The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-24
TALES OF sANTE FE TRAIL.
hEMAHKABLE RIDES OVER THAT
CELEBRATED HIGHWAY.

light Days Journey From Santa PC
to IndeDendence, Sio.-BuRnIo
BiIPs Famous Days-A Dispatch
Carrier Between Forts Dodge and
Larned.
From the Louisville Courier-JournaL
The old Santa Fe trail" like many Of
the worlds great highways, has been a
race course at times. over which some Of
the most marvellous rides nave been effect
cd by men whose powers Of endurance
have never been excelled in history.
Among those who Wer famous as long
distance riders IA the days of the com
nerce Of the prairies" was F. X. Aubrey.
HIS remarkable fears in TINS particular
nave certainly never been excel.ed, if they
have ever been equaied, which is doubt
full.
Aubrey was a Scotch Canadian by birth,
and emigrated direct from Quebec TO the
remote West. He was a man of educa-
ton, apparently. for I find that he was
the author of one or two meritorious arti-
cies on journey and sojourn in Californ-
Ia, which Were published IN one Of the ear
iy magazines, of the country, about the
time Of theediscovery OF gold on the Pa
clfic coast: He had also Travelled extern
sively through the then almost inaccessible
region Of what is now the Territory of Ari-
IONA, and from him was first learned the
fact that the savages Of that remote Mex
lean country employed gold bullets in
charging their crude firearms.
Gen. Marcy met r. x. Aubrey in 1s49.
who had just returned from California, and
en- route crossed the Colorado near the
outlet Of the big Canon, where ne met
some Indians, with whom, he Informed
Marcy, he exchanged leaden for golden
rifle balls, and that these Indians did not
have the slightest idea of the relative val
lie of the two metals.
The first ride Aubrey attempted was in
1850. He made a bet that he could cover
the distance from Santa Fe. n. NJ, TO In
dependence Mo-, over the tran, in eight
days. II is z65 miles between the two
points via the Santa Fe trail" as the
freight caravans Travelled it, and by that
route, on a wager of 81 900 Aubrey was to
ride.
Aubrey succeeded in winning. making
his destination, the Jones House in In
dependence. three hours before the ex-
piration of his time. During this, his first
ride he killed number of horses, the
death of one when within twenty-five
miles of Council Grove compelled him TO
his back, where he obtained another ami
nal and continued his wonderful ride.
This feat of Aubrey's was regarded as
the greatest ride ever made by any one
in ancient or modern times and he be-
came the hero OF the incipient border
town, Independence, where he was feted
and made the lion of HE day. His fame
spread throughout the entire West includ-
ing California, where he was well known.
Although people marYeled much at the
wonderful endurance of the man, and
the remarkable time in which he had
made the trip, still Aubrey himself was
not at all satisfied with it, He determ-
ined to break that record, and the follow
ing season he made another wager, of
5000 in gold, that he would succeed in
doing so. ---'
He accomplished his notwithstanding
dash across the great plains in the mar
velous time of only 5 days and 1S hours.
His objective point was the same hotel,
the Jones House, where he had ridden
to on his former trip. On this one, when
he reached that hosiery he was perfectly
exhausted and IN a fainting condition,
his horse quivering from head TO foot
and white with foam. Aubrey was lifted
from the back of his faithful animal by
his friends and carried into his room in
the house, where he lay in a complete
stupor for two days.
Six horses, which previous to starting
from Santa Fe had been stationed at
distances varying from twenty-five to
fifty miles along the route, fell dead I'M
der him, so terribly fast did he force them
on. He possessed a beautiful mare, Nelly,
a favorite animal, noted for her speed
and endurance, but she expired at the end
of the first $50 miles.
Aubrey was killed by Maj. Richard
Weightman, volunteer officer of the
Mexican war, and at the tame of the trag-
edy was publishing paper in Santa Fe.
He and Audrey had been warm friends
for years. After his second great ride
Audrey left Santa Fe for California, and,
upon his departure for the region, Weight
man published an account of his friends
leaving which, however, did not at all meet
with Aubrey's approval. Upon the lat
ter's return to Santa Fe in 1854 he and
Weightman met, of course, adjourned to a
saloon, where both ordered whisky, but
before either had time to raise their
glasses to their mouths Aubrey said TO
Weightman: why did you publish that
id lie about my going to California;
The manner in which Aubrey put the ques-
ton angered Maj. Weightman, and he
threw his wishky in Aubrey's face Au-
brey reached for his revolver but before
he could draw it Weightman sprang upon
him and plunged his bowie knife into Au-
brey's heart killing him instantly.
the charge of murder.
Aubrey les buried in an unknown grave.
On his last great ride he rode day and
night stopping only long enough to leap
from his tired animal and spring on 20 a
fresh one. He made more than 200 miles
every twenty-four hours, and all the sleep
he took aggregated but three hours dur
ing the entire five days. Aubrey's ride
eclipsed that famous one recorded In the
old English legends of the outlaw, Dick
Turpin, from London 10 York.
Weightman was a dapper little fellow.
extremely polite and affable,. priding
himself upon first family connections.
and always sported a fine cane. He had
a SMALL round BAH OF d head bald on
top. light hair, ford complexion. and
small, piercing, deep-set eyes. He was
a man OF some ability a fierce Southerner
and defender of slavery. He was plucky
He was poor as ne was proud a high
liver, with tastes and habits of a million
alre and the purse Of a pauper. He resided
in Atchison, Kan, for several years; was
CITY Recorder for one or two terms and