The morning call., 1893-10-09
LONG DICKS LAST RIDE.
A Bucking Bronco Precipitated Death
From a Wound.

A slide of sand from the mountain side
that rises just east of the old fort the other
day tore open one of the graves that were
made by the soldiers there some years ago,
says the Fort Tulerosa IN. Mex CORE
spondent of the New York Sun, and dis
closed the skeleton of a man who was
once well known here. who came to his
death in an unusual fashion. His name
was Richard Delong, but he was known
among his associates as Long Dick. When
the Mexican Central Railroad was first
constructed Dick was employed by the
company as carpenter. and, wages being
good, he rapidly accumulated stake OF
several hundred dollars.
This done he started back for the States.
and as luck would have it it was in a train
that was lreld up by bandits. That is to
say, number of bandits boarded the
train at station and started through the
cars, two to each car. to rob the passen-
gers. Dick had been in Mexico long
enough and under such circumstances as
to acquire violent prejudice against the
ordinary Inhabitants. 1t riled him greatly
and he sat with bis hands up under the
muzzle of the bandits revolver. as pale as
death. When the thief who was taking
the valuables came to the seat he noticed
Dicks pallor, but mistook it for a sign OF
fear, and so. having been very successful
so far, he lost his caution for moment
and tGrned his head to call the other
bandits attention to Dick. That was
very bad mistake for the bandit. The mo-
ment he turned his head Dicks big fist
caught him under the ear. Dick was
strong as an OK, and the blow killed the
bandit-broke his neck. they say.
Nevertheless, in falling, the thief's re-
n caha raG eha h,l lofs
the seat and glanced thence into Dicks
side. But Dick was game and, picking up
the revolver, opened fire on the bandit
who was on guard. That sent the rest of
the gang flying off the train, and then the
passengers gathered around Dick. A
surgeon found the bullet was lodged some
where in the muscles of the back, but had
no instruments to cut it out. SO he
dressed the wound and by the time Dick
got up the road to Socorro, n. Mex, where
he intended to stop, he felt so we'll that he
decided not 10 have the bullet cut out at
all. He eventually recovered, III all ap-
pearances. and coming TO the Tulerosa
region became cowboy. he had been
here few weeks when a man came along
breaking bronchos for the cow outfit.
Dick watched the man through two
mounts and then said he could break one
of its desire to pitch In less time than the
professional could and backed his offer
with So. Both men mounted at the word
and both got a good shaking. The two
ponies pitched as only plains ponies know
how to do, but both were conquered In
spaces of time so nearly equal that the
contest was declared draw and new
mount for each man called tor. But Dick
was out of the game. He had downed his
pony's spirit, but when he had done so his
head was rolling from side to side because
of dizziness. and he was grooming with
pain.
Something gave way" he said, "and it
must have been the lead of tina: - Mexi-
can"
He was right in his diagnosis; he got off
his pony, but soon fell to the ground, and
in a short time died. A surgeon who ex-
amiled the corpse said that the bullet had
lodged near the main artery there and the
wound had not fully healed. He was of
the opinion that it would have killed the
man sooner or later no matter how he had
cared for himself, but the tremendous jolt
ing while trying to br.ak the pony had
broken down thetwall of the artery and
death soon followed. He was buried in
the soldiers cemetery near the fort.