The Forrest City times., 1890-09-27
A BORDER OUTLAw'sLfFE
MEXICAN BANDIT EsPiNOSA AND HIS MANY ATROCITIES.
Led Imto . Career sf Violence sy Ms Ca pidity---His First Crime the Mardsr of sn Aneriean, His Gucst, fer
 nis Neney--Hls Fad.

HIS HOhey- b"e'
 At the time of the acquisition of Now Mexico by the G uadaloupe-Hidalgo treaty in 1S4S there lived on tho Conejos river a reputable Mexican named Espinosa, who, by wicked episode in his life, became a notorious bandit upon whose head h price was fixed by the government He resided upon his ancestral hacienda in sort of luxurious ease. He raised sheep aud cattle, as did the other wealthy dons. so called, of his class, nearly all ol whom arc descendants of the soldiers of Cortez's army-the rank and file who married the Aztec women of the country. and therefore arc mixture ot Indian and Spanish. They arc very sensitive on the subject of blood. claim ing. falsely, to be descendants of the noblemen of the famous army that con- qucred Mexico. by which Spain was made n first-rate power
 Espinosa. in ISIS. made the acquaint- snce of an American adventurer. who. from the states to seek their fortunes in the newly acquired territory. The Mexican and the American became fast. friends. the latter making his homo at the formers beautiful ranch Tn tho mountains. Thero lived with her brother q dark-eyed. bewitchingly lovely young girl. with whom the sus- ceptible American feil deeply in love, His affection was reciproca,ed by the maiden 10 degree that only the wo- men of the race from which she sprang are capable of.
 The young American had brought with him to the new country large amount of gold and silver. and. soon making the Spaniard his coutidant told him of the wealth of which he was possessed. One night, after the American had gone to bed in room adjoining that of his host he was sur prised to discover man standing over ulul, NAOSG Atti &Ahty t- aS tfSa the buclskin bag under his pillow con taining his gold and silver He sprang from his couch and fired at random in tho dark at the would-be robber. Espinosa. for 1t was he. was wounded slightly, and. either enraged or fright ened, stabbed with his keen-poi nted' stiletto the young man whom he had invited to his house as his guest. the sharp blade entering his heart and kill ing him instantly. The report of tho pistol shot awakened the other mem- bers of the household who came into the room just as tho American was breathing his last Among them was the sister Of Espinosa. Throwing her. self on the American's dead body sho brother.
 Espinosa saw at once the terrible position in which he stood. and then determined to become an outlaw. in fact. as he could think of no excuse or palliaiion for his dreadful act He shereupon hid himself in the mouu- rains, carrying with him. however. the sack containing the American's money. Some years passed before he could gather together sufficient number oi outlaws 10 defy the authorities. but when he had succeeded in mastering them, for long while hc was the terror Of the whole region of New Mexico. He made his headquarters In the almost impenetrable fastness of tho Sangre de Cristo mountains, from which point he made his raids, and there was nothing that was too bloody Tor him to shrink from. He robbed, indi.ferently. the overland stare coaches. the freight caravans or the ranches Of the wealthy Mexicans. He stole horses. cattle and anything that he could utilize. If murder was nee essary to complete his work. he never Tor moment hesitated Kidnapping was favorite pastime. but he never carried of any other than the most beautiful of the young Mexican girls. He kept tnem In his mountain den for ransom or for u terrible fate.
 In 1864 the bandit. after nearly ten years of unbridicd outlawry. was killed by Tom Tobin. who followed him to a temporary camp in tho mountains, which he discovered. in grove of cot woods, by the smoke that curled above the trees. He had been trail ing" him for some days and knew that he had but one companion with him. To capture the two men alive never entered tho cautious brain of Tobin; to get them dead was much safer and easier. Tobin crept up to the grave. and, lying behind friendly log. waited until the notorious chief stood up, then he pulled the trigger aud Espinosa fell dend A second shot quickly disposed of his companion, and Tohin had accom- pAshel his mission. To be able to claim the reward. he had to prove beyond the possibility of doubt that those whom he had killed were the dreaded bandit and one of his followers Tobin thought it best to cut of their heads. which he deliberately did. and, packing them on his mule in a sack. he took them to old Fort Mass ichusetts afterwards Fort Garland. The two ghastiy heads were speedily recognized. but whether he ever received the reward is n mat ter of doubt
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