The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-05
A CLOSE CALL.
Thrilling Experience in the Min.
ing Regions.
An Innocent Prospector Mistaken for BILLY the
Kid"-Saved From the Lynchers in
the Nick Of Time.

stood still and looked about him. Almost
the first things to attract his attention were
the street-cars of the Market-street cable
road, and by his actions it was plain to see
that he was a stranger in the city.
"What pulls them coaches?" lie asked of
a CALL reporter, after he had walked
around one of the strange vehicles and
narrowly escaped being run over by an-
other.
"Those are the cable-cars of the Market
street system, and if you will walk over to
the new turntable, yonder, on the Howard
street line, you can see all its workings"
In few minutes the stranger was at the
spot referred 10, and tile system was ex-
planned TO him by one of the employees of
the road
That beats anything ever saw before"
he exclaimed. Il have been in every part
of the world, but never saw anything to
that this was his first visit to san Francisco,
and that he had just got TO the city from
New Mexico.
THE STRANGERS STORY.
i've been two years in that country, and
twelve years before that in Texas and Ari-
IONA. The country was pretty wild when l
first went there, and what made it worse
was the fact that the notorious Billy the
Kid kept every one in the mining districts
on the watch for him. There was Il big re-
ward for him, dead or alive, and lots of men
would have risked a shot at the murderouS
outlaw in hopes of getting the money.
-" Do you see that scar on my neck?"
said the stranger, pulling down his collar.
" got that to remember the Kid by, and
came very near not remembering anything
at all when | got IT. / WAS young then and
about the KIDS size. In all the dsscrip-
tions sent around the country describing
HIM it was stated that he rode au Old gray
horse. l mad been out with a partner pros
pecting in the White Oak country aud my
friend got tired OF the business and quit. |
struck out alone but got tired of walking,
and at ranch, bought an old gray pony
to carry my outfit.
AN UNLUCKY PURCHASE.
Not being in any hurry l never got up
before o'clock in the morning. The night
before got into the hands of the party that
gave me that mark | lost my old plug aud
did not ind him till past midnight, so when
did 20 to sleep slept pretty sound.
The following morning | was awakened
by some one shouting, and on sitting up
saw | was surrounded by half dozen men,
armed 10 the teeth, Each had a Winchester
rife with the small end my way.
Don't move or we will fill you full of
lead said they. SO kept perfectly still,
as l know the ways of the country too well
to dlsobey. Hold up your hands, WAS
the next order | got, and one of the men
came aud took my rifle aud old six-shoOter.
4 L
ana then L was told to set up, my hands
Were tied behind my back and l was di-
rected to 60 ahead down the trail. In order
To keep me from running into the brush
they tied lariat to my arm.
TAKEN FOR AN OUTLAW.
LAS soon as | got over my anger and sur
prise asked what they wanted me for.
" We want you for $1,000 said one of
them. You've played - in this country
long enough, but guess you Will quit How.'
II soon found that l had been mistaken
for the KID, the fact that l had an old gray
horse having convinced my captor5 that l
was the noted desi erado. | told them WHO
l WAS and where | got the horse, but was
Informed that my word did not 90. l was
taken about five miles TO ranch, and
Mexican, VINO claimed he had seen the Kid
several times, was brought out to look at
NE. The man was half drunk ut the time,
and as soon as he saw me lie dee AIRED l Was
the man. was then tied to tree aud men
sent out to the nearest mining camps to
spread the news OF my capture.
HE PROTESTS HIS INNOCENCE.
"By noon about fifty men had gathered at
the ranch, and eagerly scanned each face.
hoping to see some face knew. | told them
they had made mistake, but only got
laughed at The men talked among them
selves, and then l was asked if | had any
thing about me to prove who | was-a letter
or anything of that kind. | had not, but as
cided to send for old man Rogers, who was
popularity supposed 10 know he kiu' well.
''All that day l was kept tied to the tree,
with the sun pouring down on me. At sum
down L was released and allowed to lie
down on the floor, bat my hands and feet
were still tied. l thought over the situation,
and the more did the more / became afraid
that Rogers might make the same mistake
as the Mexican did. Then asked my guards
now long IL would take to get Rogers TO the
told
midnight.
FLIGHT AND CAPTURE.
AT this L made up my mind to escape is
possible, but the chance to do so looked
slim. The room l lay IN was a small one
and in the open door sat the guard on a soap
box. AT the other end was small window,
but this was not open and the only light in
the room came through the open door, In
the other room the rest of the men sat and
soon dozen packs of cards were produced
and games of poker AID seven-up started to
pass the time away.
Il began 10 work on the cords that bound
my bands and to my great joy soon had
them free. l made no move that would
draw the attention Of the guard, but watched
for chance to get my feet free. | soon got
the rope oil and with aqulck jump was at
the window and before the guard could
shoot | was outside. | ran as fast as
c0uld-where l do not know, but did not
get far as my limbs were cramped from be-
ing tied so long and | was soon oyertaken
ana recaptured.
A NECKrIE PARTY.
String him up! Hang him 7 were the
examinations with which the inluriated men
greeted me. and L was dragged back to the
house. Here rope was brought out, and |
thought my time had come With curses
aud oaths was dragged to tree and the
rope placed around my neck and the otner
end thrown over limb ten or twelve feet
prDnnn | yixT e.
TO pray if wanted TO, but spent the time in
protesting my innocence.
Times up J allied out a big fellow.
with watch in his hand.
"A dozen willing men seized the rope and l
seemed TO be on fire. | felt no pain. but INV
head felt as II bursting. Then | seemed 10
go to sleep, and knew no more. When r..
gained my senses | was lying on the floor of
the house, and some of the men were pour
ing water on my head aud rubbing INV
hands. had terrible pain in NV head,
and was burning with thirst
1t was daylight before | was able 10 get
up. and then l learned the cause of nv
escape from death. just as was swung up
to the tree Rogers rode into the crowd and
pushed through to look at the lannon's
desperate.
TIMELY RESCUE.
HE at once saw l was not the man. and
yelled to the men to let me down. Rnt I've
lore they coulu unite The rope the old man
cut 70, ana came down in heap. l was
carried into the house and everything done
that could be to revive sme. had narrow
escape, and suffered more after i came to
my senses than 1 did while strung I'M.
1T was nearly month before my neck got
well. 1t was cut so badly with the lariat.
Want my namep Well. don't put il in the
PAPER, and the stranger took an enyelons
from his pocket which he handed IN The
reporter. 1t read: George Frazer. Whits
Oaks, New Mexco." "-''o
Il came here to see my sister," he .ad ded.
''and If you can show me how to 90 To South
San Francisco I'll make novel,