Golden era. (Lincoln, N.M.) 1884-188?, 1884-10-30
DEATH ON THE TRAIL.
Deputy Sheriff Jasper Corn Foully Muir
dered While in Discharge of
His Duty

1t will be remembered that about
the 2Sth day of May last, Nico-
las Aragon, who was under sentence
at this place for horse stealing broke
jail and made good his escape, since
that time Sheriff Poe has been dill
ligently at wotk to discover his
whereabouts and not long since learn
ed that he was lurking in the vicin-
ity of Gallinas springs about twenty
FIVE miles south of Las Vegas. He
at once dispatched Jasper Corn, one
of his most fearless and trustworthy
deputies to arrest him and bring him
back to Liucoln. For week or
more past the sheriff has been ex-
pecting the deputy in with his pris
oner. Judge then of his surprise
and confusion on Monday to receive
a letter giving an account of the at
tempted arrest and the untimely
killing Of the officer. The particu-
lars of this sad affair are as follows:
Corn arrived at the springs about
ten days since and had been lying
low waiting for an opportunity.
Last Thursday night Aragon had
some trouble with couple of women
at Coyote springs about two miles
distant, and this news was brought
to the deputy sheriff by lady who
visited the place to inquire after a
friend or relative, and Unidentified
Aragon as one of the party. The
sheriff then determined to surround
the house and make good the cap
ture of his man. Corn's brother-in-
law w. l.. HOLMAN, and man
named Jim Lane, accompanied the
deputy. Previous to this small
party starting out Martin Sal lgago
left Gallinas Springs for Coyote to
inform Aragon that the officers were
about to surround him, and Corn
noticing this, and riding a horse
more fleet of foot than his compan-
ions, started out iu hot pursuit of the
spy, and bade his friends to follow as
closely as possible. Martin reached
the hut in advance of the officer and
put the escaped prisoner on his
gaurd. Taking advantage of the
situation Aragon rushed from his
place just as Corn was nearing, and
made break down the hill for the
river. The officer espied his man
and gave hot pursuit, but Aragon
had sufficient start to reach the river
before he could be overtaken. He
| jumped over a stone wall and took
a defensive position behind it. Corn
rode on fearlessly, believeing the
man to be wholly unarmed, at least
having nothing more than six shoot
er. But as he neared Aragon the
latter fired at him from behind the
wall with a Winchester hitting his
horse in the shoulder. The animal
fell and slid for fully twenty feet
upon his breast and hind legs, and
turned over on his side, breaking
Corn's ankle, holding him fast and
powerless to act. Aragon then fired
his second and third shots, the bal
of the latter passing just below the
short ribs of the sheriffs right side
At t. e third shot the horse became
frigl t nd aud sprang to his feet
leaveing the deputy free. Aragor
then set out on run for the timber
near by, while Corn crawled along
the river bank and emptied his 81,
shooter at the thief; but it is though
he escaped unhurt. The deputy
friends then came upon the scene
and one was dispatched to Whit
more's ranch for a conveyance Will,
the other remained with the wound
ed officer. In the meantime th,
thief was making good his escape
and ouce in the timber there was NJ
show to capture him. A spring
wagon carried the dying man bacl
to the springs where medical aid wa
called, but all to no purpose, he hav
ing passed from earth into the here
after at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon
His body was laid in its last restin!
place yesterday, near the Springs
Aragon will undoubtedly be cap
tured either dead or alive, in tn
course of few days, as it will b
nearly impossible for him to escap
from where he was last seen withou
being observed by some of the ranch
men, and the community is thorough
, ly aroused. Jasper Corn was faith
full active and efficient officsr en-
tirely reckless of danger and un
known to fear, and in his untimel
death the county will loose vigilan
, servant, whose place will be hard {
( fill, and his friends a generous an
, whole-souled companion.
>
, NOTICE.
n Az n maetinu of the IincsI