Tombstone weekly epitaph., 1882-08-12
CALABASAS CLASSICS.


 Lively Shooting scrape-A 5000
 Haul. a Deputy sheriff Being the
 Victim.
 Perhaps there is no spot in the United States where the spirit of devlltry and pure cnssedness have so much play as in the extreme southern wing of Pima county, hugging the State of Sonora. Ever since the building of the Arizona and New MexlcO railroad began, a wild, worthless pack of outlaws from every quarter of the globe have been gathering along it's line. The Sonoita valley, made beautiful by na- ture, has been irrigated with blood from end to end, Men who were as ready to be killed as they were to kill, and women whose faces were not shrouded with blush for years made Tar Flat Crittenden and adjoining camps their headquarters. Riot, robbery and bloodshed was the order of days, murder an amusement, and devil try that would puzzle hell to reproduce or omnipotence to duplicate, mere pastime. Within few mile. from the line of the rail road few spectators had laid out town, on the banks of the raging Santa Cruz" The town site is owned by company, and prospectuses glittering with generalities and radient with metaphor were stricken off. There were three articles of tais kind; one for circulation in Arizona another for distribution Tn the Eastern States while the third was to en- tighten the European mind on the gram deur of the enterprise. This European prospectus was grand affair. It was filled with magnificent drawings repre- senting the raging Santa Cruz at high tide, with steamboats and heavy vessels at the docks unloading, while wonder in the dis- tance could be seen the smoke of dozen furnaces, with lively locomotives hauling ore to the numerous mills. A little further south was the grand promenade, bounded on one side by stately mansions, and on the other by the placid waters of the Santa Cruz, with the tide rolling and ebbing along. The spires of a dozen churches and public buildings, the campus grounds of colleges and school houses, with troops of merry children gambeling on tho green sward, added further entertainment to the view. This paradise was, called Calabasas. Calabasas in Mexican-Spanish means pumpkin, so in clear English the town should be called Pumpkinville, It was indeed heavenly place, if extreme quiet- ness and tranquility could make it so, be- fore the railroad struck it's environs As it is, between leaden pills and malaria, it re- quires an everlasting boom to keep the population from falling of. Igo's ranch is situated about twelve miles from Calabaras on the line of the Arizona and New Mexico Railroad Sunday evening last old John Scott, the we'll known contractor, was packing his outfit preparatory to removing his camp to Silver City, N. M., from which place to Deming he has contracted to grade branch line for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Company Some of his old employees had made up their minds to go along 10 the new field oi labor, but q number re- solved to remain behind and grow up with Calabasas. This latter party, which was pretty numerous, concluded that little industry on their part during the excite. ment consequent on moving camp would be the proper caper. Accordingly, several pairs of boots, blankets, overalls and valises were appropriated and the thieves skip ped with their spoil in the direction of 'Calabasas. When the stolen articles were missed a vigorous search was instituted, and suspicion immediately fell where it properly belonged. A chase was agreed upon and three strong parties, well armed, went In different directions. One of these parties struck out toward Colabasas, and, being on foot, it was pretty late in the even- ing before the city on the SaBta Cruz was reached However, they came up with the robbers ia time to prevent the sale of sun- dry pairs of blankets that were offered for a mOiety at an impromptu pawn shop. A row ensued, and as the thieves were down to cases and had soaked their guns for whisky some days before, il was one- sided contest. Nearly all the stolen prop erty was recovered, and the thieves were pounded with pistols until their heads re- sembled bursted tomatoes. Jimmy Me Carty, who was appointed constable of the precinct some weeks ago, with almost un- limited jurisdiction, attempted to quell the TOW, but in doing so got himself in hot water and was soundly kicked. He retired and enrolled posse to arrest the fighters, and this became the signal for shooting. The railroaders commenced to pump lead in the direction of the constsble's party, and the latter returned the compli- ment. Things were decidedly lively for while, not less than thirty shots being fired belonging to John McMurray, was shst and killed curing the melee, and Mr. Mo Murray himself had narrow escape.
 The citizens rushed around excite6ly, and were finally on the point of going to the assistance of Constable MeCarty, when the railroaders evacuated the town. They departed in the direction of Igo's, and were far from being in good humoE It must not be suppoaed that it was viola tion of confidence on the part of the other fellows that made them feel bad tar from it, that belng considered legitimate among them all, when opportunity offered. As they were contemplating thelr tough luck, asd cussing Calabasas for all it was worth, horse man hove in sight, and as he was borne by good looking horse the party came to the conclusion that It might be mistake to let him pass without holding him up" and investigating his pockets. It was i'm mediately done in the highest style of the profession, aad solid thousand dollars in clean, nice bank notes was abstracted from the travellers brooches pocket. He was then allowed to depart, his horse being also taken, one of the party remarking that as he had no money it would be embaras- sing for him to provide fodder for the steed at Calabasas. The robbers then de. clared dividend and divided into squads and have not been head from since The man robbed proved to be Deputy Sheriff Fenton of Pima county, who was return ing after csttle-dealing expedition among the lower railroad camps When he reached the metropolis of the Santa Cruz he immediately gave the alarm, and a squad of determined men under hisleader. ship went in pursuit of the villains. The horse was found near Critttenden, but so far there has nothing been heard from the highWaymen,