The Coconino sun., 1927-11-25
(Coconino Sun of Nov. 18, 1899)


On November 6, party Of Navajo
Indians assaulted William Montgom-
cry, a cowboy in the employ of Will
liam Roden They held him up at
the point of their guns and otherwise
abused him, accusing him of stealing
four of their ponies. After maltreat-
ing him to their satisfaction they per-
mitted him to go. He came to Flag
staff and obtained warrant for the
arrest Of the Indians, and on Thurs
day, in company with Deputy Sheriff
Dan Hogan, they went to make the
arrest. At Roden's camp on Padre
Canyon they were joined by William
Roden and Walter Durham, who went
along to show the officer where the
Indians were camped. They arrived
at the place about sun-down.
The camp was in the cedars below
the rim and near the head of Padre
Canyon, about thirty-five miles south
cast Of Flagstaff. The party rode up
and dismounted. The horses were
what is known as cow-ponies and are
trained to stand by simply throwing
the bride reins over their heads and
letting them trail. The men left their
Winchesters in the holsters attached
to the saddles. Deputy Hogan ap-
preached the Indians to serve the
warrant when one of the band at
tempted to get rifle and Hogan in
terfered to prevent him. A struggle
for the possession of the gun took
place and a shot was fired by another
Navajo at Hogan. Then ensued one
of the most desperate conflicts ever
fought in the Southwest. Eight In
dians constituted the opposing force,
but the white men made stand that
will go down in the history Of Coco
nino county as heroic.
At the first shot the horses stam-
peded, carrying the white mems Win
chesters, and they were forced to
make their fight with six-shooters and
limited ammunition. At the first vol
ley Montgomery pitched forward on
his face dead, later investigation
showing that bullet had passed
through his heart. The battle was
brief and the officers routed the In
dians, four, at the least being dead
and the others escaping into the
brush. Montgomery was dead, Hogan
wounded three times, in the back, arm
and chest, all flesh wounds; Roden
received a bullet through the groin.
Durham escaped unhurt, though holes
through his clothing testify to the fact
that poor craftsmanship on the part
of the Navajos alone was responsible.
The fight was so fast that it would
be impossible to say that any particu-
lar shot was responsible for any GER
tain damage.
The retreat of the Indians occurred
opportunely for the white men, for
they had exhausted their ammunition,
also the loads in two capturer rifles.
Hogan, Roden and Durham made their
way to the railroad. Hogan became
separated from his companions in the
dark, and was the first to reach Wi
mona station, formerly known as Wal
nut, and telegraphed the result of the
conflict Roden and Durham took
more circuitous route and reached
Angel some hours later, all arriving
in Flagstaff on a freight train early
Sunday morning.
A posse was organized by Sheriff
Johnson and left for the scene of the
battle about noon Sunday, arriving
there at shutdown. The only object
of this expedition was to secure the
body Of young Montgomery, which
they did, returning Monday morning.
Durham acted as guide, and declared
that everything at the camp was IN
the same condition as when he left
the night before, with the exception
that the corpse of Montgomery had
been mutilated, a Winchester having
been placed to the back of the head