Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1901-05-08

well. Stllu ne, WndJ uO you bnluh O it9 I said that it was Indians. Now
 said he, I came to see if you would
 go and fairly investigate the matter
 and report. I said that four men
 that I knew to be posted on Indian
 affairs had investigated the matter
 He said it would take a great deal of
 evidence to establish the fact. As
 for himself he believed it was Indians
 from Camp Date Creek and he wanted
 to punish the whole tribe, as they
 were bad, but the powers that be in
 Washington held him back to please
 a few cranks that seemed to believe
 that tEe noble red man was superior
 to the white man. He wanted to be
 let loose and wipe them out. I told
 the general that my business was such
 that 1 could not go. He said that l
 must go and help investigate themat-
 ter. l said that already six days had
 passed and the best that I could do,
 it would take me four days to reach
 the place where the hold up occurred
 as it was over two hundred and fifty
 miles to travel. After nearly an hours
 talk supper was called and we went
 to supper. After supper he said that
 he would drive down to Fort MUhave
 and I must think the matter over.
 Next morning early the general came
 back. I told him that l could not go.
 Then he said that he wished that if
 l got any information about the mat
 ter through the Mohave Indians that
 1 would let him know, or that if I
 heard of any depredations committed
 by Indians to report it to the papers to let it be published. I agreed to this and the general left. The next day about noon a young Indian called at my house. I was up the river fishing. The Indian inquired for me. I was pointed to on the bank of the river. He came to me and sat down and at once inquired the value of greenbacks. I told him that some were worth one, some five, some ten, some twenty, some fifty and some one hundred dollars. He asked how was the one hundred dollar bill marked. I as nearly as I could explained to him. He now looked around to see if any Indians were near. He then said he had been down to the Colo rado reservation, Parker it was after wards called) and he met four Yava pai's (These Indians are generally called Apache-Mohave on account of their being friendly to the Mohaves) and that these Indians had lots of money. Several bills were among this big money. The trader at Par ker was very anxious to get these bills. He gave them beads plenty and calico lots.
 He stayed in camp with them. They had some whisky, and they told him they had taken in the stage and killed four white men and got money, gun and four revolvers and clothing, blank cts and goods. I told the Indian that would fit him out and would give him money and goods to trade, and he to go back and trade and get some of the money. l gave him twenty dollars in silver, four calico shirts, some handkerchiefs and other trink- cts and told him to go and get some of the greenbacks and trade and get the white shirts; if they were dirty all right, get all the clothing he could and | bring it to me. The Indian started off, 1t being about one hundred miles | down the river to Parker. He said that he woubI be back in about five days. This Indian we called Merri- man. He was the most intelligent | Indian in the tribe. He had been to school some and could read and write a little. He had been out with ex- ploring parties and was we'll posted.
 As soon as he was of l set to work | and fed my horse and got off as soon as I could, as according to agreement | I must see Gen. Crook and tell him about what had heard. 1 rode all | night, thinking to overtake him at | Camp Willows at daylight. I reached | the Willows to find that the general passed the afternoon before and was in hurry. I rested about three hours and again started on his tracks. I | rode to the generals office in the evening about half an hour after the arrival of the general. As was tying my horse the general came to me and ! said to me: II thought that you could | not possibly leave home." Said I, | That is so." Well" said the gen eral, "what news?" I said that I had | news for him. All right" he said. He called his orderly and | told him to care for the horse. The general said that his supper would be ready soon and I could have some 1 with him. Then he said that the or derly might not properly care for the horse, and started for the barn. I followed him, as I knew what he want ed. As we got to the barn he told the orderly to go to the office. Then we sat down on some boxes and I told the general what I had learned and done. He said he must have that Indian. told him that as soon as he returned would get a good man to go with him and go as a scout. This was agreed to, and after supper we were in the office alone and planned matters.