Arizona republican., 1918-08-11
WIEN THE hpACHES
 WERE HERE LAST
(By J. A, R, lrvine)


 Tn the account of the story of the skeleton cave mystery I was very much surprised to read that there had been a bloody battle between the Apaches on the one hand and the Pimas and i Maricopas on the other near the site of ! the cave in 1873.
 l was living here at that time and | was as full of life and curiosity as the average boy of fifteen can be and am | certain that if such battle had been fought there at that time I would at least have heard about it. But the fact is that all the old timers who were here then testified that Salt River val | ley was immune from Apache raids on account of the Pimas who had always been friendly to the whites
 There might have been a battle there in 1857 for in that year the Yuma and Mohave Indians joined in what they intended to be a surprise raid on the Maricopas. But the Maricopas having been warned by some friendly Indian secured the cooperation of the Pimas and Papagoes and it was the invaders who were surprised and according to the best advices obtainable, they were Tn the language of the modern reporter. 'annihilated"
 The nearest approach to this valley by Apaches that I know of happened in lS12. just two weeks before my arrival. Darrel Duppa. one of the notable pio- neers of this territory. who was also | sometimes called the English Lord" was attacked and wounded near the old Agua Fria stage station 16 miles north west of this place.
 Duppa was real Indian fighter and who participated in the campaign of the carly settlers against the Apaches, | under the leadership of King Woolsey. | was keeping the station at that time. | Needing hay he hitched up his team and taking his hoes Gin those times we l cut hay with a hoe and wood with a l sledSe, hammer) and with a German 1 who was working for him drove out some three or four miles to cut load of Gietta grass which was very course but very nutritious and was the prin cipal fodder used in those days Upon starting Duppa took. as the novelist would say, took his trusty rifle,'' Git might have been a shoteun) ] anyway he took it, and told the Dutch man he'd had better bring his, but the Dutchman said, 'Oh, what's the use there is no danger" Duppa replied, You can never tell what might happen and l am going to take my gun with me" They had some dogs which were TO doubt the means of saving their lives for the dogs set up a furious marking at which Duppa dropped his 1 hoe and grabbed his gun when the In dians let fly with a shower of arrows. Duppa returned the fire and the h. l dians quickly drew off. He received two arrows in the calf of one leg. and it was indeed lucky that the Indians had no guns. After the Indians left he examined the ground where they had been and found some blood and his conclusion was that he had hit the leader which would account for their nasty flight.
 About a year later a rowing band of Apaches waylaid and killed Dan Tru- man and Paul Handel about 20 miles
 northeast of Phoenix on the McDowel
 road, taking two fat mules that they
 were driving. that no doubt being the
 real object of the Indians for they like
 mule meat better than beef for a mar
 and his wife and little girl came dowr
 the road about 30 minutes ahead O
 them. but they saw no sign of any In dians.