Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-05-05
KIT JOY.


From Silver City Sentinel.
Some years ago such an epidemic of
train robbery and wrecking broke out
In New Mexico that it became neces-
sary to take the most stringent meas
ures to stop it. The lives of the trav-
cling public were continually in dan
ger, and hundreds Of innocent men,
women and children continually had
their lives ieopardized by the at
tempts of heartless men to rob trains
by first wrecking them. Among the
most cold blooded, heartless and
dastardly attempts of this kind was
one made near Gage, on the S. P. r.
r., in the southern part Of this coun-
ty. The rails were deliberately and
carefully broken apart and spread out
at place where the train would be
running at full speed so that it must
run of the track and be wrecked.
The gang of wholesale murdersrs and
robbers then secreted themselves
close at hand ready to shoot down
those who should escape death in the
wreck in order that the murderers
might safely rob the mail and express
cars. The idea of massacring num-
bers of brave men who had never
harmed them, of Innocent women and
tender children hindered these flendS
in human form not at all in their lust
for unholy gain. The train came
along on time, tunding rapidly. The
engineer, Zeke Webster, was in the
tender, when with cry the fireman
sprang for the throttle, reversed the
engine and put on brakes. 1t was too
late to avoid wreck, but the train
was slowing down enough so that only
the engine, mail car and the front
trucks of the express car ran off the
rails. Fortunately no lives had thus
far been lost, but at this instant up
from their ambush rose the robbers,
and. Gring repeated yolleys, shot engi-
neer Webster dead, while Mail Clerk
Swan and Others had narrSw escapes.
They then ransacked the mail car, got
some $27, 900 from the express car and
robbed one passenger. One of these
murderers and thieves was Kit Joy,
who, in desperate attempt to escape
from the Silver City Jail with num-
Der Of his pals, killed one of our best
citizens. The rest of the gang were,
with one exception, all killed or cap
tured that day, except Kit Joy. A
few days later he too was brought in
so badly wounded that one of his legG
had to be amputated. When he re-
covered sufficiently he was taken tc
Hillsborough and tried, His able at
torney, Idus L. Fielder, worked Sc
hard for him-talking of his amputat.
ed leg and his POOR old mother-that
Instead of being hanged, as he deserv-
ed, he was sentenced to the peniten-
tiary for life. This cold blooded
violent and wholesale murderer and
robber then announced that. he would
one of these days get out of jail and
get even with some of those who hac
helped catch and convict him. a
worthy gentleman is now, in the
goodness of his heart, circulating ;
petition which prays for the release o
this flend, and the same old argu
, ments about his lost leg and his poo
old mother are again being used t
gain signatures. 1t is sincerely to b,
hoped that these who are asked Il
sign this position will stop, think anC
refuse. If the law is to be terror Il
evil doers, and protection to life anC
property, murderers and robbers mus
know that they will receive the Lawful
punishment for their crimes. The
must not have cause to think tina
they can violate all law, with tn
strong chance that they will escap
punishment altogether and that eve
if they receive a sentence in some do
gree adequate to their crime, it wi
not be enforced When the law fail
to act, or the executive interferes t
prevent its full and just actions Law
lessness prevails and anarchy or lyme
law ensues. We ask those who hay
already signed this petition to recol
slider their action and withdraw the
names. One man has already E,
= pressed his regret for having sIgnet
s. We will have more to say about tn
case next week.
A few months since the Journa
' Miner told about Uncle Jimmy Moo
.. finding a honey mine in the rocl