Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1905-02-01
THE MASSACRE
OF AMERICANS
By the Yaqui Indians
in Mexico.
Graphic Recital of the BIOedthirsty
Murders BY One of the
Survivors.

Americans in Mexico by the Yaqui In
dians. The story was told by Mr..
Miller, who with man named Toller
ton, were the only two of the party
who escaped with their lives. Miller
said:
'fWhen we left on our trip into the
interior, we went we'll armed and we
thought that the six of US could pro-
tect ourselves, so did not take any es-
cort. We left Minas Prietas, Sonora
railroad on Friday, the 18th, and we
remarked at the time of the unIucky
day and date, but only with laugh.
We drove in two carriages with two
Mexican drivers, directly east for two
days and half by the Cobachi road,
for distance of one hundred and
four miles to Toledo. Sonora, a min
ing camp named for Toledo, Ohio, by
Ohio parties who founded it and have
been working it.
Arriving thirty FIVE miles east of
Minas Prietas on our return and Just
as we came out of the mountains into
an open plain, dotted here and there
with small underbrush characteristic
of that section, we were attacked by
the Indians without warming. There
we're at least seventy five in the party
and the first knowledge we had of the
presence of the Indians was three
shots that were fired at Us. Then they
jumped from behind every bush, and,
with the most awful yells [ ever
heard. we're soon upon Us.
The first three bullets killed Steu-
binger on the first carriage, the co
chero on the second and one passed
near my head. We all tumbled out
and grasped our guns and began to
run, but being surrounded on three
sides, we had little chance of escape.
The team to the first vehicle ran away
and called to Tollerton TO stay with
it. He overlook it aud, cutting the
lines and harness from one of the
horses, made his escape, pursued by
Indians for five miles and under fire
most of the time, as they are fleet run
ners. The horses to the second car
rage were killed and the rest of US
had no mode of escape. The firing
became general from the time of the
attack of the savages and my compan-
ions we're shot down and l saw them
fall one at time.
"a bullet struck me il the hip, but
did not injure me severely, and, load
ing and running and firing as best
could, | made for a hill that had some
rocks and larger bushes on the side
AS l reached the base of the bill !
was joined by the Mexican cochero of
the front carriage. We continued to
run and as We reached the top of the
hill, the Indians we're still after US,
and bullets we're flying everywhere. |
could see nothing of our companions
as we disappeared over the biII-they
were already stilled in death In GO
ing down the other side we soon out
distanced our pursuers, who came no
further than its summit, firing after
Us as far as they could see US.
eve escaped into the brush and ra-
vines below and the cochero plloted
me to the Teceiero ranch, eight miles
away, to which we ran full tilt, where
we told of the massacre, secured a
posse of about thirty five farmers and
returned to the scene of the massacre,
sending out couriers for Mexican
troops, but they did not take up the
search for thirty six hours, or until
the Yaquis had got out of the country.
1.-The sight that met our gaze on re-
turning TO the battlefield was Horrible.
Our companions, beaten and shot till
their bodies were almost unrecogniza-
BILE, stripped of their clothing and
with all of their valuables gone, were
lying in their own blood, an awful
sight. The bodies we're removed to
the ranch house, and later, after Sc
curing permission of the Mexican
authorities, were taken to Minas Prize
tas, where they were prepared for
shipment to the United States, Mr..
TollertOn also having reached there.
''When he escaped from the scene of
the massacre he was followed FIVE
miles by the Yaquis, but escaped IN
hurt, first to Cobachi and then to
Minas Prietas-
lowing to the Mexican laws body
cannot be removed from enc township
to another after twenty four hours
aud in order to remove them from the
ranch house, eight miles from the
seen, of the encounter, where l had
laid Them out, had to go to Minas
Prietas to secure permission to remove
the bodies. This was readily granted
by the Mexican authorities, and I
went back for the dead under an es-
cort, Tollerton going to Cobachi TO
meet them and bring them in while |