Show ZUNI INDIANS MURDERED there was waa considerable excitement cit created here on the ath dinst by a shooting affair between American sand zuni indians there are all kinds of reports in circulation concerning it and no doubt the publications will be much exaggerated that the facts may be known I 1 went to one of the zuni villages vil lagee found out ail I 1 could from them and also from some men who were eyewitnesses eye witnesses to part of it on the ath dinst three men passed through this place asked the direction and distance to zuni also the distance to box 8 ranche and port fort wingate they said they were going west they were not seen nor heard from again till the fth when the indians saw them looking among their horses on the range and asked them what they were looking for they answered for horses they had lost the unsuspecting indians took no further notice t laethem them next morning however their workhorses work horses the zunis are farmers were gone they hunted during the day and about 4 pm found them in a ravine in the big neutra valley in possession of the three americans who had eleven head of gentle horses bob hobbled and a band of wild ones in the valley the indians asked what are you doing with our horses the men answered they are not yours they are ours the indians ex postulated and wanted an explanation one of the men seized an indian around the waist the indian reached for the americans pistol when he was apt dead the ball passing through his ears the other three taken completely by surprise fled fid fi d the white men fired after them killing another the ball striking him in the back the remaining two separated se ted one go going ng to fish spring vil village rag the other to big neutra to give the alarm and raise men to go after the americans the murderers made their way as fast as possible to the box S ranche told the men they had got into a racket with the zunis and killed two of them they were ordered to move on but were unwilling to do so BO without supper after supper they reluctantly started but seeing seven or eight zunis coming they dismounted and ran into a log house which is about fifty yards from the main ranche house the latter being rock they knocked out a chinking and began firing upon the indians indiana who had taken position among the trees which surround the house one indian was killed and another wound edthe latter being shot through the hips the ranchers wanted the indians to come into the rock house and wh while ileone one of them was talking to the ranchers about it the desperadoes fired on them evidently not wishing the indians to be heard suddenly the indians gave a great shout about frightening the men who then ran to the rock house this made the situation critical for all pax parties ties as it was feared the I 1 indians adian a would allow no one to pass out of the house the ranchers were obliged to go down into the cellar or join in the fight which they would not do in a short time more indians arrived and the place was besieged for the night they determined to burn the building guilding the kind lings and torch were made ready but some of the more thoughtful thoughtful remonstrated rated on account of the men who had not injured them burning the building was therefore abandoned the ranchers think they seared scared the indians by hallooing hallowing hallo such however is not the case be it said to the credit of the zunis early on the morning of the a runner was dispatched to port fort wingate by white men who are working at zuni in the government service claiming protection being afraid vengeance would be taken upon them soldiers were ordered to zuni and others to the ranch to take charge of the desperadoes when the officers arrived the indians said they mi might take the men if they would kill them which they made the indians believe would be done many people around us say the Ameri americans cang did just right and that is the way to treat all the raw baw hides P 1 as they call the indians I 1 am well acquainted with most of the indians who found the thieves with their horses and know them to be good peaceable men in seven I 1 years acquaintance and deal with them I 1 have never known them to overstep ov erate the bounds of good order it is ii the opinion of the settlers here that these men came here with the intention of making a big steal from the zunis and fighting their way out if caught which they did they went on the reservation kicked up a row and tried to get others into aft ft by forcing themselves upon them if there is any justice in the administration of the laws they will pay for their rascality with their lives we are having cold dry weather crops look well we often wonder why some of our people who have no homes and plenty of muscle do not come and make homes here we need more families and have plenty of room we have a saw and grist mill plenty of Q within three miles of ui us and RD 00 are needed to make homes axe are energy and this account of the trouble ow seem slow but we only balio ba weekly mall mail and this is the 1111 K opportunity tunit of sending it respectfully kea 1 11 4 JAMES B R ab RAMAR BAMAH valencia county tl mexico kay may 1889 |