10053, 10054. The Arizona Miner, Prescott, Arizona Territory, November 30th, 1866. Death of George W. Leihy

The Arizona Miner Prescott Arizona Territory November 30th, 1866 DEATH OF GEORGE W. LEIHY. Mr. Lei h y, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, left Prescott for La Paz on Saturday morning 17th inst. , accompanied by a Mohave Indian, whom he had brought from Maricopa Wells, and a La Paz Indian, who was captured in the Skull Valley fight, and had been held as a prisoner at Fort Whipple until Col. Lovell at Mr . Leihyls solicitation, gave an order for his release. As there was much feeling in this community regarding the freeing of this savage, known to have been concerned in a bold attack upon the whites, Mr. Lei hy sent him off the trail to meet him at Ehle's station in Skull Valley. They met there on the afternoon of Saturday and proceeded to Bell's ranch, where they were joined by Mr. Evarts , clerk to the superintendent. On Sunday morning they started, Mr. Lei hy occupying with the Indians, a buggy , drawn by two horses, and Mr. Evarts following on mule back. About an hour after their departure the mule returned to the ranch with several arrows sticking in him. The settlers there immediately sent word to the camp at Skull Valley, and, with a squad of soldiers that hurried to join them, went out upon the road to Date Creek until they came to Bell s Caåon, where they first found the body of Mr. Evarts beheaded and filled with arrows, and near at hand the body of Mr. Leihy, dreadfully mutilated. The head had been mashed with stones until it was literally flattened— the arms and legs were broken in many places, and the heart gone, a pair of bullet moulds being left in its place. The buggy had been burned, saving a wheel or two— one of the horses had been cooked and partly eaten. Of the other horse and the two Indians nothing could be found. It is believed that they went off with the attacking party, which, from the sign, is supposed to have consisted of from 40 to 70 savages. The bodies of Messrs Lei hy and Evarts were buried near to those of Messrs Bell, Sage and Cunningham, killed in the same cafon about a year since. Mr. Lei hy was . a native of New York, aged 49. He came to Arizona in 1863, from Petaluma, Cal. , where he has a wife and daughter. He was interested in mining operations. In the first Legislature he represented Yuma county, in the Council, and early in 1865 he was appointed Superintendent of Indian Affairs in place of Col . Poston. His policy in the administration of that office was not a popular one with the people. He was thought too lenient with the Indians, and it was often predicted they would reward him with treachery rather than with gratitude. When he came here on his mission of mistaken kindness, he was told that he was making himself offensive to the whites , and doing the red skins a service which they would not appreciate. Some went so far as to suggest that he would not live to get to La Paz, that the so called friendly Indians who accompanied him would take his life. Death of George W. Leihy— Continued. And it is reported that he said at Skull Valley, that he felt that he might- at any moment be slaughtered by those whose interests he had so jealously defended. It is of course not known that the savages with him had a hand in his murder, but it is a common belief that they had. But while it was feared that the Superintendent was dealing too gently with our natural enemy, the news of his death in a barbarous manner was a shock to the whole community, and is sincerely deplored. The Miner, although at variance with Mr . Lei h y, honestly believing his policy to have been wrong, deeply regrets that he should have fallen a victim to it, and extends its warmest sympathy to his bereaved family. The death of any man at the hands of savages is to be mourned; the death of one whose error was an excess of kindness to them, is but a fresh and impressive evidence of their utter unworthiness, and a powerful appeal for the exercise of the severest measures in their treatment. As we have repeatedly said, force is the only argument to use with the Indian. The sooner he is made to know that the whites intend to hold this country, and to govern him, the better for all concerned.