Territorial News

Since I received such an outstanding ovation for my previous post about the Territorial News, I thought I would run another one. This edition has Chapter 3 of The Captivity of the Oatman Girls by R. B. Stratton on the front page and continues further into the paper. Also on the lead article is 'Indian Massacre' on the West-bound Stage. This is about a stage robbery west of Wickenburg, AZ, in 1871. The robbers were dressed up as Indians it was thought and was "one of the bloodiest deeds ever committed in Arizona."

Another article was about Ned Huddleston, horse thief and cattle rustler, who turns out to be none other than Isom Dart of Brown's Park fame and an acquaintance of Butch Cassidy during the time  Cassidy was in Brown's Park. This article says he was killed by Tom Horn, who plugged him as he was coming out of his cabin one morning.in October 1900.

There is an article about a Gunfight in Fort Worth, which I found interesting. The big fight was between Luke Short and Jim Courtright. The dispute was over the "protection" offered to Short by Mister Courtright and Short said he didn't need it, so they tried to kill each other in front of the Shooting Gallery Saloon. Short won and Courtright was killed. Short got off, the judge ruled justified self-defense at the trial..

A full-page ad lures visitors to Florence, AZ, with the Chapel of the Gila short history in the center of the page. The Chapel was constructed in 1870 and subsequently renamed the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church. One of the ads is for "The only indoor fast draw shooting range in the U S." Florence is an interesting little town, home of the State Prison and not far from the "Casa Grande" ruins and museum. Have a nice visit.

The paper is still available for $29.95 a year.

HAPPY MOTHER;S DAY!