Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-02-05

among the Indians The writer OBJ
tanned the following information from
an Indian scout: After killing Judge
McCoinas and his wife, the small war
party lost no time in getting across
the border. They we're attacked by a
detachment of Mexican troops In
their rush to cover, the boy COM
menced to cry which angered one of
the bucks. He took him from the
squaw, who had charge of The little
fellow, and killed him.
1t was late in May when the COM
mand was allowed to hit the trail for
the San Carlos reservation. Before
we broke camp on the morning Of our
departure, 1t was discovered that Mana,
one Of the Indian chiefs, skipped by
the light of the moon with about 20
bucks. They must have made their
getaway in the early part of the night,
( thereby getting good start Scout
ing parties were sent out to pick up
their trail as soon as we found out
that they we're gone. Our start was
delayed until our scouts returned with
the report that they could not locate
their trail owing to the fact that they
scattered, no doubt, to meet at spot
arranged by them before they started.
Camp Near Wilcox
Our progress was slow, only making
from 10 to Is miles per day When
in camp for the night, the Indians
built fires and danced to the beating
of their drums up to the early morn
ing hours. While in camp all the
chiefs were kept under guard, our In
dian scouts acting as the guardsmen
We arrived at Croton Springs, in the
Sulphur Springs valley some IL miles
east Of Wilcox, Ariz. John M. Wright,
law partner of Judge McComas, ac-
companied by the two grown-up sons
of the latter, came to our camp, hope
ful of ascertaining some news of the
whereabouts or fate of Charley, but
were disappointed. However, some of
the personal effects of the judge and
his Wife-a' watch, a pair OF bracelets
and other trinkets - were recovered
from the Indians, through the good
offices and intervention Of Al Sieber,
noted chief of the White mountain
Apache scouts, who led the expedition
of General Crook into Mexico. was
introduced to them Later the young
est of the two died at LordSburg. The
other, Will AIcComaS, is still living,
From that time we have been lifelong
friends.
Indians Stage Dance
Croton Springs was about seven
miles north Of Fort Grant. Everybody
ct the post, including the officers and
their wives, came to our camp. In
fact, we had visitors from all parts of
the valley; for this occasion the IN
dams built large bonfire. They
staged a wonderful dance. / don't
know what they called it but to my
way of thinking it sounded to me like
a war dance. Many squaws joined in
You would be astonished to witness
the antics performed by the warriors
and young bucks. They dashed in and
out of the circle around the fire. The
Indians composing the circle danced
continually in perfect time to the
beating of tom-toms chanting in high
and low notes as they danced. The
wonderful featS of torture and endur-
ance enacted by the star performers
were indeed interesting to every one
present. Several bucks got tanked up
on fire water, no doubt given to them
by some of the cowboy visitors from
9. NJ Hooker and other nearby COW
ranches. They were rounded up by
troopers and placed under guard. The
dance lasted almost all night, conse-
quently we got a late start the follow /
ng morning. The whole outfit reached |