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Range -lore
Nellie B. Cox
San Angelo, Texas
RANGD-LCRE
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Mrs. Helen Ketchum of San Angelo, Texas, wife of
the late J. Tan Ketchum, tells of Jim Ketchum (Tan's
father) being killed by the Indians. Eugene MoCrohan,
(now deceased) one of the early settlers of this country,
gave the details of the story to Mrs. Ketohum. Jim
Ketchum was a cousin of TOM Ketchum, the noted outlaw.
"In the spring of 1867, Jim Ketchum startoc. with
a large herd of cattle to Pert sumnert New Mexico, The
government had seven thousand Navajo Indians imprisoned
at Fort Sumner and the range country supplied the beef
for the prisoners,
"Other herds gradually joined that of retchum, two
of those known being ugene noCrohan and 1 -Am Cholson.
They traveled slowly, reaoLing the Hondo Eivur in New
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Mexico taut fall and finding plenty of wGt r and green,
wintered there with their herds. This camp was about
where Roswell now standa. They had no Indian trouble,
although there were lots of Indians. A troop of cavalry
was stationed at Camp Charlotte at the head of Kiowa
Creek.
"Having sold the cattle for a aatistuotory price,
these men prepared to return to their homes. Ketohum
and two companions traveled "light" carrying their sup-
plies on pack horses. They left before the others were
ready. Mr. MoCrohan purohased two Santa Fe or Murphey
wagons, an they work; known in those days, and to each
of these wagons Alert, hitched three yoke of oxen. Thus,
they proceeded on their slow and tedious journey, but
always kept within three or four days' travel of Hr.
Ketchum.
"One morning one of their party was sent out to
kill a buffalo. /n a short tine he came rushing buck
to the wagons yelling. "Indienal Indianstm but on being
questioned, admitted that he had not seen any Indiuna
but had found the body of a man riddled with bullets.
Several men of the party vent to investigate, finding
the bodies of Ketohum and Lis two companions, a McDonald
boy, and a yr. Comperry, near what was palled the rue
tang Tuterhole. One of the men rode rapidly to Camp
Charlotte with the news, and a detachment of cavalry
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was sent to the scene. The bodies of the men wore buried
by the soldiers, near the present duy town of Tunkersley.
The graves are still recognizable.
"The grounf and surroundings at the soene of the
fight, gave evidence that the three men put up a gallant
fight. They took refuge in a small urroyo where they
were well protected on three sides. On the open side
stood a hackberry tree and the Indians took advantage
of the protection afforded by the tree. So fierce vas
the gun fire that the tree was out down. row long the
battle lasted will never be known, but the cround viLs
covered with shells. rr. Ketchum tine his oompanions
had ap0OU supply of ammunition, fine guns, ane there
were never braver men than those behind the cans.
"Alter the men were killed, the Indians had thrown
rooks until the bodies were almost covered. The flgreen-
becks,' with which Mr. Ketchum had been paid for his cat-
tle, were torn in pieces end scattered over the ground,
the Indians evidently not reulizing its value. The frag-
ments of paper money were gathered up and brought to Era.
Ketchum who sent them to the Unitee States Treasury for
redemption."