Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-02-22
NseSISts ,s;S.ir SYI;s = y Il5Hla
IN A LARGE CAVE


recalls the details of the awful mas
sacre of Indians in that country "a
years ago:
Grim and ghastly was the sight that
met the eyes Of JEFF Adams, Ivy Grab
tree and two sons OF the former when
they entered cave ON Fish creek last
Sunday afternoon and there discover
ed the whItneed skeletons OF 200 In
dian men, women and children. says
the Phoenix Enterprise.
One of ArizOna's bloodiest Indian
fights is recalled by this important
discovery-bloody for the Indians, all
Of whom were caught like rats in a
trap and remorselessly shot 10 death
by Captain John Burns and his com
nand of soldiers In 1872.
Adams was in Phoenix today bring
ing the first news of the finding OF
these skeletons, the location of which
mas been lost for many years. But
few men are living today who could
find the sepulcher, which contains all
that is mortal of the massacred red
men.
Adams says that the cave contain
ing the skeletons Is located about
mile from the bank Of the Salt river
two miles above the mouth Of Fish
| creek. east of Mcdowell, IT is one OF
the toughest sections Of Arizona.
The cave is about 100 feet long
| and 35 feet wide II is formed by an
| overhanging cliff, and is an excellent
| place for an Indian rendezvous. The
skeletons found by Adams are lying
on the floor of the cave in all sorts
Of shapes. in heaps and singly They
are male and female from the age oi
6 up.
All the party was able to find out
side of the bleached bones was small
pieces of clothing and a few saddle
blankets. Outside Of this there was
nothing of interest, except several
bundles of basket timber. such as
were used in making these baskets
To get to the cave 1t was necessary
10 go on foot for over mile In
places the country is so rough thai
ii is necessary to crawl on the hands
and knees An old trail leads from
the mouth of Fish creek to the cave
No more terrible massacre of In.
dians has ever taken place in Ari
zona, skeletons being found in the
cave seen by Adams and Crabtree II
is one of the most interesting pages
in the history of Arizona.
In 1872 Captain John Burns in com
ms Of
ordered by General Crook to search
ont and run down ny band of hostile
Apache Indians who had been maraud
ing in the northern part of the Salt
river valley.
Burns command chased the red
skins in the Fish creek section and
there lost track of all but a scatter
ing psshe until they captured an In,
dian hoy II years old, VINO led them
10 the cave. That boy is now Mike
Burns OF Mayer. Yavapai county
where he is employed by Joe Mayer
When Burns reached the cave with
his soldiers he found II in smal
canon. The only entrance was along
a narrow ledge. To march the sol
diers along this single file would have
exposed them to the murderous
Apache.
Burns then stationed his men along
the opposite side of the canon. or
derins them to lie down and fire
against standing rock in front OF
the cave. When the bullets struck
this they glanced upwards and
against The top on the cave. and then
downward. striking the huddled and
helpless Indians.
When Burns gave the command to
cease firing two Maricopa scouts
crept to the entrance of the cave and
motioned for the soldiers to come
The sight that met their eyes was one
they never forgot On the floor lay
the dead and dying Indians, many of
them snot through and through sew
eral times.
With rush the Maricopa Indians
entered the cave, scalping the dead
and dying and looting the bodies of
all that was of any value. ont Of
the 200 in the cave only one was left
hhHuit' II WAS small lnuldn pane
almost suffocated under his dead
mothers breast.
This child was adopted by Mari
copa squaw and later was taken in
charge by an eastern man of wealth
He is today Don Carlos Montezuma
and has been in Phoenix severd
times in past years.
The Indians We're slaughtered with.
out mercy because of orders issued
by General Crook to eXterminate the
whole band. Many We're the bloody
deeds they had committed before re
tribution in a terrible form overlook
hem.
Captain Burns adopted the boy who
had guided him to the cave. He was
sent to Carlisle by General Wesley
Merritt and, as stated, is now EN-
ployed by Joe Mayer in Yavapa