Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-20
ADVENTURER TELLS
ANCIENT HISTORY
OLD PIONEER RECALLS THE
DAYS OF AT
Remembers When Site Where Alex
andria Now Stands Was a HoWling
Wilderness, Many Miles
from Anywhere

that more than ninety years nav
turned his hair to silver and weakened
the strong hands which once hewet
down mighty forest monarchs while
making roads for the early settlers o.
southern California, Major Edward &
Crawford of Sawtelle, soldier, scou
and pioneer settler of Los Angeles
visited this city yesterday and passet
the day recalling old times with frlenus
of former days
Standing on Fifth and Broadway
after a brief visit to the Alexandra
hotel, the aged veteran gazed with in:
terest at the crowds which throngeo
the streets; the new and magnificent
buildings and the crowded street cars
"This scene looks strange to me,
he said to several old cronieS VINO mao
gathered to grasp his hand. 1t Is
several years since L nave peen mere,
as a man of my age hesitates to leave
his own hearthstone, even to see the
changes which take place in the city
he loves the best.
Some Different Now
"Los Angeles as l see it now is a
vastly different city than 1t was IN the
days when 1 first came here. The no.
tel we have just left is, l presume,
one of the finest in the world-at any
rate L do not see how any could be
finer. Yet 1 remember but few
years back when the site that mag
nifcent building occupies was grass
covered plain while not building
dotted the landscape for miles,"
The way was then led to small
cafe a short distance away and for
several hours the old man held forth
with an interesting history of his early
days in Los Angeles
II came here in April, 1S47," he said,
when General Kearny was governor
of this state. A short time after
arrived Colonel Richard B. Mason was
appointed governor. He was civil
governor and commander of the mill
tary forces of the United States. Many
soldiers were encamped within the
borders of California, in fact enough
armed men were here to protect the
state against any invasion by Mexican
forces.
AT that time I was of very ad-
venturous disposition, and as 1 had no
trade 1 decided to enlist in the army
and see what service 1 could do for
my country.
"I enlisted with the marines under
Commander John B. Montgomery, the
same who hoisted the American flag
at San Francisco, and for several years
served with him.
"In 1S4S 1 was stationed at San Jose
under Lieutenant Charles Haywood
WlCn attempts were 10 Stay lHe
garrison there, but we repeled all the
attacks despite the fact that we had
but few men and the enemy's forces
were several times stronger. I was
wounded in one of these fights and it
was this fact which obtained for me
my first promotion.
Sent on Dangerous Mission
81 was on guard one night short
distance from the camp when the cor
poral of the guard approached. He
instructed me-to report to Lieutenant
Haywood and to turn my post over to
the relief. / did so and was informed
by my officer that he had rather a
dangerous mission to carry out and he
needed my assistance. He told me
that he had received information
which led him to believe that a GER
tain soldier, George Phillips, had been
sending messages to the enemy by a
young Mexican woman who lived in
the town. Haywood said the soldier
had left the camp about half an hour
before, and that he was going to the
house and would stop the girl when
she left.
ut was unsafe for Haywood to leave
the camp at that time as there were
many Mexican sympathizers in the
town who would have been delighted
with chance to put bullet into him.
agreed to go with him and together
we left the camp.
overhears Conversation
when we neared the house we saw
q dim light burning in a side window.
left the lieutenant standing beneath
a tree and stole toward the building
When l had reached the outside 1 lay
down beneath the window and for sew
eral minutes was an interested listener
to conversation. The soldier, Phil
lips, was in the house and was con-
Versing in low tones to young woman.
easily caught the drift of their con-
versation and learned that Phillips
was sending word to the Mexican COM
mander that an attack on the town
after midnight three days following
would in all probability meet with
success. The young woman was to
see that the message reached the en-
en1y safely.
II then stole back and informed the
lieutenant of what I had learned.
While we were talking the door of
the house opened and the young
woman slipped out. She came toward
us and when she reached the tree be-
meath which we stood, Lieutenant
Haywood suddenly reached out and
grasped her arm. With a Shrek of
fear, the young woman tore from his
grasp and started down the roadway.
I started in pursuit, but was brought
to halt by hearing the sudden crack
of a rifle and seeing the lieutenant
pitch to the ground. I at once sprang
behind tree and glancing back at the
house saw Phillips standing with his
rifle in his hand watching the fleeing
figure of the girl. 1 had my rife with
me and 1 hastily raised it to my shoul-
der and after careful aim fired. 1 was
overjoyed to see the form of the
traitor fall to the ground and 1 then
FASTENED to the side of the lieutenant.
Thinks Girl Fired Shot
Haywood was sorely wounded but
had not lost consciousness. He in
structed me to hurry after the girl
and then return and assist him to
camp. 1 left him but was unable to
inS any trace of the young woman.
when I returned Haywood had
lost consciousness. so I lifted him to
my shoulder and bore him back to
the camp. AS I reached the outpost
/ cried to a guard to come and assist
me, but as 1 did so 1 heard the snap
of a rifle and I fell to the earth with
a bullet through my right shoulder.
ITO this day never knew who fired