“Walapai” Clark and the Kid
One of our early frontier characters was E. A. Clark, familiarly known as “Walapai”, having gained the title years ago when in the government service as chief of the Hualapai scouts. Clark was a giant in stature, measuring six feet three, absolutely fearless and in those olden times equally tireless. Coming to the Territory in ’69, his life and experiences here would fill a volume of intensely interesting reading, but in this limited article I can mention only a few of his closing Indian experiences, the culminating one—the one of the greatest service to the Territory—resulting in the death of that outlaw and terror of the border, this same Apache Kid. Clark’s first experience with the Kid was on June 3, 1887, two days after his shooting of Al Sieber. At the time, Clark was living at his ranch, the Oak Grove, in the Galiura mountains, about twelve miles east of the San Pedro river, but was absent, his two partners, John Scanlan and William Diehl, being at home. The Kid and his followers coming across the country from San Carlos, stole fifteen horses from William Atchley, then came on to Clark’s place, three miles further on. At the time, Diehl was about 150 yards from the house, cutting some poles for a corral, when Scanlan, who was in the house, heard three shots, and, seizing his gun, ran out, and as he did so saw three Indians coming towards the house, and firing at them, they immediately sought shelter. When Scanlan fired at the Indians one of them lost a big sombrero which he was wearing, and which, probably very much to his regret, he was unable to recover. They then rounded up a number of Scanlan’s horses, not far away, and seemingly tried to get Scanlan to come out to protect his horses, and thus enable them to get a shot at him; but being unable to do this, they left, taking the horses with them. As soon as they had gone, Scanlan went to where Diehl was and found him dead, the Indians having shot him.