reach One man died of his wounds and others were seriously injured. The man, be- | ing we'll mounted escaped, but was 'trailed by Giarfas far down into So- nora, and was found in den of cut 'throats. Garfias, nothing daunted, marched boldly in, captured his man,
 brought him back across the border without amy such formali,ty as extra dition and deposited his safely in the Phoenix jail, where he was later killed
 by Hi McDonaid and a lawyer named Stephenson in an attempt to escape 1 Later a desperado named Oviedo was to be arrested. As he and Garfias
 were personal enemies, Ithe Latter was unwilling to undertake the arrest, but 1 finally, on the refusal of the rest of
 the police force to do the work, went out to do his duty Oviedo was a car penter at work at the school house
 with a loaded shotgun on his work
 bench. He had threatened to kill Garfias on sight, but the officer walked | up toward him, Ghis hands open and 1 with pacific words. Oviedo, however
 snatched up his gun and fired point
 blank at his enemy. Garfias was one
 of the quickest of men with a revolver
 and probably beat the record on this
 occasion, for when the load of buckshot
 whlstled over his head he had put two
 bullets dnto the body of the carpenter
 and the latter had hied away to .the
 distant land.
 Several years lalter, while Garfas was
 city marshal, several Texas cowboys fresh from their native heath, mistook the character of Phoenix and started
 to shoot it up. They were plainly not acquainted with the reputation of the
 marshal. AS tlhe first joyful yell came ito his ears and the sound of pistol
 shots opened the ball after the fashion
 of the Panhandle, Henry was on nis
 horse. The four cowboys were gayly
 curveting down Washington stree,
 eastward, occasionally taking shot a,
 a promising looking door, sign or
 hanging lamp, when called upon by
 the lone marshal ito surrender. They
 did not, and there lay their error They opened fire on the marshal
 though retreating. He was unharmed despite the very hail of dead, and ir his response was fortunate enough tt wing two of the COW punchers, one O them fatally. Then he rounded uI , the others and put them in jail.
 At another Hme he started to trai : horsethief across the plain between l Mesa and Florence. He came up witt l his man as tfe Latter was taking { , monday rest. The thief recognize; } the approaching officer and started fir l with a rifle at long range. He was
 good shot. One bullet grazed tihe sid , of the head of Garfias' horse and an t other was imbedded in the animal 5 neck. But he deputy sheriff dashet onward ito close quarters with revolve = speaking, and when he returned t l Mesa it was with dead man, slupinel - tied over the back of the stolen horse = A dozen other stories might be to-. l Of the dead deputy sheriff. He scene s 9bSOlutelV Wiltfhn1lt fear As nn