Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1922-05-26


 slaves of the entire population. The small children were encouraged to tor ture the prisoners, even thrusting burning twigs against the bare flesh of the white captives.
 "The girls learned the language of their captors and had become almost reconciled to their fate when, in March, 1852, they were traded to visiting band of Mohaves and then started on a journey of several hun dred miles across the mountains and deserts till the Colorado river was reached at point not far from the mouth of Bill Williams Fork.
 "There conditions were found pos sibly a bit better than among the Tontos, though food was scarce in that tribe, for the braves refused to work, and sustenance mainly was secured by the gathering of Ioots and seeds by Che abused squaws and captives. This treatment was more than the younger ,.rl could stand and, finally, she died and was buried near the Colorado.
 When Lorenzo Oatman passed Fort Yuma on his way to California, after the massacre, this story deeply interested carpenter at the post, named Grinnel, who, five years later, heard a story told by Yuma Indian friend, called Francisco, that the Mo hayes were holding as slaves two white women.
 "Grinnell retold the story to Lt.-Col. Martin Burke, commandant at the post, who provided provisions and Horses for Francisco, that he might visit the Mohaves and, if possible, pur- chase the liberty of the captives. It was told that Yuma party thereto fore had gambled with the Mohaves and, winning, had taken two ponies in reference to the women.
 Francisco proved trustworthy and at the end of two months returned with Olive and the second slave, who proved to be, not the second Oatman girl, but a Mexican. Olive reached the fort in April, 1856, and, before she was presented to the commanding officer was supplied with proper clothing by the kindly wife of an officer.
 Through disuse, she had almost forgotten the English language, and 1t was many days before there could De lifted the load of depression that mad lain upon her spirits for the years past. She had been disfigured by tatooing on the face, and only by lift ing her hair at first could it be shown that she really was a white woman, for in all respects she had been treat ed as had the women of the tribes with which she had been prisoner.
 Lorenzo, then at Los Angeles, was advised of the rescue of his sister and, supplied with funds by generous pioneers, was soon by her side, each naiHeling at the escape of the other. Both went to relatives in the Rogue River Valley, Oregon, and, in 1858, according to Stratton, the best his torian of the affair, returned east by way of New York"
 In connection with this massacre the Oatman Mining and Business Mems Association in May, 1921, re- ceived the following letter from Mrs. Caroline E. Adams, of Clemenceau, Arizona: ~sa
 After her rescue Olive Oatman was finely educated in the East and was married to MT. Fairchilds, a banker, of Sherman, Texas. He met her in New York. l knew her for years. She lived in Sherman for thirty years and was refined society woman. She was tatooed on the chin and lower jaw and was never seen out without lace veil with heavy border covering the lower part of the face. George, (Lorenzo), her brother, had a lumber yard in Sherman. Mrs. Fairchilds (Olive Oatman) died probably twelve years ago."
 OATMAN'S EARLY GOLD DAYS
 At the present time four-fifths of the gold produced by the State of Arizona comes from the Oatman dis trict. More than $33,000,000 in gold