Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-07-28
IN HOT PURSUIT.
The Chase for the Antelope
Valley Desperate.
CAUGHT IN SMITHS CANON
tie Stands off His Pursuers-A Fresh
Posse Organized-Exciting
Scenes.

u Scenes.
The usually quiet town of Lancaster
the metropolis of the Antelope Valley
wasa scene of animation when HERAL1
reporter, who was despatched to obtair
particulars of the Fray raid, alightee
from the Southern Pacific cars lust q,
the evening was setting in. Residents
OF the surrounding ranches were congre
gated in front of the stores discussing
what had occurred, and when it became
known that the HERALD of that morning
had fell particulars of the affair a rush
was made for the train and the butcher
soon cleaned out of his last copy of the
paper. AS the scribe wended bis way
over to the postoffice, the principal meet.
ing point in the town, he was astonished
to see the tall form of Rony Crane, the
victim Of Fray's raid, advancing to meet
him as he thought that that gentleman
would surely have been one of those
who were trailing down the law-breaker.
1t was not Rony's fault however that he
was not one of the posse, for he had
been kept back by the citizens who were
anxious to have Fray captured alive ,and
who knew that if Crane ever met him
face to face the life of one or the other
would be the forfeit. Rony as stated in
the account of the affair published in
these columns, was absent from his
residence at the time of Fray's visit,
but he had only been gone a few hours
and witnessed from afar the destruction
Of his residence. He had gone up in the
hills to one of his cattle camps
took his wife with him, thing he had
never done before; otherwise it is
thought that she also might have fallen
victim to Fray's rapacious vengeance.
The quarrel between the two men origi-
mated over claim in the mountains,
and it eliminated one night in a bout OF
fisticuffs in which Crane proved to be the
better man and Fray thrashed to within
an inch of his life, went off vowing ven
geance on his formidable adversary.
From that time on the two men kept
apart, Crane taking the precaution to be
always "fixed" for any sudden attack,
for Fray had openly boasted that he in.
tended to kill Crane and carried a
double-harreled shot gun with him con-
tinually for that purpose. Before Crane
started on his camping expedition
his wife noticed Fray's dog in
the bushes and said to her husband
that something was wrong, and that Fray
wss skulking about somewhere. AL
though knowing that this was possible,
yet Crane did not deem it probable, and
laughing away her fears, he hitched up
team and prepared for the Journey. The
country is rather wild there, and when
people 60 on trip in the mountains they
do not take anything very valuable with
them, so hen Crane and his wife set out
off for the hills they were attired in the
Oldest of their raiment and took nothing
but few blankets and cooking utensils.
About three hours had elapsed after their
departure when the flames were first
noticed shooting heavenward and few
minutes later Flynn was on the scene,
but he now contradicts the statement re-
garding his conduct the other night. 1t is
deemed by those who know him that
when he knew Fray was about he was
not particularly interested in stopping
the conflagration, and the shots fred
only had the effect of making him vacate
the spot quicker. Crane arrived on the
scene only in time to witness the smould-
ering ruins, and those who saw him as
he gazed on the wreck of his possessions
say that his anger was terrible to wit
ness.
EVERYTHING HAD GONE,
House, barn, haystack, furniture, jew
al nd khr 1f
years, so it is not to be wondered at that
he swore to take the life of the man who
had robbed him Of his all. He dashed
his spurs into his horses sides, and as
the moon was shining brightly, he had
no difficulty in following the trail, which
led down to small lagoon situated
Fray had endeavored to throw possible
to and fro and had trampled up and
down in an endeavor to elude any posi-
bility of it being discovered in which
way he had turned. This Of course
battied Crane, but he kept on his search
and visited all Of the places which he
knew Fray frequented, but without sue
cess and by the time the sun was high in
the heavens his horse was played out
uAiu q hSAo Wdo uCCOoSdIy. LII CuC Lucdn-
time the news Of the affair had reached
Lancaster, and after fastening to New
hall to obtain the necessary warrant,
Constable Magee, accompanied by a
number of citizens, set out in pursuit of
Fray. 1t is 80 miles from Lancaster to
the scene of the burning and about 15
more to the dug-out on Frazier Mountain
where Fray makes his headquarters, and
while on their way to this spot they met
Crane, who, armed with Winchester,
insisted on joining their ranks. Know
ing that this meant ultimately having a
dead man on their hands, they refused
to allow Crane to accompany them, and
though he would not at first hearken tc
their arguments, he was finally
persuaded to allow the law tc
take its course, and, accompanied by
a friend he went to Lancaster to avail
the posses return. 1t was expected thai
they would arrive with their prisoner on
Thursday night, and every time " heel
was heard turning or a horses footster
approaching those who were in waiting
imagined that the expected party had
arrived. Daylight came but still they
had not returned, and the day wore OF
and noon arrived without any sign o
the expedition. About 2 O'Clock clout
OF dust was seen in the distance, and the
cry OF "Here they come" went up al