Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-02-07
DIED WITH HER BOOTS ON.
A Horse Thi f That Proved to BE "A Hand
some Young Girl.

A Horse Thi f That Proved to BE Hand
Young Girl.
In the first days Of Leadville wagons
formed the only means of transportation
for the immense quantity of merchan-
disc needed there and for the shipment
of the large output of ore and bullion.
As consequence horses and mules were
used in large numbers. Trains of freight
wagons lined the roads leading to the
great carbonate camp, and it frequently
became necessary to turn the stock out
after "a hard days journey to Craze on
the adjoining hill sides. Leadville Of
fered good market for work stock of
all kinds as animals brought from the
east frequently succumbed to the eli
matte effect of a high altitude and heavy
work. Many a freighter reached the
top of a hard pull only to see his best
work mule lie down and die in the har-
ness. Such inducements and easy sale
brought profes sional horse thieves in
abundance. The immunity from pun
ishment that they seemed to enjoy and
high prices paid for their plumber stimu-
lated them to constant activity and
made them bold in their profession, Sa-
guache county, Colo, was a favorite
section for the operations of this frater-
nifty. these gentlemen making their trips
with almost the regularity of stage
coaches.
After an unusually bold raid party
was organized, determined to follow the
trail and overtake the thieves, and if the
depredators were caught to save all
county expenses in the way of sheriff
fees and trials. The party started early
in the morning, and as the trail was
large and hot they were able to follow it
almost at gallop. Following along the
west side of the San Luis valley and then
through a defle of the Sangre de Christie
mountains, the course of the pursuers
and pursued emerged into the Arkansas
valley, close to where the South Arkan-
sas flows into the main stream. Here it
was evident that the two parties could
only be "A short distance apart. The rob-
bers had taken more stock than they
could easily handle, and did not seem to
be aware that they were being followed.
Two of the stockmen from the ranches
on the route joined the vigilantes and
furnished fresh horses. About noon on
the following day the thieves with the
stolen stock were discovered camped al
the north of Cottonwood creek. There
were but two. One appeared to be 6
young boy not over 16; the other was 6
fine looking young man of perhaps 20 OF
% years of age. On being called on tC
surrender the boy pulled a six shooter
~ lta viz
time he and his companion jumped dowr
behind the bank of the river, from which
place it was found impossible to dslodg,
them without the loss of at least three O
four men.
After a hurried council of war, it wa
decided for two men to go down TIL
river, cross over and come up on the othe
side to point where the fugitives coult
be easily covered. and the balance to pre-
vent their escape from the position the
were in. This was done, and when tn
thieves were again summoned to surren
der, they simply turned and commence
firing ut their two pursuers on the oppC
site side of the river. The fire was re
turned, and resulted in the boy droppin
dead with a broken neck, and his CON
, panion falling with bullet through tn
lungs. When the vigilantes went to wher
they lay the elder was still alive, and tn
boy was, ofcourse, dead, and proved to b
, a lovely young girl with delicate and re
fined features. The one who could sti
talk refused to tell who they were o
from whence they came, only that thei
people were respectable, and that he dc
sired them to remove his boots, as he di
not wish to die with his boots on. II
was evidently man of good education
but positively refused to give any infol
nation. In a few hours he also wa
dead, and the two were buried beneat
the cottonwoods near the river bank
, Their identity was never discovered
Helena journal.