Evening Star Newspaper, June 7, 1931, Page 73

PART -7, The Sunday Shad Magaszine WASHINGTON, €., JUNE® 7, 1931. . Boo ks Features —e — 20 PAGES. DAYS ON SCALP-HUNTERS’ In the Wild World of Northern Mexico, Where One May Strike a Treasure of Gold or Silver—The Story of John Beasley and His - Adventures—When A 'pache Scalps Were Valued at Fifty Dollars Each—Centuries Do Not Change ledge.” Things in the Sierra Madre. N the wild and broken world of Northera Mexico there are still regions where a rich strike of gold or silver wculd set a- guessing any stranger who tried to locate the spot on a map. At the time, 50 years ago, when word went out that silver had been struck in the cluster of mountains called Sierra Mojada, Ncrthern Mexico, despite the ancient cities, mines, ranches and trails of the Spaniards, yet contained vast ranges of tierras baldias-~-lands unexplored, unsurveyed and un- known Indeed, the armed representatives of three states disputed ownersnip of the Sierra Mojada territory now plainly marked on the lower boundary line between Chihuahua and Coahuila. Rumor said that the Sierra Mojada strike was a second Leadville. Men more familiar with the swing cf the Great Dipper than with @ boxed compass and much more skilled in ‘coursing a trailless wilderness than in reading maps found their way to the Sierra Mojada. The stampede from the Southwest was worthy of the tradition set in '49. And this tale really begins with the lust for California gold that set America on fire n *49, when expeditions crossed the Sierra Madre of Ncrthern Mexico as well as Panama and the Rockies in order to reach the Gold Coast. It begins with one such expedition that lingered in Chihuahua to take advantage of the $50 reward offered for each scalp of an Apache Indian brought in. I will tell the tale as it was told to me by John Beasley in his law office - in a tcwn in Southwest Texas. John Beasley has been a lawyér, a farmer, a stockman, a politician and a financier. An aged man now, he is still one of the best deer hunters in the country and is a hard-headed, disillusioned man of property. I see his eye now, both rheumy and bright; I hear his voice going into almost indistinct gutturals. I know his story is a true one. T was the Fall of 1879 whem news of a big strike of silver at Sierra Mojada came across the border. I was young then, had a little money, and was full of eagerness and the spirit of adventure. My dear friend, Will Smith, and I threw in together and struck for the fabulous diggings, crossing the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass. When we got down to the Sierra Mojada we found the country swarming with men and not nearly encugh silver to go around. “In fact, the mines soon petered out. We milled about for several days, secing a good many people we knew and hearing all sorts of talk. Among the men of Southwest Texas we met up with were old man Heath and old man Burris. They had both been out to California in 1849; this sec- ond attack of the mining fever was worse than the first; and now, they said, they were going on West—out into New Mexico or Arizona or somewhere. We talked about mines that had been found and mines to be found, and Heath and Burris told a tale of a wonderful ledge of silver somewhere in Chihuahua. They had heard about it from California gold hunters. According to what they said, an expedition of Americans, most of them Texans, were passing thrcugh Chihuahua in 1849 on their way to California. Apaches and Comanches both had been killing Mexicans and driving out horses until the whole country was paralyzed. Rancheros were afraid to stir from the fortified walls that surrounded their houses, and whole villages were abandoned. The Governor of the State had announced a bounty of $50 for every Indian scalp brought in, and these Americans stopped to earn a little expense money. It may be said in passing that there were other scaip hunters, too, and that eventually the bounty had to be withdrawn, for some c¢f them got to bringing in Mexican hair. It was easier to take than Apache hair. While the California-bound gringos were out on one chase after scalps they ran into a ledge of silver somewhere in the mountains. They reached a bunch of Apaches and left their carcasses right against the ledge. The silver made an impression on them all right, but at that time no man headed for California gold would stop for a world of silver. The gringos, afler taking enough. scalps to satisfy their sporting instincts and also to collect “They reached a bunch of Apaches— and left their carcasses right against the By J. Frank Dobie, Author of “Coronado’s C hildren” and other books. several hundred dollars, went on to California, where they must have tcld their story to & good many men. Heath and Burris were at the time gold mad, too, and they did not get any kind of directions to the ledge or consider leaving the hunt for gold to go after it. - Well, as I just said, these two old prospec- tcrs had the mining fever again and had it bad. When they pulled out from the Slerra Mojada they didn't know where they were go- ing. They wee joing West and were hell bent on prospecting. They took the road for Eagle Pass, from which place they planned to ride on north until they struck the stage road be- tween San Antonio and El Paso. They had a strong wagon, a pair of mules 16 hands high, plenty of camp equipment and firearms, and a full belt of money. FTER they left, Will Smith and I hung around the Sierra Mojada a few days longer. Then we decided that we also had not had enough of the mining fever and to head in the same direction that Heath and Burris were going. When we got to Eagle Pass we learned that our old friends had picked up two other men. One of them was described as a youngish man; the other as a fine-looking, large-gramed, well preserved man of perhaps 70 years. Will Smith and I set out on their trail, and in that ‘high, wild country between Devil’s River and the Pecos we overtonkt them. The men in the wagon were not a bit glad to see us. In fact, they appeared sul’n and resentful of our ccm- pany. But now that we had come together we could hardly separate without an open rupture. Remember that the land west of Devil's River was then almost uninhabited; the Apaches led by Geronimo and Victoria were on the warparth. Gradually the crowd thawed out and old man Heath appeared ac- tually cordial. Xle had a reas:n, for he was cook of tka cutfit and Will Smith and I af- forded right gooa help when it came to carry- ing water., drag-jng ®» wood or otherwise lending a nwnd alund camp. I was then, as I have always been, an eager hunter and I kept the camp supplied with fresh venison. Then after a while Heath and Burris told us the story of the two strangers who were traveling with them. They swore that mothe ing less than fate and brought them together. The younger of the strangers was from St. Louis, where he had been working in a hotel; his name was McNeill and he was a nevry man, as I afterward had occasion to know. The older man was from San Francisco and else- where; his name was Fanche. Fanche and McNeil, both seemed frank in manner, and they had apparently unbosomed themselves (o Heath and Burris. They were looking for the lost silver ledge in Chihuahua and they were taking Heath and Burris in with them. Thirty years before Fanche had been in California and learned of the silver ledge from some of the scalp hunters who saw it. He knew and called by name some of the men that Burris and Heath had heard tell the story. From the moment he heard of the ledge Fanche had determined to find it, regarding it as something more definite than gold. So he had questioned the scalp hunters minutely and secured the best directions possible. But con- ditions in Mexico were so turbulent that Fanche waited for years before going in search of the ledge. Then, after he had looked for a long time, he took in as partner a man named Goff, whom he met at Parral. They rode and camped among the mountains—and they found the ledge of silver as described. Conditions in Mex- ico were still unsettled and the region was still so overrun by Apaches and bandits that they thought it would be better to wait a while be- fore denouncing the claim. FEW years passed and Porfirio Diaz as President was getting the -country under confrol. In 1879 Fanche engaged to meet Gofl in St. Louis. from which place they were to take train for San Antonio and thence proceed by stage and private conveyance. He arrived