Arizona republican., 1914-02-12
HOW .GR|bbELL
 MET HIS DEATH
Old Story of Murder Which Thrilled Phoenix Years Ago Recalled by the Death of One of the Mur- . derers

A communication to The Repub lican from Wickenburg relative to the death near Altar. Mexico. of one of the Gribble murderers, is in error as to the details of the tragedy which mortified this community in 1887 Some of the facts related have been confounded with those of an earlier hold-up of the WickenbufS stage and the capture of bar os bullion.
 Josiah Gribble, the superintendent of the Vulture mine, and two men acting as guard were shot down sCme distance this side of Wicken- hurg by three Mexicans-1nnocente Valenzuela and Francisco (Whose last name is forgotten). and younger Mexican. The murder occurred at the same point along the road where the family of Barney Martin had been murdered two years before, pre- sumably by the same men.
 Gribbell had been warned by Hon. Thomas F. Parish of the risk he vas running in bringing bullion to Phoenix in that manner. Gribbell replied that he had fought robbers in Australia and South Africa and was willing to meet those of Ari- zona. MT. Parish reminded him that he was not so much in danger of a holdup as an ambush and that he would not be given chance to fight.
 NF,. lSa i,,t. Ca.t keep secret his intention to make trips to Phoenix; to vary the time of his starting after the clean-ups; to start at different times of the day; to have outriders. one at a safe distance in front and the other in the rear On this fatal journey Crib bell was preceded by horseman, Johnson, who was not far enough in advance. Another guard, Littlefield, rode in the rear The horseman was not more than fifty yards in front of the blackboard in which Gribbell was riding when he was shot at, as vas shown by the marks of his scund of the shot. Though he was killed instantly, his horse carried him hundred yards before he fell. Crib bell raised his shotgun at the sound of the shot. but he evidently re- ceived a fatal wound at almost the same instant. His shotgun was dis charged. killing one of his horses. Littlefield fell, killed instantly.
 The murderers fled south. intend ing to reach the Mexican line As soon as news of the murder reached Phoenix sheriff's posse which in- cluded Captain Fly Mcdonald and Frank Cox, went to the scene of the killing and the pursuit of the mur : derers was begun
 Valenzuela and his companions left the scene of the murder and when near the Gila river they cached the bullion after trying to cut it in two with an aX. The parties separated there and .Valenzuela and his com panion separated, Valenzuela coming to Phoenix. He went back to steal the cache, which was near Powers camp on the Gila. After he had secured the bar and wrapped it in his blankets, the posses came up with him. Impeded bv his burden he was killed and his body was taken back to Wickenburg. The bar worth about s7000. was recovered The young Mexican who was with the murderers said that he had heer forced to take part in it and that story was accepted.
 In the Wickenburg story it was stated that the bar had been cut in two by the murderers and that only half of it was recovered. After a former holdup of the stage between Wickenburg and Phoenix the robbers divided bar of bullion in that way but in this case they had evidently no time for anything but flight.
 Francisco fled to Mexico and not long after was arrested at Altar at the request of the territorial authori- ties Sheriff Bud" Gray. Captain Mcdonald and Henry Garfias went after him. It was the idea of Cap tain Mcdonald and Mir Garfias to make a monetary arrangement with the prefect to have Francisco showed across the line. That would have re- quired the expenditure of about $50 Put Sheriff Gray was not liplo- mat. He ordered the prefect to give up the prisoner. and when that func- tionary hesitated, evidently waiting for some mention of remuneration Sheriff Gray threatened to bring the whole United States army to take Francisco from the jail. Negotiations were broken off. The prefect was angry and refused to give up the prisoner. The officers returned with out him. and though the warrant fol his arrest is still on file in one o the justices offices in this city, nc other attempt was ever made tc serve it.
 The wife of Francisco is said to be now a resident of Phoenix. A brother las lived at Tempe for several years
 Tho Int -,,;p i,