Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-27
POLICEMEN AND BULLETS
Both Fail to Bring Down Two Cattle
Thieves.

Shortly after three O'Clock yesterday
morning a Mexican called at the police
station and stated that he had just come
in from his ranch near Tropico, and he
wanted them to 90 out and arrest some
cattle thieves. He reported that two
Mexicans had killed one of his steers
and cut it up in the river bed, just inside
of the northern boundary OF the city
limits, and that the thieves we're still
at work on the carcass when he lett.
Detective Bosqui at once set out on
horseback for the scene of the butchely,
accompanied by officers Mcguire and
Valencia. About three and one-half
miles up the river, near Hunters ranch,
the officers found quantity OF meat,
still quite fresh, placed on poles to dry.
Near by a milestone, several butchers
knives and a steel were discovered, but
there was not the slightest clue as to
the direction taken by the butchers.
The officers finally struck recently made
buggy trail. Following this they came to
small Mexican settlement between East
Los Angeles and the Mission road, and
here buggy and a horse were found.
On examination, the bottom of the We
hicle was found to be covered with blood
and hair. Inquiry in the neighbor-
hood elected the information that two
men had ridden towards town shortly
before the officers arrived and the trio
at once retraced their steps. AS the
officers rode down the hill at the end OF
Downey avenue, they saw a Mexican
mounted on a bay horse about $50
yards ahead. In the meantime,
Officer Mcguire had been sent to town
with Mexican named Pedro Sepul-
veda, who was arrested on suspicion.
AS soon as the Mexican saw the two
mounted men behind him, he set spurs
to his horse and galloped round behind
Hancock Johnson's residence and over
the foothills. Bosqui's horse stumbled
and fell, but Valencia gave chase, and
when Bosqui remounted, both men
were out OF sight. Valencia pushed on,
and pressing the fugitive closely until
his horse became distressed, fired at
him to scare him. The fellow replied
by firing back two shots with his revol-
yer, when Valencia gave up the chase,
his horse having given out entirely.
While Valencia was chasing his man,
Bosqui had reached the Mission road,
and catching sight of man on foot MAX
ing for patch of mustard weed, started
after him, and fired at him with revol.
yer. The fellow worked his way through
the mustard, however, and ran up a
gulch in the hillside. Bosqui followed
and fired three more shots at the fugi-
tive, but was brought up suddenly by
running into hidden wire fence. Ty-
ing his horse, the detective dismounted
and started up the gulch on foot, but
about midway up saw his man hidden
behind a tree, waiting for him with the
barrel of his revolver resting upon his
left arm. As Bosqui had only one cham
Der of his pistol loaded, he retired in
graceful confusion and rode away to get
another horse. He subsequently returned
and rode around on top of the ridge,
behind where the fellow had been hiding,
but no trace of him could be found, and he
finally gave up the chase. The two
men who thus escaped are Santos Du-
sarte and Andronica Tapia, both of
whom are well known to the police and
sheriffs