Merrill Pingree Freeman

“ Assuming that this had been the Kid, as Johnny firmly believed, his escape meant the loss of but two lives, instead of the loss of the same two and the sacrifice of a third—his own—if he remained. But no man knows just exactly what he would do under a certain trying condition until he has been subjected to the test of that very condition. He may think he does, but he doesn’t. But having gone less than 100 yards, Johnny’s mind has had time to react, and the chivalrous spirit asserts itself, and he turns and rides back—to what? To his death, he has every reason to believe. ”

“ Apache Kid Begins Bloody Career.
I have said that the surrender of Geronimo terminated the many years of bloody warfare with the Apaches as a tribe, but the Indian tribes may, and do, have outlaws in their own tribe, outlaws for whom as a tribe they are in no way responsible, and for whose acts the individual and not the tribe should alone be held amenable. Even the white tribe is not altogether immune from this infliction. ”

“ Where or how soon after he may have died, no white man knows, Clark being the last one to see him, as the two shots simultaneously rang out on the silence of that night. Had it been the Kid instead of the squaw, Clark would have earned the large reward that was offered for him dead or alive. Tom Horn, an old scout, who spoke the Apache language like a native, came from Denver subsequently, hoping that by some chance the Kid might still be living somewhere and that he might earn the reward. ”

“ Owing to the darkness it was impossible to more than distinguish the two Indians, who were but a few feet apart, one ahead of the other. These were subsequently found to be the Kid and his squaw, the squaw in front and nearest to Clark, but owing to the darkness it was impossible to distinguish one from the other. Clark instantly raised his gun and fired at the one nearest to him, but, being unable to see the sights, could only take a quick aim along the barrel. By his long experience with a gun he knew the danger of overshooting in the dark, and made allowance accordingly. ”

“ Peck, Peck and a young man by the name of Charles Owen were a mile or two away from the house, both being mounted but unarmed, and were in the act of catching a steer. The Indians surprising them, Peck’s horse was shot from under him and he was captured and held prisoner. Owen, being well mounted, made a dash for his life, but ran into another part of the same band. His horse was shot from under him, and Owen himself was shot through the neck and arm, killing him instantly. ”

“ Not knowing how many of the Indians there might be about, Clark immediately set out for Mammoth, on the San Pedro, where he procured a small posse, and was back at the scene of the shooting by morning, finding the squaw dead a short distance from where she had been shot. Following the Kid’s trail, they found that he had hopped on one foot to where he had left his horse, one of his legs evidently being broken. Scouts from San Carlos, following his trail, found some bloody rags where he had built a little fire, and probably dressed his wounds. ”

“ This simply confirmed what Johnny had thought, but it so startled him that for a while he could barely speak; for if this were the Kid, there was little chance for the lives of either Johnny or his men. Finally, recovering his nerve and asking something else, the Indian succeeded in making it understood that they were scouts from San Carlos and were seeking the Kid. You can well imagine the relief of the three men when they realized that they were in no danger. ”

“ There were but three of the Indians, but having placed themselves in different positions, it was hardly possible for Bartlett to get a shot at them without exposing himself to their fire, and one shot from them passing through his shoulder, only missed the head of Johnnie by about an inch, blinding him from the dust of the adobe wall as the bullet struck it. The fight between Bartlett and the three Indians was kept up until dark. Shanahan, fatally wounded, was constantly calling out for water. Bartlett thinks that in the fight he wounded one of the Indians. ”

“ He had gone but a short distance, however, till that chivalrous spirit which makes one sacrifice his own life rather than cowardly desert his comrade, asserted itself, and he immediately turned and rode back to his men, both of whom were now on top, realizing at the same time that there was absolutely nothing that he could do, neither he nor his men having a shooting-iron of any kind, all of their weapons having been left at the house. The Indians now approaching the well, Johnny asked them in English what they were hunting and where they were going. ”

“ The opportunity that Clark has been waiting all these years is nigh at hand. The Apache Kid’s race is about run. Clark had been away from home, and when returning, on February 4, 1894, passing by the house of Emmerson, a neighbor, about a mile from his own home, he noticed the tracks of three Indians about the house, and going inside, found they had robbed it of its contents. Going on home, he found his partner, Scanlan, whom the Indians had not disturbed, and said to him, “Scanlan, your old friend the Kid has been around again.” ”

“ Of the number of these there is probably a record somewhere, but of the old pioneer, only an estimate. In the valley, on the mesa and the hillside, on the mountain-top and in the deep shadows of the canyon, everywhere this broad land is dotted with their unknown and unmarked graves. ”

“ Is there not a possibility that were the world wide enough and the horse strong enough we might still be going? In your imagination don’t place the standard too high for the nerve you think you possess, if at the time you are absolutely in no danger. ”

“ On April 27, 1886, a band of Indians appeared at the ranch of A. L. Peck, about twenty miles from Oro Blanco, where they found Mrs. Peck, her baby, about eleven months old, and her niece, Jenny, a young girl of about 11 years. Killing Mrs. Peck and the baby, they took the young girl away with them. It was asserted by some at the time, including Peck himself, that the leader of this band was Geronimo, but I think this could hardly have been possible, for the reason that the leader was too young and spoke good English, whereas Geronimo did not speak English. ”

“ The Kid and his followers coming across the country from San Carlos, stole fifteen horses from William Atchley, then came on to Clark’s place, three miles further on. At the time, Diehl was about 150 yards from the house, cutting some poles for a corral, when Scanlan, who was in the house, heard three shots, and, seizing his gun, ran out, and as he did so saw three Indians coming towards the house, and firing at them, they immediately sought shelter. ”

“ The eight Indians, now armed with a shot-gun, a Winchester rifle, and three revolvers, partly stripping Middleton and the two officers, hastened to get away. Stories of the manner of their relieving themselves of their shackles do not agree. ”

“ Clark’s first experience with the Kid was on June 3, 1887, two days after his shooting of Al Sieber. At the time, Clark was living at his ranch, the Oak Grove, in the Galiura mountains, about twelve miles east of the San Pedro river, but was absent, his two partners, John Scanlan and William Diehl, being at home. ”