Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-19

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 sherIff, who was one Of the group, "Wolld Dc Mexican cattle thief. S.5 s4 "Indeed9'' laughed the mining man, "and how would he manage itS'
 1T don't know" reioined the sheriff, "but he would get in some way. If that ranch were in the southeastern part of Col oradO instead of the northwestern, th5 greaser thieves would sneak in some fash ion."
 Then the company in the Santa Fe sleep ing car urged the sheriff to tell what he knew of the haunts of tho Mexican cattle thieves.
 "What know would fill book, ," he answered, land I don't want to tire you out. I'll only give you a personal expert ence or two. The greatest pest of Colorado cattlemen is the Mexican cattle thief. They sneak over the border at night and carry off the finest yearlings they can lay hands on. They live in communities, are usually connected by marriage and will swear to anything to help each other out of a scrape. There was the famous Archi- leta gang. Archileta was typical greaser thief who lived down in the Huerfano country. His brothers-in-law, sons and cousins were of the same stripe as himself. They were the scourge of that region. For long time the finest, fattest beeves had
 
 ranch, and suspicion pointed toward these lazy, worthless Mexicans.
 Mexican Thieves.
 At last started out overnight with Q couple of deputies, determined to capture the thieves if that were possible. It was dusk when we came to the tumble down dobes where the gang lived. They were not at home. We went into an out of door cellar and there found a quarter of beef with the brand of a well known company on it. Taking it with us, we went down the road short distance to where another member of the gang lived and there found tho rest of the carcass, into which the quar- ter we had seized fitted perfectly. We wait ed until the crew came home and took them into custody. Archileta was pow erful fellow who had sworn he would never be taken alive, but he submitted to arrest when he found we had called the turn on him. His wife, however, made a terrible scene, trying to stop us and threat ening in the most fiery language to do me up. However, we got our prisoners safely to the neighboring town, and Archileta is now in the penitentiary at Canon City.
 "Another time was on the trail of Q notorious thief, having followed him all day and coming up to the ruined dobe where he lay hidden just as the moon rose. He knew me, and leaping on his horse started for the river. After him rode, hot and fast. He took the stream, and his horse struck out boldly. In after him my horse and went. followed him across, back again to the other shore and then across once more. Two or three times I shot at him, but missed him. He got away from me, and I must say that fel- low who will make such desperate break for his liberty as that Mexican thief did almost deserves 1t. And he displayed such courage and resource I believe he would swim the Bear river and get into that walled ranch above Meeker, if he lived in that neighborhood. Mexicans, however, rarely get so far north in Colorado. They are too lazy, and then they can do business right along on the border.''
 Then the mining man and the sheriff fell to discussing free silver, while I, look ing out the window at the snowy peaks rising in the distance, decided that the west is full of stories yet. "The half has never been told"
 EDITH SESSIONS TtJPPER