Collins: Did you want to talk about Albert
Lyman and Posey's squaw out at Bluff?
Albert R. Lyman with Gladys. A. Lyman was
the first settler on White Mesa. He was a writer-historian and wrote about
many of his experiences with Posey. His book Outlaw of Navajo Mountain
chronicles many of those experiences. Other stories have been printed in
the San Juan Record. (San Juan Historical Commission photo.)
Lyman: Well, he tells the story so much better himself than I could, but
if you want me to tell it I will do the best I can.
The way I remember it was when Albert was twelve years old, he and two other boys were herding cows. You have to remember that it was quite a struggle to survive there in Bluff for a long time. They didn't have feed or anything for their cows so they day-herded them. They would take them out of town to where there was feed of any kind and let them graze all day. Then they would bring them back in at night and milk them. These three boys were herding cows out west of Cottonwood. The Indians were camping out on the river on what is known as Sand Island. The boys knew the Indians were camping there. Up in the cliffs north of Sand Island there is a cave, or overhang, and a wash that runs up next to the cliff. The boys saw smoke up there and went to see what it was. It turned out that a few days before, Posey had accidentally shot his wife (Turah), and after a day or so she died and he had taken her up there. It was considered an accident anyway, and from what I have heard, I think that it was.
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Albert R. Lyman and Lell perkins (his first wife) posing for their wedding picture. Albert Lyman had many experiences with Posey, and wrote them in various books and articles. (San Juan Historical Commission photo.) |
It was a custom in those days for Indians to burn their dead. The fire was down in kind of a little canyon or draw. The other two boys stayed on top and Albert went down to see what was going on. Posey had been burning his squaw and that was what the fire was. Posey wasn't there. He was back at the river. But he saw the boys, or saw their horses, and he started up there. The two boys on lookout saw him coming and without giving Albert any warning, took off for town. Albert noticed them gone so he came up out of the canyon and saw Posey coming. Albert was on foot and Posey was on his horse, but Albert started running for town as fast as he could with Posey chasing him on his horse. Posey was about to catch him when some of the men from Bluff came to rescue him. The other two boys had made it into town and gave a warning. I think it was Albert's father and some other men on their way out and they got there just before Posey caught up with Albert. I don't know what he would have done to Albert if he had caught him, I guess Albert never knew either.
Collins: He didn't want to find out!
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| Lynn Lyman and his wife Haxel, as a young couple. Lynn is a cousin of Albert R. Lyman, who led the sheriff to Posey's grave. (San Juan Historical Commission photo.) |
That is all there is to that story. Of course, they tell me Posey was really in love with his first wife. She was Old Poke's sister and after Posey killed her, Poke made him marry another sister and from what they say of her, she was really kind of an old witch. It was revenge on Posey for killing his first wife. You ought to read some of those books of Albert's; they are kind of interesting (i.e. Outlaw of Navajo Mountain).
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