Show A MAN OF YEARS DEATH OF THE OLDEST HOMAN BEING IH THE WORLD r Auero Largo or Long Hide according to the EugHah derivation of the Spanish world burned himself to death at the Real del Castillo Lower California on Thursday night De j rember 14th For some time the old Indian had been feeble and unable to walk During the recent heavy rains that fell in tbat region the old man sought refuge in a cabin nearby I near-by Last week 03 crawled up to tOe house of Biior Francisco Parma and told him he was very hungry Tbe latter gave him a good dinner besides be-sides furnishing provisions for future emergencies and then instructed the other Indians at the rancueria to care for him They replied tbat they had affrays done BO ua they entertained enter-tained unusual reverence for the old man on account of his age Ibnra dy the date in question was a cold duy in Lower California und Long Hide was given an extra blanket by tiiQ dusky friends This he soon tore into strips put them on a fire and soon his tepees or brush house was all ablaze Wnen this had been accomplished ac-complished desptir for tbe moment seeming to a ize him be plunged headlong into me burning mass AN ABORIGINAL SUICIDE A stout young Indian near by seized biro and trIad to drag him out ot danger but the old man grabbed a stake m tne ground near by bald himself in the fire and before other help could come was literally roasted alive dying within a few hours after the occurrence mentioned Long Hide was married Bcd the father 01 several children when the Mission of dan Diego was built 120 yeara ago and from what be told paties wbo visited him he must have been not less than thirty years of age at the time Three or four yean ago be oat a eon wbo could remember when the Mission was first built by the Franciscan friars This son must have been not less tbau 120 years ol age Long Hide told of tbe first settlement of Old Town years before the Mission wa built oi tbe ccming of ships for water at Russian Springs and many things of grtast interest ID tbe pact history ol jn Diego and vicu uy Juan Melendrez who lives near the Heal de Castillo says he knew Long Hide fifty years ago and tnat be appeared nearly as old then tlll be did tbe week betore be died He sass that the old man frequently beat Use beat horsed owned in the country on trips to San Diego one hundred miles distant from the Real and tbat he often chased deera until they gave up with fatigue He would then capture them after they bad laid down tor reet Until year ego he wan able to walk about and travel quite well Since tnen he has been obliged to crawl about on all fours like a cat or dog He retained his sight pel fectly and all the faculties of mind up to the day he died For twentyfive years be baJ refused to speak any Spanish or to reveal any SECRETS OF THE COUNTRY or of those living in it When asked to do BO be only replied J know too much of those who live To the writer of tbis he said not ten days ago I know much I tell nothing I am very hungry I em too old I am going home If you knew al I know the country would be exulted I shall soon rest and not be hungry or tired any more When asked if be knew of the Los Mine which the Frenchman worked of the old Beodini Mine and of the silver mine near the Ueal del Castillo from wbicb such rich float diver ore baa lately been found be replied Yea I know all but I tell nothingonly this hey all exist and can be found I bat never have been since they were left It is believed it not well known that he knew just where these mines are to lie found and the old Indians assertion that they do exiet has a waken tfd a new interest in these matters Ooumfng the years he lived before the old Miesion ofSan Diego was built be must have been at least one hundred and fifty years old if in fact not much older b iiir Francisco Parma took a great interest inter-est in tbe old manind often fed him when hungry George J Bowron the representative ot the English capitalists 8 W Murphy the mechanical me-chanical engineer of the San Niclaa mine and polouel D K Allen via ited tbe old mao andtook a great interest in-terest in him ° Toe old Indian is dead bat could be have tod hie own story of thIs part cJ California as well as the northern part of Baja California no doubt many secrets would have been revealed which now I are as a sealed book When the old man was told tbat a railroad bad been built in San Diego and through Old Town and that in twelve months the cars would run to the Heal del Gas tillo he said Now I am ready to die I have lived long enough My people will eeon all follow I am tired and watt to rest from hunting hunt-ing San Diego Sun |