Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1907-07-10

journalistic calling. While in New
Mexico. he became associated in AN
ADVISORY capacity with sheriff Pat. Gar
rett' the officer who later ran "Billy
the Ma down and killed him, thereby
wiping from New Mexico history its
darkest era in lawlcssness and in the
taxing Of human life by this band of
outlaws. O'Neill never claimed any
connection with this deed. but several
nave identified MIN with it. however.
A few weeks after his arrival in
Phoenix during the same year. while
Henry Gar6as, the Mexican chief Of
police OF the capital city was endeavor.
inn to arrest several despcradoes who
were shooting up" that city, he call.
ed for volunteers. O'Neill was the
hrst to respond, and the affair was sat.
'sfaetorily settled by an increase Of
three in the mortality statistics Of the
administration Of this officer. During
their lives both GarHas and O'Nein
were Of the strongest friendship, in
consequence Of this affair.
A Proposed Expedition.
That O'Neill was n patriotic Ameri.
can, there can be no question and that
he loved "old glory" San Juan 10 the
answer. With that ardor for the Dag
that knew no bounds, his enthusiasm
often times got the better Of his sober
judgment. In one instance this would
undoubtedly have been proven, had IL
not been that the material" ~ he
tersely expressed il, was lacking. He
desired, In other words, 20 raise q ali.
clustering expedition to take over Son.
ora, and the only requisite necessary
was the money. The execution OF CSsbb
and his party was pictured TO him in
all Of its gloom, and the fate that await.
ed any similar ventures. This he
laughed Mt, and the basis Of an expedi.
tion along the lines outlined by him
could be no intricatcly woven that the
government would support the invader
while the Mexican government would
be incapable TO conquer. The section
desired 10 be annexed by O'Neill wal
In n constant state Of turmoil in that
day, and revolutions were Of almos,
weekly occurrence. lie contended tina,
the official charts covering tn,
purchase were on file in the City OF
Mexico while the surveys accepted Al
final by both governments conhictet
and were faulty, and by proper and
rightful Interpretation the metes ant
bounds outlined would more than Gu
the state Of Sonora in two, thereb,
giving to the United States what be
longed TO IL by right. lie was willin,
to fight 1t out on these lines, and be
came an enthusiast on the subject. Hi
adhercnts faded away one by one, AM
the matter was dropped. There IL NJ
question, however, that the tenacity o
the man would have taken him owe
the border, had the support in mel
alone been forthcoming. OF the fat
Of Crabb and his party in 1856 he mere
ly snapped his finger, and predicte'
that in time the entire republic woul
come under the dominion Of the Amer
lean flag
A Daring Plan.
In the latter part Of 1850, in Phos
nix, he eonfded to me one Of the mos
desperate and ingenious plans ever OIL
lined by human to free n fellow ma
from the clutches Of n prison. tn
scene was in the state Of Sinaloa, Me,
leo. so bitter was mis- hatred for ID
Mexican government, presumably fro'
his incarceration n few years befor'
that he would stop at nothing to col
quer the system prevailing there, q
thwart the Official administration Q
the men responsible for any act, jus
or unjust, toward the American. Pc
haps there are some yet alive who vi
recall the name Of the unfortunat
/. who was in the clutches Of the Mesies
authorities at that time. 1t was Han
, ilton. His given name Is not remembe
, ed. His wife was n resident Of th
city for many years Hamilton vi
thrown In jail on trumpcd up charg
4. He was q mining man, and the info
! tunate phase Of his crime was that