Fame, Fortune And A Snowball's Chance In Hell

How an Arizona cowhand bested Tom Horn and became an international roping sensation.

- Marshall Trimble

In the summer of 1882, Cibecue Apaches were smoldering over the U.S. Army killing Medicine Man Nockaydetklinne the previous year. That July, roughly 50 Apaches under Natiotish went on a wild spree—burning, looting and killing into the Tonto Basin.

Fort Apache troops followed in hot pursuit. On July 17, at Big Dry Wash, they caught up with Natiotish’s band. Out manned and outgunned, the Apaches were routed in what became the last battle fought between the U.S. Army and the Apaches on Arizona soil.

But the Apaches had already forever changed the life of the Meadows family. On July 15, two days before, Natiotish’s warriors attacked the Meadows ranch. Barking dogs sent John Meadows Sr. to the creek to investigate when a shot rang out about 70 yards from his cabin. He threw up his arms, shouted, “Oh God,” and fell.

Grabbing their rifles, Henry, 30, and John Jr., 29, ran to help their father, but gunfire wounded both. When the bleeding boys reached their cabin, Henry fell on the porch, unable to get up. Mother Margaret and nine year-old Jake had to pull him inside.

Margaret and Maggie, 13, and James, 12, and family friend Sarah Jane Hazelton grabbed rifles and returned fire. Apaches peppered the cabin with gunfire until around 8 a.m., when firing ceased.

The family watched the Apaches herd the ranch’s cattle and horses. Many of these animals were later found needlessly slaughtered along the trail to Mogollon Rim. The Meadows family alone lost 200 head in the raid.

Margaret dispatched Johnny Grey to Pine Creek to notify Charlie. A few days earlier, Charlie had ridden there to guide an Army detachment from Fort McDowell to General Springs on top of the rim. When word of the tragedy reached him, Charlie rode hard toward home.