20041, 20042. The Arizona Miner, Prescott, Arizona Territory, November 11th, 1871. THE WICKENBURG HORROR. Murder and Robbery on the Highway (article)

The Arizona Miner Prescott, Arizona Territory November 11th, 1871 THE WICKENBURG HORROR. Murder and Robbery on the Highway. Were they Indians or Mexicans? The mail due at this place on Monday, arrived early in the aftern oon of Tuesday, bringing the particulars, so far as known, of one of the bloodiest deeds ever committed in Arizona. At an early hour on Sunday morning, the 5th inst., the mail stage on the route from Wickenburg to Ehrenberg, left the former place with the driver, 3ohn Lanz, and the following named passengers: Frederick Shoholm, Frederick W. Loring, P.M. Hamel, W.G. Salmon, C.S. Adams, Wm. Kruger and Miss Sheppard. At a point about nine miles from Wickenburg a party of mounted men- EITHER INDIANS OR MEXICAN BANDITS Disguised after the fashion of Apache warriors- rushed down upon the stage as it was passing through a canyon, and fired a volley into the passengers, killing all but two persons and slightly wounding these. The wounded- Mr. Kruger and Miss Sheppard- not being disabled, immediately sprang from the stage, which was now brought to a halt, and started together toward Culling’s Station. While one detachment of the bloodthirsty demons surrounded the stage, the balance went in pursuit of THE FUGITIVES, And kept up a desultory fire; but being all mounted, their aim was unsteady, so that beyond a slight wound received by Miss Sheppard, neither sustained further injury than the wounds inflicted by the first fire. This pursuit was kept up for a distance of nearly half a mile- the pursuers being, meanwhile, kept at bay by Mr. Kruger, who still retained his revolver, and fired upon them whenever they drew too near, causing them to scatter and retreat, but only to rally again to the pursuit, until finally they withdrew and joined their fellows. The fugitives continued on their way toward Culling’s Wells until they hailed the eastward bound mail, a few miles from that station. Here they were picked up by the driver who retraced his steps to the station, from which point information of the calamity was sent to Wickenburg via the Vulture mine; the bearer fearing to proceed by the direct route. The despatch reached Wickenburg about midnight when two parties of citizens STARTED FOR THE SCENE, One to bring in the dead and the other, under command of Geo. The Wickenburg Horror— Continued. Monroe, to take the trail of the murderers. Upon reaching the stage a most horrible picture was presented to their sight. Six men— Messrs. Loring, Shohoim, Lanz, Hamel, Adams, and Salmon, who, eighteen hours previous, left Wickenburg, full of life and hope and in the happy anticipation of soon again greeting their friends, after a prolonged absence- lay side by side, rigid in death and drenched in blood— the unavenged victims of a murder as dark and as damnable as ever stained the hands of an assassin. THE MYSTERY Which surrounds the identity of the murderers exists in the disposition which was made of the mail and baggage: One mail sack was cut open and its contents scattered over the ground; the other was left untouched. The baggage of the passengers was broken open, and while articles of but little value were carried away, large sums of money and other valuables remained. All this would suggest the work of ignorant savages; but, as neither the arms, ammunition nor animals had been removed, some are inclined to the opinion that the outrage was perpetrated by a band of Mexican bandits from Sonora. Mr. Kruger, who has really had the best opportunity of deciding this question, states positively that they were Indians. But, at all events, the next mail may bring reports which will place the guilt of this terrible crime where it properly belongs; when we hope it will not be left to the local authorities of Arizona to redress the wrong, or, rather, to avenge an outrage against this Government and people at large. THE VICTIMS - WHO THEY WERE. Frederick W. Loring was 22 years of age and a native of Boston. He graduated from Harvard in 1870 and immediately engaged in the business of journalism, in Boston. Early in the present year he joined the Wheeler Expedition which he accompanied throughout all its rambles, arriving here two weeks ago, on his way home. Although a boy in years Mr. Loring was a mature man in mind, whose name had become familiar to almost every reader, as an author and “contributor” of rare merit. Messrs. Hamel and Salmon were likewise members of the Wheeler Expedition. Both gentlemen were residents of San Francisco, where the latter leaves a wife and two small children who were entirely dependent upon his labor for support. Mr. Shoholm was returning to his home in Philadelphia after an absence of many years, part of which time he was a member of the firm of Jewell & Co., of this town. C.S. Adams leaves a wife and three small children in San Francisco. For the last ten months he had charge of the flour depot of W. Bichard & Co., at this place, and was on his way to join his family in San Francisco. The driver, John Lanz, was recently from California, had obtained a situation as driver a few days before, and was making his first trip from Wickenburg.