The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-08-20
Have a Herd of Forty Stolen
Cattle and a WeIl-Stocked
Cabin.
INDIAN JIM HAsL1P's STORY
Dime -Novel.Like Tale of a Dead.Shot
Mexican Murderer and His
Followers.


the Indian murderer who was captured in
the foothills last Saturday by Deputy
Sheriff Beasore of MADEIRA County, is en-
ioylng himself at his quarters IN the
county Jail in this city.
Haslip was convicted of numbering an
Italian near Raymond over two years ago.
While awaiting sentence he escaped with
Jim Lawson from the frail MADEIRA jail.
The murderer says that he did not want
to escape, but Lawson compelled him by
threats of death to leave. He is confined
in the Jail of this county for safe keeping.
He denies that he murdered the italian he
is accused of Staying. The principal evil
dence against him was the fact that he
was found with the murdered mans rife,
watch and knife in his possession. He ex-
plains this by saying that he found them
on trail in the mountains.
The Indian is about 20 years of age and
is very cunning individual. He does not
possess the reputation of George Washing
ton for veracity and is now telling stories
about all the mountain criminals who are
at large to help himself in his own case.
He has what he terms "kick coming"
against Hi Rapelje and Constable Irvine
of Sanger. The officers came upon him at
a rancheria in the mountains and he
barely managed to escape by quickly
mounting horse and riding into the
brush. They shot at him and he thinks
they had no right to do so. Jim is of the
opinion that the law required the officers
TO call to him to stop before shooting.
Haslip tells an interesting story regard
ing the Regain gang OF outlaws, and seems
to be DESTROYS of helping Sheriff Westfall
to round them up. He is giving the officer
information concerning them and the place
where they ars located. Westfall believes
the Indian is telling the truth in this case,
as he has other information which corrob-
crates his tale. He says the outlaws have
fortified camp on the San Joaquin, near
Stephenson Mountain, and that there are
five of them in the gang-Cliff and Tom
Regain, Valentine Diaz and an Indian and
white man, whose names the prisoner
does not know. The unknown white man,
Jim says, has bushv beard which nearly
hides his face. Haslip says that he has
been at the home of the outlaws and that
they have a commodious cabin which is
fitted up with many comforts. The house
hold enjoys it, he says, as it is both home
like and secure.
The cabin stands in the midst of a num-
Der of powders, and the only approach is
by narrow trail, about the entrance to
which rocks have been piled, with several
portfolios left open. From behind these
rocks they have full command of the
trail. Near the camp the trail becomes so
narrow that only one man at time can
walk in it. The outlaws have taken these
precautions to be ready to resist any at
tack of the officers, and they feel very
secure in the place, being confident that
they can kill off as many officers as the
trail can hold. The five men are expert
rife and pistol shots, and are determined
never to submit to arrest.
Haslip visited the rendezvous a few
weeks ago. Every time its occupants
have seen him they have inquired if any
officers were in the mountains looking for
them. When the Indian saw them last
they had near the camp a drove of forty
head of cattle, which they had stolen.
The outlaws are keeping up continual
thieving business, by means OF which they
are living.
Haslip appears to have the profoundest
respect for Valentine Diaz, who is wanted
for murder in one of the coast counties.
He SAYS that the Indians in the mountains
are all afraid of the Mexican, who is the
best pistol shot they have ever heard of.
Diaz can twirl pistol on his finger and
fire it in rapid succession and hit 50-cent
piece every time at distance of 100 yards.
He is old and gray haired, but 'bad"
man. Haslip says.
The Mexican does not pay much
attention to the Indians, but he has a
grudge against every white man who ap-
pears in his untrayeled haunts. He is
afraid that white men will inform the Off
GERS regarding him. The Indian says that
Diaz told him that he killed a man in the
Coast Range Mountains because his victim
had refused to eat breakfast with him.
Haslip expressed the opinion to a CALL
correspondent to-day that the officers will
eventually catch "Tom, Cliff, Valentine
and the other two men," as he Familiarity
spoke of them. He was equally confident
that the outlaws would fight to the end
before they would give up. They once in
a while make trips to the valley, and the
Indian thought they might be captured
on one of these excursions. They generally
go to Firebaugh, that being a compare
lively safe town. They do all their trav-
cling on these trips by night, and always
go armed, each man carrying rife, six
shooter and knife.
Sheriff Westfall will in the near future
make trip to the mountains in quest of
this gang of outlaws, who have been ter
rorizing this county particularly for the
past two or three years.