Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-09-09
MEXICAN ASSASSINS.
tHE MURDEROUS REVOLT IN THE
TAOS VALLEY.


John Albert, who ended his days at
Walsenburg, Colo-.- exciting adj
ventures in every section west of the
Mississippi. He saw two wars and
took an active share in the Indian up
risings, yet when on his deathbed he
was asked to dictate to reporter the
scene he considered most exciting in
his life he chose 4 theme with which
few if any of his countrymen are ac-
quainted.
The revolt in the Taos valley, if ever
1t came TO the ears of the authorities,
was never universally disseminated.
1t appears on no page of common his
tory, and, although for horror it COM
pares favorably with the massacre at
the Alamo, no novelist has seen fit
to make it n central theme.
The section now known as New Mex
leo was formally taken possession of
by the Americans in the spring of
1916. General Kearny was at that
time in command of the invading
forces. He made his headquarters at
Santa Fe and rem"ined in active SUI
perintendence for more than n year.
At the expiration of that period the
growing need of troops on the Pacific
coast led to his withdrawal to Lower
California. He left two regiments
with Il military governor in charge.
Charles Bent, with handful of men,
was left to guard Santa Fe. The Mex
lean governor, General Armijo, had
fed on the advance of the hated Yam
KEGS. His people, no matter what their
secret thoughts might be, had been the
most peaceable of subjects. yet the
body of the army had not been gone
two months before the Americans saw
that trouble was imminent.
The only man who escaped has told
the story more graphically than any
pen can portray it. Arroyo Honda
was n town of some 1000 inhabitants,
mostly Mcx:cans and Pueblo Indians.
1t lay in the Santa Fe district, but too
far away for aid to come. The total
of Americans in the place was II.
most of whom We're rough trappers
and mountaineerS. The entire town
turned out to an impromptu mass
on the plaza. 1t was decided
to revolt and return to the Mexican
Well knowing that the
band of Yankees, although compare
lively Insignificant in numbers, would
resist such n step to the last, it was
to shoot all on sight. For
this purpose the mob spread through
the town. But through some source or
other Governor Bent had received n
tip. He sent off to Santa Fe for help
and then, gathering his little band
about him, fed to the only refuge the
place afforded.
THE next morning." said John Al
bert, "they commenced the attack by
sending in to us Il flag of truce, de-
our arms and ammunition
and an unconditional surrender of our
selves. l told the boys they could do
as they pleased, but l knew treachery
would lead Us to certain death in the
end, and l was going to die with my
gun in my hands and not be murdered
like common dog.
This was the turning point in the
matter, and they all concluded to fight
it out as best they could. The men
who came to make n treaty with us
went back. Their forces were secreted
behind the brow of n hill near by us,
and one of them, after manner of the
wild Indians in opening n battle. came
to the top of the ridge and danced a
jig and sang 4 song of defiance. l
knew the time had come, and the soon
er the bloody work commenced the
sooner we would know our fate.
I'VE of the mountaineers had col
lected in a building of considerable
size and the only one in the place that
was two stories in height. The dane
ing Indian was within gunshOt, and l
killed him. Billy Austin stood close be-
hind me, and when another man came
to drag the body back Austin shot
him. BY this time my gun was loaded,
and l killed a third man. Then the
hurrah commenced. and the air was
filed with bullets from the guns in
the hands of the men who lay behind
the top of the hill. The bullets ratified
q gainst the house like hail. There was
not n window left in it. Although we
saw we We're in trap. we fought on.
when the sun was setting, the Mex
leans made n furious charge and set
fire to the house we We're in and got
under the walls of other buildings.
Soon everything was ablaze. The up
roar of the yelling fiends on the out
six : and the excitement of the men on
the inner side was deafening. We tried
W tSNdpt bH tliAOuSh NhC hOOA
down into the granary. The house
was filling with MeXicans, and every
thing was in confusion Fortunately
for me in the confusion L escaped from
the house. l don't know how many
shots were fired at me, but none took
effect. l had a bullet in my clothes,
one cut off the brim of my hat, and an
other cut the band, and l lost it from
my head. In the excitement l forgot
my coat and was out in the world
alone without coat, hat or friends and
with 40 miles OF mountain road be-
tween me and safety"
Albert wandered for three days over
the mountains without food and ex-
posed to the bitter cold. He reached
the American lines at last, the first to
bring news of the uprising. OF course,
when n regiment arrived on the scene
the Taos valley nuickiy UIIietel 1t