08 - 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 eight of the Dread Apache That Early Day Scourge
of the Southwest by doctor Merle Pingree Freeman. This libribox
recording is in the public domain Stoicism of Indian through
Clark Vow's Vengeance Stoicism of Indian. The following incident shows

(00:24):
something of the character of these ishmaelites of the desert.
On one occasion, five of them had been tried at
Florence for the killing of someone in the Superstition Mountains,
and sentenced to be hanged the night previous to the
day of the hanging. While in their cells with the
death watch outside, three of them, to avoid the ignomy

(00:46):
of death by hanging, committed suicide by self strangulation. This
they could do only by each putting a cord around
his neck and deliberately choking himself to death. The three
were found dead in the morning when the guards entered
their cells. Of course, it is not possible to recall
the names of all of the many whose lives were

(01:09):
sacrifice to the safety and prosperity of the great commonwealth
that was to follow. But I have in mind that
on June seventh, eighteen eighty six, Thomas Hunt, a prospector
was killed near Harshaw And on June nine of the
same year, Henry Baston was killed near Arvica. On September

(01:31):
twenty two, eighteen eighty eight, W. B. Horton, post trader
at San Carlos, was killed by one of the Indians
on the reservation. But in this case punishment was swift,
as the Indian police almost immediately killed the murderer while
he was attempting to escape from the reservation. Walapie Clark

(01:55):
and the Kid, one of our early frontier characters was E. A. Clark,
familiarly known as Wallapie, having gained the title years ago
when in the government service as chief of the Hulapie Scouts.
Clark was a giant in stature, measuring six feet three,

(02:16):
absolutely fearless and in those olden times equally tireless. Coming
to the territory in sixty nine, his life and experiences
here would fill a volume of intensely interesting reading. But
in this limited article I can mention only a few
of his closing Indian experiences, the culminating one the one

(02:39):
of the greatest service to the territory resulting in the
death of that outlaw and terror of the border. This
same Apache Kid. Clark's first experience with the Kid was
on June three, eighteen eighty seven, two days after his
shooting of al Cyber. At the time, Clark was living

(03:01):
at his ranch, the Oak Grove in the galai Yura Mountains,
about twelve miles east of the San Pedro River, but
was absent, his two partners, John Scanland and William Deal
being at home. The Kid and his followers, coming across
the country from San Carlos, stole fifteen horses from William Atchley,

(03:23):
then came on to Clark's place three miles further on.
At the time, Deal was about a hundred and fifty
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.

(03:47):
They immediately sought shelter. When Scanland fired at the Indians,
one of them lost a big somburrow which he was
wearing and which probably very much to his regret, he
was unable to recover. Then they rounded up a number
of Scanland's horses not far away and seemingly tried to

(04:07):
get Scanlon to come out to protect his horses and
thus enable them to get a shot at him, but
being unable to do this, they left, taking the horses
with them. As soon as they had gone, Scanlan went
to where Deal was and found him dead, the Indians
having shot him. Clark vows vengeance. Clark, returning home a

(04:33):
day or two later, and finding his partner dead, vowed
vengeance on the kid, and this several years later he
found opportunity to gratify a few months later. Clark and Scanlon,
having occasion to be away, left a young engineer, j A. Mercer,
at the house with a caution to be on the

(04:55):
lookout for the Indians. Soon after, Mercer discovered three of
them crawling up towards the house, but was in time
to seize a rifle and fire at them, and as
he did so, they broke and ran. However, they took
five of Clark's horses in exchange for three of their own,
which they killed before leaving. For several years, Clark impatiently

(05:19):
bited his time to him The mills of the gods
were indeed grinding slowly, but they were grinding, and the
time was approaching when the grists should be delivered. In
the meantime, the kid was continuing to lengthen his trail
of blood. Now here, now there, the wily outlaw was

(05:40):
ever at his work a murder here today he has
heard of one hundred miles away tomorrow, leaving a trail
behind him, marked by where he had changed his mount
by the stealing of a new one at some ranch,
leaving his old one dead in exchange. This was his practice,
killing the animal he might leave by stabbing in the side,

(06:02):
thus avoiding the sacrifice of any of his ammunition, which
he could ill afford to lose. Being an outlaw with
his own people, he found it difficult to replenish his
bill and of section eight