St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-20
An ARIZONA OUTLAW.
The Daring Freebooter and Some Of Els
Exploits.
LIFE IN THE SOUTHWEST,

EcNeal 4 More Dangerous Han Than a
Whole Pack of Train Robbers or
Other Criminals.
Denver News.
When the Atlantic and Pacific train
was held up and robbed at Canon Dia-
bio on the Atlantic and Pacific road, OH
the 21st Of March lat, there was very
general impression among the people
through the section of Arizona in which
outlaw, known as McNeal, was the man
who had planned and executed the rob-
berry. AS it turns out there is nothing
to implicate McNeal in the affair.
although Swift, one of the quartet Of
robbers captured III Utah, and now on
their way to Arizona in charge of Sheriff
O'Neill and posse, was riding one OF
McNeal's horses when captured.
Speaking of McNeal yesterday Dep
uty Sheriff st. Clair, of Flagstaff, Ariz.,
said:
WORST ON THE FRONTIER.
HE is the nerviest and most desper-
ate outlaw now at large in the frontier
region. He had rather fight the whole
gang that we have just captured single
handed than to tackle McNeal.'
McNeaPs mOdus Operandi in the BUSH
ness of appropriating to his own use
other peoples cash, goods and chattelS
is peculiar. He has never, so far as is
are suspicious, of course, that he is the
head of well organized gang, and that
the stolen horses which found their
way to point of rendezvous at Lees
ferry, on the line between Utah and
Arizona. pass through his hands. So
far as his public appearance is con-
cerned, however, he is always alone
and siHgle-handed. He has performed
some of the most daring robberies
on record. He first attracted public at
tentiOn, or in other words. made his
debut in Arizona something over year
ago. What his first name is nobody
seems to know; in fact, McNeal is only
one of O number of aliases, Johnson
and Wallace being all professional
names under which he has travelled mora
or less. Where he had been operating
before he came to Arizona is question,
although he had been heard of at one
time and another in New Mexico, Texas,
and the Indian Territory. He is de-
scribed as young man, not more than
twenty-five years of age, tall and rather
slender, wearing dark mustache and
short-crOpped hair. Whenever he has
had occasion to show himself to the
public, which has not been infrequently,
he was carefully dressed and always
wore Mexican straw SOmbrerO of the
richest and most expensive pattern.
HORSE AND CATTLE STEALING.
When he came to Arizona he first
engaged in the horse and cattle busi-
ness. That IS, he engaged in the BUSH
ness of marketing the horses and cattle
of the Arizona ranchmen without their
knowledge or consent, the Aztec cattle
company being most frequently called
upon to supply his demands. So bold
was he in his operations that he would
every now and then, ride into HOlbrook
on one of the stolen horses, transact
such business as he desired, and disap-
pear as quietly and mySteriously as ha
came in.
One evening when he was making
periodical visit to HolbrOok it occurred
to him that the little town ought to con-
tribute something to his revenues as
well as the surrounding country. He
accordingly called up one of the
Schuster Bros. firm doing merchan-
diSing in HOlbrOok, and Informed him
that he was in need of what money was
in the store, and also Of the various
kinds of wearing apparel and such other
articles Of value about the place as
could be carried away conveniently by
a man on horseback. Schuster, OF
course. demnrred, but the gentlemaniy
manner in which the request was
made, backed by the persuasive effect
of 44-caliber gun, induced him to COM
ply, and he handed over the cash first.
While he was gathering up some other
trinkets for the bandit Schuster's
brother made his appearance with
double-barreled shotgun, which he was
in the act of leyeling at McNeai, when
quick as lightning the latter placed the
brother between himself and the shot
gun. AS Schuster could not fire with
out killing his brother, McNeal COM
PEELED him to throw down his gun, and
made the two brothers follow him out
side with "hands up" He then
mounted his horse and rode away.
HOLDING UP LAW OFFICERS.
At another time he made an excur-
sion to Phoenix, and in the evening, just
at the time when the bartenders in one
of the large saloons were changing
shifts, he took notion to carry away
the proceeds of the days business.
several gentlemen were taking an even
ing nip, with gun in each hand, and
while one was brought to bear on the
bartender the ether was leveled at the
guests, who were requested to arrange
themselves in line at the end of the bar.
They were informed at the same
time that the slightest hostile DEM
onstratiOn would result in their sights
being instantly put out" While the
bartender was in the act of honoring
McNeal's drafts two officers, who were
looking for the robber, or, at least. had
a notion that they wanted to find him,
stepped in. Being no reSpecter OF per-
SONS, Men cal ordered them to take
their places in the line of spectators,
and something about the fellow over
awed the minionS of the law to such an
extent that they Obeyed the order with
out stopping to argue the point. When
his business with the bartender had
the saloon and made his escape.
1t is said that these are but specimens
of McNeal's style of doing business in
Arizona, and that he has executed a
number of equally daring and success
full rObberieS.
SLEEPING WITH THE SHERIFF.
At one time when Sheriff Owen, of
Apache county, was in the east end of
the county looking for him, they unex-
pectedly came together and stopped
over night at the same house. The
sheriff did not know his man, and did
not have an accurate description of him
or found him thoroughly disguised. At
any rate they not only slept in the
same house but i'm the same bed, and
McNeal discussed himself and his rob-
berries with the man who was seeking
to effect his capture.
While this noted bandit is looked