The San Francisco call., 1897-11-07
SLEW FIVE
INDIANS IN
THE FIGHT
Captain POrter's Brave
Battle on Tiburon
Island.
CANNIBALS TELL OF
THE MASSACRE.
Say That the White Man Sue
cumbed Only to Stress
of Numbers,
JOHNSON KILLED AT THE
FIRST FIRE.
Attack Upon the Curio- COLLECTORS
Witness I'd by the Crew OF
Schooner.
Say That the White Man Sue
cumb bed Only to Stress
of Numbers,
JOHNSON KILLED AT THE
FIRST FIRE.
Attack Upon the Curio-Collectors
Witness I'd by the Crew OF
Schooner.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL.


SAN DIEGO, Nov. 6-All doubt as to
the fate of Captain George Porter and John
Johnson. of this city, is settled by the fol-
lowing letter, received to-day from George
w. Beermaker, dated Carlo, Mexico, No.
vember A.:
Isuppose you heard of Captain Porter and
his sailor Johnson of the junk World being
killed on Tiburon Island. The party bringing
the information says Porter stood Cp and
fought to the last, but Johnson fell at the first
volley. Porter killed five Indians before he
gave up. He fought like lion. The Indians
say he fell sin his small boat, bleeding from
wounds in the head. and they thought he was
dead, but be jumped up on ce more and fired
two shots into the band of Indians and then
fell over dead.
learn further that If Porter had had an
equal or even half chance he would have
given good account of himself, but being so
completely outnumDered, and himself hav-
ing only a shotgun loaded with bird shot and
the Indians having good rifles, he had no
show whatever. 1t was a cold -blooded mas
sacre.
The Mexicans have q saying, "If you go to
Tburon Island you will be killed." and they
leave the island strictly alone. So don't
think anything will be done here by the Mexi-
can Government
The Mexican who brought the news says
that the Indians told him they never saw a
man fight as Porter did. He ran Tor the boat,
firing as he went, and bringing down five out
of 100 Indians who surrounded him.
don't believe there is any mistake about lis
report, as the Mexican who told me these
things had the names of the men and the
boat in his memorandum book l hope there
m ha n hut mfr
the boys are gone.
A letter was also received from Consul
f. NJ. Crocker of Guaymas, transmitting
the following report written by Martin
Mendez, cap ain OF the schooner Otila:
As we encountered bad weather and found
we had to run for it we returned to the island
of Tiburon, anchoring in the lower end of the
Boca del Infer milo (mout of the Little He'll.
the strait separating the island from the
mainland), where we were favored by the
wind.
1t was a bout IL A M. when there appeared a
canoe rowed by two Indians. who fled imme-
diately when they saw US. We, to satisfy our.
selves as to who they were, sent out a canoe
manned by the mate, Merced ValenZuela, and
four sailors, who followed the Indians about
four miles. At the same time that we made
sure they were Indians, we noted vessel of
two masts, which was inside the strait, md as
ValenZuela believed IL was Francisco Boulles
vessel, he drew near it until he discovered
that it was an American vessel that had been
in Guaymas whose owners. certain Americans,
were in search of bird fea theirs.
At that place the Indians opened up a fire
fierce that our boat was forced to retire,
coming back to the vessel anu firing as they
came. The American vessel was surrounded
by about 200 Indians. who were seen by our
men to be taking objects from the schooner.
but as we could not give help to the Ameri-
cans on account OF the great numbers of the
Indians, and believing them to be assassin
ated l resolved to return to give the iirst
authority might encounter in this place an
account OF the affair.