The Arizona Miner
Prescott, Arizona Territory
October 14th, 1871
INDIANS AT KIRKLAND VALLEY.
The Settlement Invaded by Apache-Mohaves---The Invaders
Repulsed---The Women and Children Flee for Safety---Colyer
on the Scene, and Intrigues for the Slaughter of the Settlers.
There are, in this vicinity, several hundred Indians who style
themselves Apache—Mohaves, and several more who call themselves
Apache—Yurnas. Both are made up of renegades from the Mohave,
Chimahuava, Yuma and Apache tribes. When the whites first came
here these fellows called themselves Yavapais, and professed
friendship for all white men. It was not long, however, until
they commenced stealing from the whites, and their next step
was to murder the white people, which business they followed,
unceasingly, for about five years———when all of a sudden they
claimed to have struck a new vein of friendship, and were taken
back into the white man’s confidence, and fed and clothed by
them. Lately, however, they threw off the guise of peace, or,
at least, many of them did, and started in to play their old
games, of robbing houses, killing a few white men and threaten—
ing to kill the settlers in Skull and Kirkland valleys. Well,
all this has had its effects upon the whites, and the matter
was brought to a climax, a short time ago, by a citizen of
Peeples valley killing an Indian, supposed to be the murderer
of Abraham Henning. The Indian killed was pointed out by a good
Indian as a very bad man, and this, together with his well—
known bad character and conviction that A. Henning had been
murdered by him, caused the citizen, in a misunderstanding
with the red scoundrel, in the course of which the latter tried
to kill him, to shoot the lawless, red assassin, and then to
secure a revolver and a gun-——doubtless taken from some white
victim—--which he carried upon his person. On learning this,
the dead Indian’s friends went after the settlers of Kirkland
valley, for revenge, and, on Saturday last, after a well armed
party of them had fired upon two citizens and chased them to
Tom Roddick’s house, Roddick and others opened fire upon them,
and caused them to leave in hot haste. Then, fearing an attack
by the big band of savages, in the vicinity, the women and
children were sent off in the stage that carried Vincent Colyer
out of the country, and the men repaired to a house at the
lower end of the valley and prepared for the worst. Upon
arriving at Camp Date Creek the fugitive women informed the
commander of that post of what had taken place, and of what
might take place unless succor were speedily sent to their
husbands and friends. But, no aid was sent them, as Vincent
Colyer told a different tale, and, we believe, forbade the
commander to send troops to relieve the settlers. But, T.
Roddick came up here, told his story to General Crook, and, we
believe that officer promised to order some cavalry from
INDIANS AT KIRKLAND VALLEY- Continued.
Date Creek to protect the farmers until they could gather and
store their crops---of which crops, by the way, the Indians had
been making sad havoc, for some time past. Now, some of our
citizens felt disposed to blame the white man who shot the
Indian, until it leaked out that the Indian was the same person
who had murdered Henning, and that “Tom,” the peaceable Indian
already alluded to, was ready and willing to prove the same.
Upon learning this 60 citizens declared themselves in readiness
to follow Mr. Roddick to the Indian village and kill the last
brave they might find there. But, after having reflected that
an act such as this would give Colyer & Co. another chance to
shout “massacre,” they very wisely decided to let General Crook
settle the matter. And thus, the “Irrepressible Conflict,”
forces itself upon us, and will continue to trouble us until
after the Indians are taught that the United States are not
Mexico.
