Today In Western History: Apaches Kill Lt. Jacob Almy

May 29, 1973

 

Today a courier arrives from the San Carlos Reservation bearing sad news.  The Apaches had murdered Lt. Jacob Almy, of the 5th Cavalry.  The details of the killing were soon revealed when a special messenger arrived at Governor Safford’s  office and informed him that the Indian Agent, a Major Larrabee, had run into some trouble with the Apaches who attacked him and attempted to kill him with their spears.  The source of the conflict was unknown.   Major Larrabee ran for his life to Lt. Almy headquarters, where he compelled Lt. Almy to take six men and go with him to the Agency with him.  Once at the Agency, they all went into Major Larrabee’s tent to talk.  When they came out, Lt. Almy in the lead, the Apache were waiting and fired several shots at both men, only three bullets hitting Lt. Almy and all of them somehow completely missing Major Larrabee.  The good Major retreated in fine order back into his tent and four of the Lt. six companions did the same.  Of the other two, one fired back but was grabbed from behind by an interpreter known as Concepcion.  Concepcion was a Mexican Apache and had been employed by the Agency for a long time.