Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1901-05-15
SOME PERSONAL
 "REMINISCENCES
Pioneer, Captain W \. Hardy, Relates Some Early Territorial History in Which he was . Prominent
 Actor.

Actor.
 The next morning early started home and reached home the night of the second day. The next day Merri- man, the Indian, came back. He could not buy any greenbacks, as the trader at the reservation had got all of them. Of course this trader must kaye known that this money was got ten through foul means, but what did he care. He had the money. Merri- man had traded and got three white shirts, pair of the drawers and some socks and some handkerchiefs. These articles were all stencil marked with the names of the murdered men. The Indian told me all about the talk he had with the Apaches and said that he agreed to join them and help them hold up another stage. told him that I wanted him to go to Gen. Crooks office and tell the general about the matter. He said that he could not and would not go. I talked awhile and told him that he would have horse to ride and dress like a soldier. He said that his squaw would be hungry. I gave him two sacks of four, some sugar and coffee, and told him to leave her with her father, and if she got out of food she could have more. sent for Dan OLeary. He came and I arranged with him to go with the Indian as scout. Gen. Crook had given me an order on any post to gst horses and rations. We went to Fort Mohave and got two good horses and little rations, and the next day about noon they got of, and arriving at Whipple, they went direct to Camp Date Creek. On arriving at Camp Date Creek Gen. Crook ordered the Indians out to be counted. After they were counted Crook directed that Merriman should go along the line and indicate the Indians that robbed the stage. This he did by giving each Indian a piece of tobacco. Gen. Crook had lieutenant with ten armed sol diers ready, and when Merriman had given the tobacco, the guard or squad of soldiers attempted to arrest the Indians. At this they drew their knives and attempted to resist the ar rest. Three of the Indians were shot to death; the other one was arrested and put in the guard house and after wards attempted to get away, but was shot and killed.
 At this the entire tribe of Indians skinned out for the mountains. As soon as they were of, Gen. Crook with other officers searched the camp and in the camp of the four that were killed they found the watches, re- volvers and field glasses that had be- longed to the men murdered in the stage hold up. This proves that the right parties had been killed. Gen. Crook now went to Whipple and from there to Camp Beal Spring. Here the Wallapais had been gathered in and were being fed. He at once called all the Indians together and told them that he wanted one hundred of them to go with him to fight and whip the Yavapais. This was ducks for the Wallapais, as it gave them chance to get revenge for what had happened in years gone by, as the Yavapais were much the stronger tribe and had fire ouently bounced down on this smaller tribe and whipped and killed many and robbed them of horses and had generally demoralized the whole tribe of Wallapais.
 Within three days time General Crook had mustered in a company oi i one hundred and four young bucks
 He armed them each with revolver and big knife, placed a young lieu tenant in command, with Dan O'Leary as guide. They started for Prescott. was all this time keeping cases Dan O'Leary kept me posted and al the right time I started on theiI tracks. I really wanted to see the fight, and followed in their tracks to Anvil Rock. Here I caught up to the , command in camp. Gen. Crook met
 me and said, with his finger pointing at me. ''No you don't" but 1 would
 not stay, I must go on. At that sup
 per was called. He said as I had come so far I could have supper with
 him then I must go on as no white man should see what the Indian scouts did. So after supper 1 rode on to the Oaks and Willows and next , day I rode to Prescott. Four days later Gen. Crook and the company oi Wallapai scouts arrived at Whipple I met the lieutenant that had had charge of the scouts. He had found out that had little to do with mat ters so he went on to tell me but first telling me to keep quiet and not tell or write about the matter. Said he; "You know if our Indians are killed they must not be reported" He said that after I left the outfit four days ago he got his Indian scouts ready and gave them orders to keep on their blouse and tie a red handkerchief around their heads so that he could know them. Then as the moon got up they fell in line and followed the scout Merriman. The lieutenant and and twenty cavalry brought up the rear. They travelled, as he estimated the distance, about fifteen miles to what has since been called Board Creek. Here he found a park like camp, on little bottom, he judged to be about ten acres, studded with large cottonwood and sycamore trees
 In this park there were several hun dred Indians camped. He estimated that there were from two to three hun dred wickiups that had been hastily constructed and there appeared to be several hundred little fires, as Indians always have, burning by their sides as they sleep. It was getting nearly day light and the Wallapai scouts up and started down the bank toward the Yavapai camp. The lieutenant placed three cavalrymen in charge of
 the horses and gave orders that if any of the Yavapais attempted torun away to shoot them. Then the lieutenant . worked his way out on a little point of high ground to overlook the whole
 affair. The Wallapai scouts quietly
 and very still worked their way down
 to and around the Yavapai camp like a panther crawling on its game, and , at the break of day he heard shril . howl like that of a mountain lion and in the next minute such a terrible
 uproar of screams, groans and wal whoops and general confusion as he had never before heard that lasted } about half an hour then quiet reigned ; He waited until the scouts had gath cred all the plunder, clothing, etc 1, He said that during the fight a young