Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-04-01
Unwritten History Of Men Who
Carried Mail Between San.
ia Fe and Ell Paso.
IN THE EARLY SIXTIES
Three Died With Their Boots on, One
Killed by Apaches. ...0ne in Quar-.
rel and the Third Murdered.
10y George H. Pettis, Ex-Captain
New Mexico VoIunteers.)

(By George n. Pettis, Ex-Captain
New Mexico VoIunteers.)
In 1865, Barlow, Sanderson & Com
pany, were the contractors for carry
ing the mail between Santa Fe and
Kansas City, and were also the con-
tractors for carrying the mail, weekly,
between Santa Fe and Franklin, now
Ell Paso. David T. Knox, who was one
of the best known men in the Terri
tory at that time, was interested in
the firm of Barlow, SandersOn & Com
pany in their operations south of San
ia Fe, and was also the superintendent
of. their stage and mail route. The
drivers on this route were Jack Col
Inns, Johnny Dale, and Tennessee"
whose real name was never used. The
final end of these four men is what is
to be told in this article.
Knox's death was the first one to
occur. Sometime in the summer of
1866, the stage arrived one Monday af-
ternoon at Fort Craig, from Santa Fe,
and was accompanied by Knox, who
remained at this point while the coach
proceeded on it's way across the "Jor-
nado del Muerto," to Ell Paso. On that
evening dancing party had been ar
ranged for the officers of the post and
their ladies, at the quarters of one
of the officers who was an esteemed
favorite, and whose wife and two chill
dren had recently arrived from Califor-
mia. After "taps" had been sounded,
on the evening mentioned, the dancing
party had assembled and among whom
was Knox, who was well known to ev-
cry one present. Knox was well
thought of and was an agreeable per-
son except when he had been drink
ing. The party had been going on
for several hours, everybody was en-
joying him or herself thoroughly, and
at about o'clock in jthesmorning, dur
ing an intermission, the male guests
had gathered in one of the rooms
which was used on this occasion for
refreshm for the men of the party.
Knox, who had imbibed several drinks
during the evening, became belliger-
ent, the host undertook to restrain his
temper and pleasantly tried to explain
to him that this was not the place nor
the opportunity for him to act in an
improper manner. Knox did not take
kindly to this advice, and in. few
minutes he and the host were "wiping
up the floor" with each other, and
Knox was finally put out of the room
onto the parade ground. These pro-
ceedings broke up the party, and the
festivities were postponed. Knox re-
manned about the fort until the stage
returned from El Paso, and then ac
companied it on its way to Santa Fe.
On the next Monday Knox returned on
the coach on it's way from Santa Fe,
and again remained over That eve
ming most of the officers of the fort
were at the suffers store; in the party
was Knox and after all hands had par.
taken of drinks, the conversation re-
verted to the affair of the week be-
fore, when Knox and Lieutenant John
p. Oliphant Of the First California Cav
airy, became engaged in a scrap
over the merits of the affair. Knox
maintained that he was right In the
matter, whilst all the rest of the
party insisted that the host Of the
dance was right; whereupon Knox and
Oliphant came to blows, but were soon
separated by the officers present, and
shortly afterwards the party dispersed.
Knox and some OF the party had
passed over the parade ground and
were just approaching the quarters OF
the commanding officer, Colonel Fran.
cisco p. Abreu, when Oliphant, who in
the meantime had visited the quarters
Of his company and had obtained a
revolver, approached Knox and his
party, and. without warning, shot
Knox In the back. The post was soon
In an uproar, and Knox, who had re.
ceived mortal wound, was taken to
the hospital where he died within an
hour Oliphant was mustered out OF
the service, with his company, Septem.
Der 20, 1866, and was afterwards killed
in shooting affair at or near what is
now Deming, in Luna County.
Jack Collins died in Mexico, Of dis.
ease, in the '70s. Johnny Dale was
killed in 1870 in Chihuahua 'Tennes.
see," during 1868, was employed on
the stage line between La Mesilla and
Tucson, as driver, and the stage was
attacked by the Apaches near Apache |
Pass, (Fort Bowie). Two Of the pas.
sengers were killed, Tennessee" was
taken a prisoner, and to prevent his
the soles Of his feet were bad
W cut. This party Of Apaches was
attacked by troops from Fort Bowie
within few days, but all Of the red
devils got away, after they had dlled
poor "Tennessees" body with azrows.i