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Georgia B. Redfield.
•1 j
C. D. Bonney Old -Timer
Interview4
1630 words.
When this investigates on Writers' Project District 2,
asked C. D. Bonney, old timer of Roswell, for a story of some
early.day experience, be at first looked amused and then a
little reluctant.
had always heard Mr. Bonney never liked to talk of his
achievements or adventures and it was very &overeat he did
not like to appear a hero, as many stories told by others
prove him to be.
Mr. Bonney was one of the first settlers in the Pecos,
Valley, coming to Roswell from Mississippi in 1881.
At the time of his coming to Roswell be was a young man,
courteous, chivalrous, brave. He made many friends in the val.
Icy because of his bravery. Re was not afraid to enter into
any adventure or any business enterprise planned, during the
progress and growth of the town.
In 1881, the year of his coming to Roswell, he purchased
an interest in the store owned by Captain J. C. Lea, organiz-
ing the firm of Lea, Bonney and Company. This store was across
the street from where the court house now stands. The goods
for the store came over from Las Vegas by or wagons. In 1Set
Mr. Bonney sold his holdings in the rtore to Lea, Poe and Cos-
grove, and bought a ?smile thirty miler west of Roswell on the
Hondo River. At one time he owned fifteen head of horses on
this ranche. Thie bunch of horses and all his ranching
interestp he sold to R. F. Barnett and engaged in the real
eptate businepp. He laid out a tract of 250 town lots, in.
to "Riverpide Heights." rstabliphing a rower plant on Onring
River, he furnished this tract with electric light and water.
He then purchased 120 acrep west of Roswell which he pold off
in five and ten acre tracte.
During the time of the Indian uprisings and raide (in
connection with all of his businers enterpripee) he perved as
Indian poout, under Captain Scott. He can tell of many thrill..
ing experiences with the Indians, and interepting ptoriep of
the firpt etockmen their feuds and fights over grazing lands
and the waters of the snringr and rivers.
*Well T guese I am an old timer all right," said Mr*Bon-
ney, when told that we wanted a ptory nreferably of Indians,
*I located a mining claim the other day,* he continued,
"a gold mine in Cox canon, about four miler east and a little
pouth of Cloudcroft in the Sacramento mountains. I named this
mine "The Fifty-five," for that day (June hth) was the anniver-
sary of ny arrival in Roprell fifty-five yearp ago.
Mr* Bonney rose and eloped the door againpt the hot wind
of the first real warm day of this rummer of 1936. When he
turned to resume hip seat there was a little twinkle in hie eye.
*on you want a story about Indiana do you? Well I could
tell quite a few. One of them ir of the time we °hared a band
of Indians on turt such a hot day as thip some hotter it
was in July, in lgg2." Mr. Bonney resumed his seat. QuAet
a moment, be gazed on an oil painting a splendid picture
of an Indian. The painting was done by Mr. Bonney, his wife,
who is an artist whose pictures would grace, and be outstand-
ing for its life like naturalness in any art collection in
New Mexico, or in the United States. Mr. Bonney was remem-
bering, thinking of what mould be interesting to tell of
trails of adventure he had traveled in the beginning of his
life, on the plains, when a young man, over half a century ago.
"One night, about nine o'clock," be finally resumed, "we
were sitting out in front of the hotel, it was the first hotel
built in Roswell, and it was in front of where the court house
is today. It wee lust a four room adobe house, owned by Cap-
tain J. C. Lea. Paying guests slept in the attic upstairs.
We were enjoying the cool evening breeze, when an orderly
care with a message from Captain Scott, to come down to their
camp. Captain Scott had just arrived with a troop of cavalry.
I had known Captain Scott before that time, in Fort Ftanton,"
slid Mr. Bonney. "I went down to his encampment and the first
thing he said to me was "Bonney have you seen any Indians
around here lately?" I told him I had seen some, early that
very morning, at Bitter Creek, which is ten miles northeast of
Roswell and Captain Scott said 'Bonney, you must go with me,
we just have to get those Indians' If I don't catch them
will be courtmartialed.1 He then told me that a runner had
overtaken him at Picacho that day with orders for him to go
back to Colfax County and turn his command over to Lieut.Penn.
Lieutenant Penn had just arrived from West Point. There had
been an Indian uprising over in the northern part of the state.
'If I catch thoee Indians, Bonney, it will be 0. K. even if I
did dipobey orderr, by coming on here, but if I don't catoh
them well, I will be courtmartialed.' That'p the way of the
world, one is rarely ever given the credit for trying, for do..
lug their level best, but achlevementp bring glory and one is
overwhelmed with honore and praipe.
"Well," continued Mr. Bonney, "T told Captain Scott I
would go with him, but he would have to leave hip buglers be-
hind, for could never catch Indians with a noire like they
made. I told him to pelect five of his best tried men and to
leave the rept in Ropwell, and at 2 o'clock the next morning
to rend me one of hir bert horrer, 1 had my awn paddle, bridle
and gun. He war to rend the horpe where the corner of lain
and Third Ftreets now iP• Captain Poott's encampment war in
an old corral a block north about what ip now Main and Second
Street. lantain Pcott did rend a good horpe. We left Ropwell
at 2 A. M. nnd cropped Comanche Draw at runup, where we struck
the Indianp' trail. le brersed on and caught up with them, Net
outside of the rands, between Comanche Draw and Mescalero
Fprings. The Indians made a etand in the sand hillp. It look.
ed for a while like we would have to phoot it out with them.
They were part Comanches and nart koachep forty-seven in all.
One old Indian, the leader, threw up hie gun to fire on Captain
Soott. I saw him just in time to throw my gun on the Indian who
then rap afraid to rhoot. I got down walked around, and made a
quick grab and got hie fine gun and the old fellow came at
we with a knife. We finally got the knife away. Then there
we were rtanding in that hot July run, which about cooked UP,
when Foott walked up and paid *Bonney, you saved my life.*
*but you better not put that ins' raid Mr. Bonney. Why net,
I thought, for he deperved all credit for the cantor, of
those naurading Indians. If Captain Poett he been killed
the Indians would have made phort work in taking the other
@ix of the little detaehemnt of soldier', and would have gone
free to raid and nlunder at will.
*Well,' continued Mr. Bonney, *we then dirarmed all the
Indians, who soon gave up, after we had caught their leader,
and they had pretty good guns too. We went on over to Metros.
lero Springs and camped all night. We divided the Comanebep
from the Piepealeror an rent the Oosanchep to rbrt Sill and
took the kpaehes back to Mepealero Reservation.
gTee, we got them, and every thing was 0. I. for Peott,
I guess. He wasn't courteartialed even though he didn't turn
hip oommand over to Lieutenant Penn ac ordered.* Lieutenant
Penn was afterwards made General and war here sr ineneetor of
the New Mexico Military Institute. Cantain voott was after.
wards made ajor
*We didn't have such good luck every time we went out
after Indians,* said Mr. Bonney, *one tine a band of r*omanehe,
atole fifty horper from a corral in flanitan mountains and eame
out to mescalero f-tIrinoTv. le got po hot on their trail, the In.
ilamp rtabbed twenty.seven of the barges r°7-ee they tired out.
Fourteen of then died. The Indians watered at Iftscalero
ePrings and completely disappeared. We had brought no water
or provisions and had to turn back. party headed by Pat
Oarrett found some of the band, and horses, and brought back
mocoaeins and thing, as evidence, we asked no questions times
days as knew better but we surmised a great deal. Anyway
no more horses were stolen.
*Ault after those times of un.risingro continued itrAcm.
nay, met a young lady, Para Lund, who was teaching the first
vohool ewer taught in Roswell, and i can tell you purely/41 her,
acre than I did any Indians, and the money I mode as Indian
scout vent to buy our engagement ring. We were married in 1.1187.
Things have been peaceful and happy all the years since that
time.