Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-11
TITLE OF CAPTAIN -
is NOTHING NEW FOR
! HARRY WHEELER
Is Commissioned in Army But
Has Been Known as Cap
tain" For Years.

Ton'hstonc. Aliz.. April 1.-Two
silver bars on his shoulder straps will
;.u" !o.nInS To Harry Wheelers title
III Cocllise county and Arizona for he
has Ieen known us. Captain Wheeler
since h days. he rode the lonesome
trail along the border as captain of
the Arizona territorial anger force.
AT pfeSent Wheeler is sheriff of this
count! but is expected to resign 10 ac-
cept Il commission a. captain in the
United States cavalry. Il branch OF the
service i'll which he saw service DIS an
enlisted man in the days when the
Apaches and not Francisco Villa were
making it neres airy to keep a force
of troops along the frontier. ,tie "a.
u4sciEi sed lronl che cavalry because
OF injuries he received wnen his cav
airy horse kicked him. He located in
southern Arizona and soon .ioineu the
territorial rangers which were formed
to protect the border from the raids
of Indians and laWless elements on
both. sides OF the International line.
AS captain of these rangers Sheriff
Wheeler established his reputation as
"A peace officer. " He arrested many
outlaws. tracked them to their hid
ing places in the mountains and
the Huachuca, the W~hetstones and
the Chirichua, mountains. He was
wounded several times in these en-
gaaements and these wounds caused
him to be rejected by medical officers
hen he applied advertisement as a
private soldier at the outbreak Of the
war.
One of Captain Wheeler's most
famous. feats was the killing of a man
Ariz., after he had been shot and
was on h ground. Wheeler went
to the train to arrest the man who
was wanted by the ranger captain
on a criminal charge. AS soon as the
wanted man saw Wheeler he started
firing and shot the ranger through
the body. ltaising himself from the
platform on his elbow, Wheeler shot
the ma three times, killing him all
most instantly.
Sheriff Wheeler's most recent ex-
perience was in rounding up and de-
porting 1900 miners from B.sbee on
July ~, 1917. This. deportation ere
>ated a sensation, throughput the coun-
try and was the cause Of calling the
attention Of the a $ to the I. w, w.
menace in the west and southwest.
Sheriff Wheeler. transferred his Office
temporarily to Bisbee where he or
eanized the roundup Of the men
listed as undesirables by the commit
tee in charge of the deportation. On.
h morning OF july IL the deputizel
citizens started rounding up the men
on these lists. They were loaded into
cattle cars and sent to Columbus, n.
NJ. where they were held. in camp
for several weeks.
But W men were killed during
lis roundup. although, it> was ex-
pected that at least 100 would be
killed during the day, Sheriff Wheeler
said. An investigation was made of
his part in the affair but no legal ac-
ton was ever taken. After the de-
portation the sheriff established pick
ct camps and had all of the roads en-
tering Bisbee patrolled to prevent
n of the undesirables returning.
Those who did return were given IL
hours to leave camp and all com
Piled with this order.
the man hunt after the Powers-Sis-
o gang of outlaws who killed the
sheriff and two deputy sheriff. in
Graham county and started for. Mex.
leo. Wheeler rode the trails in the
mountains night day and finally
located the trail which led to Mexico.
where the three outlaws were captur.
ed ny United States cavalry troops.
Wheeler is a small man with a
SOFT voice and a quick trigger finger.
He was a Canadian and has made
repeated efforts to enlist in the Cam
adam regiments going to France.
Throdghshis friends he succeeded in
obtaining a commission as captain
Of cavalry and will join his command
at Douglas, Ariz.. which is near tina
scene OF SO many of his border ad-
s01ue. ~