Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1890-02-15
DIED WITH HER BOOTS ON.
A Horse Thief that Proved to he a Hand
some Young Girl

some Young Girl
In the fist DAYS OF LeadvillA, wagons
formed the only means of transportation
for the immense quantity of merchandise
needed there, aud for the shipment OF the
large output of ore and bullion. As a
consequence horses aud mules were used
IN large numbers. Trims of freight wag-
ons lined the roads leading TO tue giea.
carbonate camp, and il frequently became
necessary 10 turn the stock ont after a
hard days journey to craze on the adlo.n-
ing hIllsides. Lea iville offered n good
market for work stock of all kinds. as
animals brought from the East frequent
ly succumbed to the climatic effect of
high altitude and heavy work. Many
freighter reached the top of hard pull
only to see his best work. mule lie down
and die in the harness. Such induce
ments and easy sale brought professional
horse thieves N abundance. The i'm
munity from punishment that they seem
ed to enjoy aud high prices paid for their
plumber stimula ed them to constant
activity, and made them bold in their
profession. Saguache County, Colorado.
was favorite sect on for the operations
of this fraternity, these gentlemen max
ing them trips with almost the regularity
of stage coaches.
After an unusually bold raid, q party
was OF ganized. determined to follow the
trail and overtake he thieves, and If the
depredators were caught to save all coun-
~ 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 nj
most at gallop. Following along the
west side of the san Luis Valley and then
through 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 he main re m. Here 1t
was evident that the two parties could
only be short distance apart. The rob
bers had taken more stock than they
could easily handle, and did not seem 10
be aware that they were being followed
Two of he stockmen from the ranches on
the route joined the vigllantes and fur
nished fresh horses. About noon on the
following day the thieves, with the stolen
stock, were discovered camped at the
north of Cottonwood Creek They were
but two. One appeared to be Young
boy not over 10; the other was "a fine look :
ing young man of perhaps 20 or % years
of age. On being called on to surrender
the boy pulled siX-shoOter and fired on
the vigilantes. At the same time he and
his companion jumped down behind the
bank of the river, from which place it
was found impossible TO dislodga them
without the loss of AZ least three or four
men.
after hurried council Of wnr, it was
decided for two men to 90 down the river,
Cross over and come up on tue other
side to point where the fugiti eS could
be easily covered, and the balance to pre-
vent their escape from the post on they
were in. This was done, and when the
thieves were again summoned to sure u
der, they simply turned and commenced
hiring at their two pulsuers on the OPP
posite side of the river. Tue fire was
returned, and resulted in the boy drop
ping dead with broken neck and his
companion falling with bullet through
the lungs. When the vigilantes went to
where they lay the elder was st II alive,
aud the boy was, of course, de d, and
proved to be a lovely young girl, wi h
delicate and refined features. The one
who could still Tx refused to tell who
they wer5 or from whence they came,
only that their people were respectable
and that he desired them to remove his
boots, as he did not wish to die with his
boots on. He was evidently man OF
good education, but positively refused
to give any information. In few hours
he also dead, and he two were buried
beneath the cottonwood, near the rivel
bank. Their identity vas never discov.
cred. Helena Journal.