The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-06-07
J. O. FRAZER CAPTURED ON THE BOR-
DERS OF OLD MEXICO.
HIS WANDERNas THROUGH TIE MOUNTAINS OF
COLORADO, TEXAS AND New MEXICO,
OVER / 1000 MILES ON FooF IN
TEE DEAD or WINTER
How United States Deputy Marshal Chsrlss B.
jones Found and Captured the Fugitive.

Inc curtain rolls up IN another act OIL eXClt-
ing scenes in the life OF one who few short
months ago stood second to none in our city.
United States Deputy Marshal Chas. b, Jones
returned home on Sunday and from him we
gather several matters OF Understanding the
flight and life and subsequent arrest Of James
| c. Fraker, the late President of the First Ma
;ional Bank of Wichita.
In December last after it became evident
that he would have to undergo the ordeal of
criminal prosecution, j. c. Fra ker was miss
ing. Outside Of ordinary comment his de-
parturc created bat little feeling. Early in
January Charley Jones undertook the diff
cult task of finding the fugitive and within
very few days got on hi. track which he sue
cessfully followed to Las Animas, Pueblo and
Fort Garland in Colorado, and from there to
Taos and Santa Fe, New Mexico, at which
latter point he lost all trace Of him until the
development Of scheme which Dir. Jones
win not yet make public, he discovered about
bhe first of April that Fraker was in that por-
ton of Texas lying between the Rio Pecos
and Rio Grande rivers, embracing county
south OF New Mexico, some two hundred
miles square, of rugged Apache mountains
and desert chapparel and cactus and virtually
uninhabited. II all goes under the name Of
III Paso county with the little town Of Ysleta
on the Rio Grande as county seat, full seven
hundred miles from Austin, the nearest rail-
road point. There are not over twenty-five
White men in the whole district, and they have
Mexican wives. As soon as Charley learned
e Ia al, n, ], Al,
Sheriff sending him a photograph o! Fraker
and giving him description OF his personal
appearance, and instructins him If successful
10 telegraph the single word come" Fraker
had reached Ysleta two days before, giving
his name as James Franks, aud announced
that he desired to purchase a rancho. The
telegram was sent, but having seven hundred
miles OF staging it was nine days in reaching
Wichita. There being no United States Com
missioner nearer than Elk or eight hundred
miles Sheriff Kerber, as that is his name.
deemed it best not to arrest him, knowing
that be would in all probability be released by
ha6eGS corpus before Charley could get there.
kerber, therefore, cultivated his acquaintance
by driving him all about the country to view
AAHtto vi ioite, III NllC kllAlS lE UtN-
Ing Fraker's picture in his pocket
In few days thereafter Fraker Joined Me-
Brides train for Fort Davis 30 miles south
east. Three days thereafter or on the 9th of
April. Sheriff Kerher received two more tele-
grams from Charley Jones, one dated Wichita
and the other Denson, Texas, instructng
him arrest and hold Fraker as lie had all the
rx-r of,
Der started in pursuit, and after run of
sixty miles they came upon the train about
daylight. Fraker, taking in the situation.
broke for the ehapparal followed by his pur-
suers, who tracked him thirty-ive miles, over
taking him within five miles OF Fort Quitman,
having in the meantime sent word 10 Jones TO
look out at Eagle Springs. OF the three Off
GERS in pursuit, two first came upon him, one
on either side. Fraker ran about hundred
yards or two when he pulled his revolver and
discharged its entire contents at Beneio Aide
rata, a Mexican deputy sheriff. Alderata re-
turned five shots for the six sent but both be-
ing poor marksmen neither was hurt, when
Fraker, discovering the second man. made no
further resistance Returning to Ysleta Char
ley Jones met, took charge OF and ironed his
prisoner.
Fraker seemed glad TO see somebody he had
known and took Charley's hand eagerly shak-
ing it, inqUiring after bis wife and children
with warmth aud earnestness. After being
ironed he would set for hours with his head
supported by his hands aud bis eyes fixed
steadily upon the ground.
Jones WAS gone five week, lrosn tho time he
left Wichita until he got back. 1t took him
sixteen days stoady travelling 70 return. His
prisoner gave him no trouble and no incident
worthy Of note happened IN the homeward
journey. The tedious hours were whied
away by Fraker's giving full account of his !
dreary winter, which was at times eriyened
by adventures and escapes. He told Charley
that be had left Santa Fe only two days before
he (Jones) arrived there last winter, and that
the way he left no trace there was by stopping
at small adobe shanty on the outskirts of the
town and leaving the second day without |
yenturlng INTO the city. lie was very hard !
up. but al Las Crusus he received S1O0 from |
his friends In Michigan. Through Colorado |
and from oEe end Of Mexico TO the other hun
dreds Of miles through a dreary waste, in mid |
winter, he had Travelled alono and OH foot. On |
reaching Ola Mexico he had S53 left, thirty OF
which he invested in revolver. the other be- |
ing taken from him by the Mexican deputy
sheriff who refused 10 give it up.
His bail was fixed at $4,000 and unless the
bond is met he viii remain where he now is,
in the Leavenworth jail, until the October
term OF the United States court.
Too much credit cannot be given Charles b. |
Jones as an officer who, ia wonderfully sue
cessfu manner, traced up the who.e matter
and secured the arrest OF Fraker. Beyond
the confines Of civilization, almost, N an I'M
known quarter Of the country, hundreds of
miles away from railroads and telegraphs,
across desert plain where the traveller must
carry his drinking water, within three or four
hundred miles of the Pacific coast Fraker
had chosen one OF the safest hiding places on
the continent, and with no communication or
letters ever going to him direct, We say there
fore that in the tracing up, apprehension and
successful returning of the prisoner, Jones
has shown himself an officer of no ordinary
sagacty and courage Ninety-nino men in a
hundred would have absolutely failed in even
discovering the route taken by Fraker.
Jones knew within forty-eight hours OF the
time of his reaching point fifteen hundred
miles distant, overland.
As to Fraker, we have heretofore expressed
an opinion in which we have not changed an
iota, and probably will not, though some
howled the tops Of their heads of Being in
the hands of the law we would say nothing
that would prejudice his cause or relieve him
from in Il pIInishrnpnt