The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-20

tc4AioiS IHuTueT nau D@SN coiHIiltteu III tne
SuIol valley, the victim of which was one
Otto Ludovici. Link by link a chain of
circunistantial evidence was soon put to-
gether, which satisfied Morse that two of
the assassins, at least, were Juan Soto and
Bartolo Sepulveda These men were we'll
known to him as daring criminals of the
worst order. tie knew them both by sight,
and was familiar with their personal
characteristics and criminal history.
Along but unsuccessful hunt now com
menced for the outlaws. Nearly four
months had gone by without any trace
being obtained, when, orc dav i'll the early
part of May, Morse received q telegram
from Sheriff Nick Barris of Santa Clara
county, stating that he was about organic
ing a party to scour the mountains south of
Gllroy in search of horse thieves. He had
heard it rumored that Soto was in that
section, and he invited Morse to join TIE
expedition. Without waiting to change his
clothes, Morse secured his Henry rife and
took the next train for San jose He found
Sheriff Harris at the head of posse of nine
men, all well mounted and equipped for the
trip. Taking a southeasteriy direction,
toward the line of the inner coast range,
they struck into wild section OF country
known as the Picechos, to the east of the
Pacheco pass, and around the head waters
OF the Los BanOs creek.
In the forenoon OF the third day out,
while threading a little opening in the
mountains, they saw some distance in al
vance a man mounted on mule, and
making the most desperate efforts to get
out of the way. He proved to be white
mana sheep herder-acd a deep-drawn
sigh OF relief escaped him when he discov-
cred that his pursuers were officers of the
law. He proved to he exceedingly well
posted as to the various hiding places of the
outlaws, and finally consented TO guide the
officers to a certain secluded valley known
as the Sadcelito, whore they were i'll the
habit of congregating. On the level i'm
mediately below them stood three adobe
houses, which must be passed before it
would be possible to get into the stronghold
of The outlaws, some few miles further up
the canyon. The posse was divided into
three parties, aud TO each was assigned the
duty of capturing one of the houses and
securing the people found therein.
ALONE IN THE OUTLAWS STRONGHOLD.
To Morse and Deputy Winchell of Santa
Clara county fell the duty OF rading the
nearest house. Approaching it cautiously
from the south, they succeeded in reaching
the corral in its immediate vicinity with
out being discovered Here a Mexican was
busy at something, and of him the officers
requested a drink of water. The man APP
parently suspected nothing, Tor he replied
courteously and invited the strangers to
accompany him to the house. Fastening
their horses to the fence, Morse and Win
chell followed the Mexican through the
corral and around TO the northern side of
the adobe, where they stepped upon mar
row portlco and entered a door leading to
one OF the central rooms. Not expecting to
find tie outlaws at this point, Morse had
injudiciously left his rife swinging to the
horn of his saddle, and was armed with a
revolver only. Winchell, however, carried
double-barreled shotgun, heavily charged
with buckshot. On entering the room
Morse was surprised to find himself in the
midst of aparty of nearly dozen persons
of both sexes, and there seated at a table
directly in front of him, surrounded by
three or four Misunderstanding confeder-
ates, sat Juan Soto, the murderer of Ludo-
vici. To cover the outlaw with his revol-
yer and order him to throw UP his hands
was the work of an instant Instead of
obeying, Soto sat gazing sullenly back at
the officer, while a scowl of unutterabe ugli-
ness gathered about his shaggy brows and
small bead-like eyes. A second time Morse
ordered him to throw up his hands, threat
eniDg the desperate with instant
death if the command were
not obeyed. No motion, however, was
made by Soto, other than to continue his
savage glare at the intrepid officer. Not
desiring to kill the man if he could by any
means avoid it, Morse with his left hand
now drew pair of steel handouts from his
belt and passed them across his Eody to
Winchell keeping the outlaw covered in the
meantime with the pistol in his right
"Put them on him, Winchell," he sal d.
The latter took the bracelets, but made
no motion toward the outlaw.
"Put them on him. again ordered Morse,
growing angry at the hesitation of his as
slstant. But Winchell stood like one
dazed
"Then cover him with your shotgun
while | do it," cried Morse, now thoroughly
awake to the fact that he had desperate
job on hand. But Winchell did not like
tine atmosphere of the place Instead of
standing by his brother officer, he backed
out of the room and incontinently fed
around the corner of the building, with a
view to his own safety. AT almost the same
instant an amazon of "a woman who was
in the room seized Morse by his pistol ARM
while a confederate of Soto grappled
| him from the other side.
mo tire v en- la cdsdn they both
screamed, as they threw themselves upon
him, and during the desperate struggle
made by the deserted officer to free himself
from his assailants, Soto sprang 10 his feet
| and placed himself behind one of his friends
II might have killed him them" Morse
afterward explained, "Dy shooting through
tho man in front of him, who was much
SEitllcI 900, anu Impulse was
| TO do SO; and then the thought occurred to
| me, why kill this poor devil, who may be
| innocent of any crimep So | raised the
| pistol and fired over him at the head of
| Soto"
But the aim was uncertain and the shot
| only knocked Off the outlaws hat, the ball
sinking with n thud into the adobe wall
behind him. This miscue turned the tables
on Morse and nearly cost him his life. Soto
wore a heavy blue overcoat of the military
pattern, which was buttoned low down
| over his knees as he sat at the table, prevent
| ing him from reaching his weapons. On
reaching his feet he had torn the coat vio-
lently omen, and by the time Morse had
fired his unsuccessful shot was in full posses
sion of his six shooter. With a fearful
imprecation he sprang toward his assailant.
MAN AGAINST MAN
The fight was now on even terms, and at
once became to the last degre9 exciting.
Realizing that he was at n disadvantage i'll
| the house, Morse jumped backward through
tho door before the outlaw could shoot
Soto followed close upon MIN like a wild
animal. SJringiug from the portico
Morse ran around TO the open space b hind
! the house AVID there turned to face his foe.
! Ga came the savage outlaw, his pistol lised
| high in air, aud his villainous face afiame
with murlcroll' passion. with that con
| summGtc mastery OF himself which had so
/ often car led hiai shrou yh desperate straits,
| Morse watched With tho eye of a cat every