02 - Dread Apache- That Early-Day Scourge of the Southwest by Merrill Pingree Freeman

Dive into the fierce frontier drama of the early-day Southwest, where the relentless Apache was the central antagonist. This podcast, based on a collection of historic photographs, brings to life the chilling experiences of the pioneers who contended with this tireless foe. Experience the Apaches cunning and treachery, their ambush tactics, and the fearsome reputation of the squaw - possibly even more formidable than the man. Listen as we unravel numerous captivating biographies and historic headlines that paint a vivid picture of this tumultuous era. This gripping narrative is brought to life by Laurie Banza.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section two of the dread Apache, The Early Day Scourge
of the Southwest by doctor Merle Pingree Freeman. This libre
box recording is in the public domain. Judge Macomas and
wife murdered through little boy taken from Gaslow Ranch. It

(00:22):
is scarcely more than a quarter of a century March
eighteen eighty three since Judge Macomas, his wife, and their
little son, Charlie, about seven years of age, coming from
Silver City, New Mexico, to Lordsburg, were ambushed by a
band of Apaches from San Carlos. The judge and his

(00:43):
wife killed and poor little Charlie carried off to the
Sierra Madres in Mexico were a few years later, an
Apache squaw reported that on their camp being attacked by
United States troops, Charlie, being frightened, ran off into the mountains,
where he is supposed to have died of hunger and exposure.

(01:05):
On July third, eighteen eighty five, Frank Peterson, who was
carrying the United States mail between Crittenden and Lochiel, was
killed by the Indians while returning from Lochiel to Crittenden.
A sad feature in connection with this killing was that
he had just been married. Doctor Davis shot to death

(01:30):
on June third, eighteen eighty six. Doctor C. H. Davis,
a brother of W. C. Davis of Tucson, coming from
the San Pedro River over the pass between the Catalinas
and the Rencons with a wagon and span of mules,
was waylaid and killed by a band of these outlaws, J. P.

(01:53):
Hohuzen and W. H. Wheaton, coming from their homes on
the San Pedro. The Davo met doctor Davis going out
and warned him against the Indians, but having been in
the country but a short time, he failed to appreciate
the danger and made light of the warning. It was

(02:14):
subsequently learned that Hohussan and Wheaton narrowly escaped the same
band themselves as they were coming into Tucson. When Hohussan
returned home, he learned from his man that the Indians
had been at his place the night before the killing
of Davis, and attempted to drive off some of his
horses from the pasture. But the man, seizing his rifle,

(02:37):
jumped into a well which was partly caved in, and
which naturally furnished him an excellent defensive position, and from
this he fired at the Indians, but without apparent effect
other than to force them to leave the place. After
the killing of doctor Davis, the Indians, taking the two mules,

(02:58):
went to Walter Vale's Happy Valley ranch in the Rincons,
where they left the mules in exchange for a bunch
of Vale's horses. Shooting but not killing cal Matthews, the herder.
From Happy Valley, they passed south into the Whetstones, where
they shot and killed Marcus Goldbaum. Edward L. Vale, one

(03:21):
of the party, going out to the scene of the killing,
found that the Indians had been gone but a few hours,
having also killed a partner of goldbamb as he was
en route to Benson. Little boy taken from Costello ranch.
It was not long prior to this that a band
working from the Sierra Madres to the San Carlos Reservation

(03:45):
attacked the ranch of Juan Costello, not over fifteen miles
from Tucson, near Tank Verde, and carried off with them
a little Mexican boy. The news coming to town, a
volunteer company was immediately formed by M. G. Semenego, now
dead and R. In Leatherwood R. Bob Semenego, having had

(04:08):
a brother killed by the Apaches a few years before,
was more than keen for an opportunity to avenge his death.
The volunteer company, led by Leatherwood and Semenago, came upon
the band encamped in the neighborhood of tang Verde. The Indians, however,
being alarmed by the premature firing of a gun, scattered

(04:29):
like a flock of quail and got away, but the
boy escaping was recovered by the volunteers. On another occasion,
a band killing a rancher named Lloyd four miles north
of Pantano, stole the horses of Edvale and George Schofield
near Rosemont, and passing on south, killed a man named

(04:50):
Whimple near Greaterville. End of Section two.