The Coconino sun., 1922-05-19
OLD TIME ARIZONA SHERIFFS
 (By One Who Knew Them.)

In 1886 John Fraicis was sheriff of Yavapai county. lie was appointed and elected so many times since sher- if of Yavapai and the neighboring county of Coconino that 1 have lost count. He is now retired and is liv- ing at Flagstaff, Arizona. Sheriff Francis was terror to evildoers. One incident will illustrate the char acter of the man.
 In 1894 two desperate characters had stolen some horses in the San Francisco mountains and were on their way cross country to Utah with the animals. Meeting a cowboy by chance, they told him in a spirit of bravado what they were doing and added that if he saw anything of "that little sheriff. to tell him to come and see them.
 This message was duly reported to Francis, who happened to be in town net far off. Although it was after dark when he received the news the sheriff lost no time and mounting his horse, alone, saying nothing to anyone, by daylight he was on the trail of the thieves which led through the forested San Francisco out on the edge of the Painted Desert, where he caught up with them and battle followed. Francis was not hurt and on arriving at the county seat the next day he despatched the coroner to take care of the thieves.
 In 1888 the "Tonto Basin war;" deadly frontiersman's feud, was rag ing, which threatened to and eventual ly did almost depopulate the Basin in central Arizona where then ever a strangers life was in peril. Concern ed in this "war" was the Blivens fam fly, who lived in the Basin on East Verde creek. The family was "Old Man" Blivens, Mother" Blivens and two sons about grown, named John and Kid" A warrant for the arrest of John Blivins had been placed in Francis hands and with two deputies the sheriff started for the Blivins ranch.
 The mounted officers traversed a hundred miles of rough country and arrived at the Tonto rim" where the precipitous slopes of the Mogollon mountains fall away 5000 feet into the Basin, and descending the "rim" by a trail they knew they were soon at the Blivins ranch. "Old Man" Blivins received the officers civilly in the ranch house and answering their in- quiries said his son John was not at home and that he had no idea when he would be and that while John had shot some men he had done so in self defense. The posse sensed that for the time the man-hunt was over as the fugitive could hide out in the rough country of the Basin and elude capture for months.
 Meanwhile "Kid" Blivins, wearing two six-shooters, scowling face and evil eye, was a silent listener to these conversations, and "Mother" Blivins having prepared dinner the sheriffs partook of her hospitality. During the meal the officers castually men. toned that they would return the way they came, whereupon "Kid" Blivins disappeared.
 As the officers were mounting their horses "Old Man. Blivins inquired which way they had come into the Basin and Francis told him. Wall, now," drawled the old frontiersman, "thet's mighty bad trail and if yell take up the point two miles to the west, we'll find better one."
 Thinking the old man knew the country better than they the posse took his advice but they found an ex- ceedingly rough trail. After great exertion scrambling through thick brush and up steep mountain slopes meanwhile roundly cursing "Old Man" Blivins they reached the top of the "rim."
 Two weeks later, Francis, who was at Prescott, received letter scrawled on soiled white wrapping paper and signed "Kid," which read:
 "Mr. Francis: nex time will watch the rite trail"
 About this time Commodore Owens was sheriff of Navajo county at Wins low. Owens was a picturesque char acter with dropping mustache and long hair which swept his shoulders. Although like his New England fore bears he was mild eyed and soft spo- ken, he was fearless and was marvel ously quick in handling the brace of