The sun., 1897-05-23
TEN MURDERS BY A PIUTE.
VENGEANCE OF A RENEGADE IN
DIAN FOR HIS BROTHERS. DEATH

His Tribe Forced TO Pursue ana XIII Him.
SAN Francisco, Cal, May 18.-The murder in
,ne day by q revengeful Pluto renegade OF ten
loneiy miners and teamsters on the Colorado
River at FL Dorado canon, in the extreme south
eastern point OF Nevada, has alarmed every soli-
tary dweer along the great river and In the
Mojaye and Colorado deserts. Ahvote, tho In
dian who committed tho murders, had no per-
,oual quarrel with tho men whom ho ambushed
and shot down Ms he would have shot q noun
tain lion or q rattlosnakc. He was simply carry
ing out u scheme OF revenge for the death OF his
brother eight years ago. He crept up on all his
victims and shot them with his Winchester,
Then he set about seeking safety In tho neigh
boring mountains where he would have been
secure from pursuit by white men. and where he
uoubtlcss counted on making some compromise
with his trbo which would permit him TO go
into another part OF the desert. But the white
settlers blocked his game. They gave his tribe
the choice between bringing In prompt and sat
istactory proof Of Ahvote's death and suffering
snnihilation. The Indians knew of old the white
mans temper when reused. and they promptly
trailed Ahvote and shot the murderer as he was
going up a canon on his way to the mountains.
The Indian of the desert is not lovely speci-
men Of his race, and the Piutes OF southern Ne
vada and northern Arizona arc about tho worst
to which Ahvote belonged was also corrupted by
renegade Mormons who for various crimes were
compelled to seek safety in the wilderness along
the Colorado River. 1t was hero that John D.
Lee the leader in tho Mountain Meadows mas
sacre. found an asylum and lived for several
years until tho long hand Of the law reached
down into this remote region and made him pay
with his life tho penalty Of his crime. These
Mormons were haters of their kind because they
had no hope Of any return to civilization. They
taught the Indians the use Of weapons and they
also taught them their vices. So 1t is no wonder
that the red men of the Colorado cafons are
noted for their savsgery and debauchery.
The Piutes Of Nevada were strong tribe
when the 'Forty-niners came swarming over
Pathfinder Fremont's old trail through Nevada
and over tho summit of tho Sierras where the
Central Pacific trains now run. Old Winnemuc-
ca even then in middle life, was their chief.
Some of his young braves killed few solitary
emigrants and prospeotors, but the chief had
good. hard sense. and quickly saw the folly Of
warning with the white men. Fremont told
him of tho thousands who would come to dig for
gold and Of the money which his people could
make by furnishing to the emigrants food and
horses and acting as their guides across the
mountains. So Winnemucca made q treaty Of
peace with the whites which he kept religiously.
His tribe kept 1t also. for what winnemucca said
was law to the whole Pluto nation. that spread
over into California, Arizona. and New Mexico
Even the renegades who went into the cafions
that fringe the Mojave and Colorado deserts
found 1t wise to heed his edicts, for he had an
ugly way of sending out small and wel-armed
expeditions to punish those who defled him.
They generally returned with the heads of the
offenders as evidence that they had not failed in
their mission. The old chief was further bound
III 4 "a. c.
mucca, who became noted at the East as q lee
turer on the rights of the Indian. She was
woman Of rare intelligence and much personal
magnetism, and she had warm friend and par
tsan in Miss Peabody of Boston. Sarah wrote
several books, and she did much to help her
tribe About ten years ago Winnemucca died.
and the chieftainship went to Natchez. his old.
proved unable to rule the renegades in southern
Nevada. Several times murders were commit
tod. but the white , settlers were too few in num-
ibis Of and
Indian who has Just left a bloody trail along
sfG the bSTsI
Of the desert; He was above the average height,
SG be Looked S5 short IT, Of the great breadth
and legs. Probably he would have remained
an an average Indian had It not been for
reason shot down the mail carrier near
Fl Dorado Canon. The murder was yenton.
murderer, Ahvote, as the nearest relative. was
Delegated to do the killing. According TO Indian
ethics sih he would have had no compunStiops had
stirred his gall Alto to take Ris % brotRsrs lie Tor the
sake Of hated white man. So he returned with
1h White
turned With the bloody head ID Of his his a brother
ssoIa he uasny n;s sack
who had been called to to- witness T his ret return '' e
h that the 9 ~ whites should
attention after was given to hs threats It was no.
mountains and went to tho settlement only oc-
casionally for bacon, beans and coffee He was
msSntsins Ills tribesmen said iS'Se'sS he Wouldns ~ mt
talk with them any more than with the whites.
no Msee even the Of 70
lie was simply a morose Indian who had a
fondness oIt , for bern hermts lifs Events Of the
was brooding all these years over his wrongs
and watching for an opportunity to redress them
who have been missed from time TO time In these
years fell before Ahyote,s rife yin never be
smoldering hate was famed into a fierce flame
last last February 6 BY The murder OF two prospectors
the mountains into southwestern Nevada and
has thus far eluded pursuit.
b last Wednesday Ahvote, having evidently
made up his mind to emulate Mouse's exploit,
left his cabin in the mountains and started for
the settlement. That he still retained his saw
age cunning and self-control was proved by the
fact that the first place he struck was John
huse's n cabin. John had company at breakfast,
ters within easy reach. Ahvote TOOK a survey
oi the outfit and concluded not to begin opera
lions until he found some victim without arms.
Inc two men. being veteran prospectors, were
constantly on the alert, and they gave the In.
dian no chance to get the drop on them. 80 he
begged for breakfast and then ate 1t. Then he
set on on a lope toward the cabin OF Chris Nell
son. about mile away.
Nelson was at work In front OF his cabin whom
the Indian crawlcd up ON him and shot him
5ssCS 5ssoSSFh the back The wounded man tried t9
himself across the doorway. Up the cakon
mTshed Ahvote, mad with the thirst for blood,
hteamsters. Lars Fansden, who was driving q
iG team loaded with ore, came along first and
~ from his seat with three bullets In his body,
MI ms uoomRanioni Jones on the team behind had ID
oy TWO rifle balls and fell into tho dusty road