April 25 On this date in 1854, the Gadsden Purchase was ratified and signed by President Franklin Pierce. It became effective June 30. On this date in 1877, schools in Tucson were closed because of a smallpox epidemic. On this date in 1896, a plague swept the hog farms in the Salt River Valley and 8,000 hogs died in the following three months. Storyblocks Pigs in an enclosure. On this date in 1898, Gov. Myron H. McCord received official authorization to enlist volunteers for the Rough Riders. On this date in 1933, bandits held up the Valley Bank at Globe and escaped with $34,000. April 26 On this date in 1901, notorious Arizona outlaw Black Jack Ketchum was hanged in Clayton, New Mexico. The rope broke and Ketchum’s head came off.