Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-08-03

the site will be obvious. II was from
this gushing spring in the adobe rancho
of the edesperadoes that the little stream
trickled on to feed the Shiny pool, ac-
cidentally discovered by the young
surveyor. Tho fearful exposure to
which young Duncan had been sub.
ected caused q fever to set in, and he
could not think Of leaving his bed for
some time, During the days of his
convalescence. he had several long
talks with the Kid and other members
OF tho band They all treated him
with great kindness, and many were
the illusions made as to the jolly life
they led, intended, no doubt, to infu.
ence the young man to join them.
The thoughts that occupied tho young
Washingtonian when references were
made to possible onslaught on the
stronghold by Texas Rangers, who
were then in tho Territory, were not
very pleasant, for being found in the
renegades' company he would have
shared like fate with them.
THE BANDITS APPEARANCE.
"Billy the Kid" was a remarkable
looking person, and the following is
something Of description Of him at
the time of which / write: He was
about twenty years Of age, small of
stature, smooth-iaced, spare built, with
several peculiarities that would distin-
guish him from equally wicked spirits
as himself One OF his chief marks
was that of extreme cruelty, His lips
were thin and his upper lip was very
short two sharp, iiercelooking teeth,
much longer than any others in bis
head, grew out from under that upper
lip in an extremely cruel and vicious
manner. He was exceedingly vain,
not only of his position rs leader of
band of between two and three hun
dred desperadoes, but OF his personal
appearance and his skill with the rife.
In tho latter speciality he perhaps had
q right to be proud, for it is known
that in all the Western country there
was not such a quick and perfect shot
as "Billy the Kid" He took delight
in showing the young man who had
so unwillingly fallen into his hands
the nicely with which everything in
his "Castle," as he called his retreat
amidst the loneliness Of the New Mex.
lean plains, was arranged And verify,
from the description of it which | re-
ceived, it must have been a wonder
iully-built place of defence The main
room was about thirty feet in diameter
and about ten feet high, There were
complete cooking arrangements in one
of the "anto.rooms," and great num-
Der Of berths fixed one above another
on one side Of the apartment. In two
other partitioned spaces there were
enough stores packed away to last q
hundred men thirty days. The great
spring in the middle of the hard floor
was one of the most cooling and re-
freshing nature. There were speci.
mems OF nearly all kinds of pillage to
be found IN abundance in the place.
ON AN EXPEDITION.
AT the time the young man who
gives mo these particulars went TO the
Kids headquarters there were only
eleven or twelve men "at home" The
rest of the gang were out stealing cat
tie and at his other strongholds in diff
ferent parts of the country. Young
Duncan noticed that a close watch
was always kept at the loopholes dur
ing the day and that the men never
were separated from their arms. On
inquiry it was made known TO him,
that which has long been apparent to
everybody in New Mexico and parts
of Colorado and Texas, VIZ, that there
are about three classes Of society in
those regions, which may be thus di-
vided Followers of bands of organ.
lied horse and cattle thieves, murder.
ers and bandits, such as "Billy the Kid"
led on to victory; the"Texan Rangers,
or movable vigilance committees, who
have the law OF Texas on their side, but
are, in fact about as great rascals as
those who steal openly. These "Ran.
gers" the desperadoes hate with deadly
hate, but they also fear them. When
bandit cowboy and Granger" meet
there is blood on the face of the New
Mexican moon, The Changers" are
about tho only organized sort of police
tho State of Texas employs, and they
frequently make excursions over into
New Mexico TO "whoop up the Greas-
ers." The third class in New Mexico
society is the honest, quiet, hard-work-
ing citizens, and he is the prey of both
"Rangers" and desperadoes.
READY TO TAKE A TOWN.
In an immense corral adjacent to
the Kids castle there was placed on
the fourth day of Mr.. Duncan's visit
in the adobe ranch some two hundred
cattle, the fruit Of one expedition of
the gentlemen who had been absent.
There was much feasting and great
hilarity on the night of their return
home. The next morning when the
stranger woke up and looked out
where the cattle had been, 10 they
were gone-spirited away, after hav.
ing been re. branded, to some still safer
place On that day the famous young
cut.throat got himself up regardless of
cost and went away. Before his de-
parturo one of his men brought mag
nifcent black gelding up to the door
of the hidden rancho, and Billy, while
the horse was ncighing and paving,
sprang into the saddle. This is how
be looked as he sat giving his last or.
ders TO McCabe, bis first lieutenant in
villainy He wore blue dragoon's
Jacket of finest broadclotb, heavily
loaded down with gold embroidery !;
buckskin pants, dyed jet black, with
small, tinkling silver bells sewed on
down the sides. These pants were
cut tight and fitted closely to his shape.
ly leg. Underneath this garment were
bis drawers of fine scarlet broadcloth,
extending clear down TO the ankle and
over his feet, encasing them like stock.
ings. But his hat was the most gor.
geous and the crowning feature Of his
getup, as it is with the Mexioans. 1t
was what is known as a "chihuahua,"
made of costly beaver, with a fiat
crown and q brim ten inches wide.
And this whole structure Of hat was
covered with gold and jewels until It
sparkled and shone in a dazzling and
binding manner when one looked up
on it. There was a gold cord around
the crown as large as a mans thumb
and a great, bright rosettc at the left
side set il off in all its glory. This