The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-09-28
ARIZONA CHARLEY HOPES TO CAPTURE
CANNIBBL TREASURE ISLAND Or IlBURON.

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY
Forty Of the b3vest men of the West
VIII be members of Arizona Charles" ex-
ped.ton 20 Tfburon. the cannibal island In
the Gulf Of California: forty men who do
not know fear. who can endure any hard
ship, who VIII fight any foe; forty from
uersmen. as big as they are brave The
desert anc range-m en OF Arizona and Cali
tornia- are all big. and TArizona Charlie"
has selected as members of his party only
The hissest OF them. He is 6 feet 3 himself.
himself.
But the average height Of the Seri In
CLANS, the canuibals OF Tiburon, IS said 10
De Z feet They are the tribe that "Arizo-
ne Charlie proposes 70 dislodze and drive
from the treasure island that they have
owned from the beginning OF time. Gold
and silver and pearls. il is said. are to be
found ~ Tiburon Island. but those who
have sought the precious contents of this
sealed storeroom have never returned 10
Civ authentic reports of what they saw.
Although the island is claimed as a part
OF the territory Of Mexico. the Seri Indians
own no allegiance 70 President DiaE, pay
No tribute TO the Government, and to-day
lve In as fierce savagery as when. before
the coming Of white men. they made war
on and defended themselves against the
tribes Of the mainland and neighboring is
lands.
Arizona Charlie" who. in private life.
Is Charles Meadows, OF Santa Clara Cal.
holds q deed to the island from the Next
can Government, and is authorized to take
possession by whatever means he may find
necessary. Governor Torres OF the State
Of Sonora Mexico, has agreed 10 accom-
pany the party and offers TO lend any mill
tsry aid needed 10 enable a successful land
ing.
Professor W. ]. MCGEE, in charge Of the
American chronological Bureau Of Wash
ington. has been invited to the
z-.ala-F1, ,-I --oha bir- -fu --.ka- lg. 80
occasion for another visit 10 the Serbs. So
far as known. Professor McG Is the only
White man who has been among these In
Clans and escaped alive
The Seris have never been conquered and
Il IL not believed they ever will be. They
TO any rule not Of their own making.
BELIEVED TO BE CANNIBALS.
1t is the belief Of Mexicsns on the Sonora
ranches. across the channel from the is
land. that the islanders are cannfbals-a
belief that is shared by many Americans
who have visited the neighboThood Of Tib-
uron. Time and again small expeditions
have sailed to the island intending to ex-
plore IL. but they have reached only the
beach. or al most one or two miles inland.
where they we're set upon by the natives
and driven OF or killed
About FIVE years ago Captain George Por-
ter and John johnson. a sailor. of the junk
World. from San Diego. Cal. when hunt
ing for the greatly priced feathers of the
king egret q bird which abounds on the
islands Of the gulf. made a landing On
Tburon Island A Mexican guide reached
the mainland. where be told how his en-
ployers were maSsacred by the Indians,
and he believed the body OF Captain Por-
ter was devoured- Later evidence has
proved almost beyond a doubt this story
Of cannibaliSrn-
The Ssris. In very recent years. hzvs
made Serfies on the ranches of the main
land, going even as far as Guaymas, and
have carried of TO their island Mexican
women and children, taxing them across
the Angustura del Inferno tthe Strait Of
He'll. where at low tide the island Is but
q step from the Sonora mainland
These are the people that ARIZONA Char
lie PROPOSES 10 tame or extermirate. II
wfl not be Ike leading his knights In guest
OF the Holy Grail. nor yet in search Of the
fleece Of Phryxuss ram. but neither viii the
knights under Arizona Charles banner
be as mid. nor yet a. dcycut. maybe. zs
the tabled Grail hunters or the followers Of
Jason