Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-12-04
A BIT OF
Many OId-Timers VIII Remember
This Event and the Man Mem
toned in the Following.

rIOm tnb rl6iu anu chfms
When Dave Rudebaugh made bis
desperate attempt to release his part
ner Webb from the old adobe jail at
Las Vegas, New Mexico, in 1879,
he had for a companion a chum named
Allen, who had figured for years In q
minor way as a sort Of second class
frontier thug and holdrp. Allen was a
one lunger and sfaicted with rheuma-
tism, but he possessed sand and 1t was
his hand that pistoled the Jail guard,
Pine, for refusing 10 give up the Keys
to let Webb out. He also showed
good nerve in the skirmish with the
pursuing posse for it took good grit
for q man in his physical condition to
mount a horse, much less to ride and
fight in the way he did.
The break was made 10 the middle
of the afternoon and its ys-y boldne IS
and temerity almost brought about en-
tire success and did result In the tem-
porary escape Of R%udebaugh and Allen.
With the idea of getting posted on the
system of the guards, Dave visited
Webb each day at about the same
time, taking him fruit and newspapers.
On the day appointed for the rescue,
Rudebaugh and Allen drove to the Jail
in a hack, and finding Pine alone on
guard, attempted to bluff him into re-
leasing Webb. The guard stood firm
and Allen. angered, shot him at short
range, killing him instantly. This was
IN opposition to Rudebaugh's plan and
defeated the object Of the attempt, for
as they fumbled with the keys, citi-
GENT began to assemble and the two
were obliged to fly, throwing the bunch
of keys, in desperation, into Webb's
cell.
Leaping into the waiting hack they
drove rapidly to the new town as the
east side was then called, where rifles
and ammunition we're obtained from
hardware store. Then
they struck out owe the mesa to the
east in full view of the quickly aroused
Of the town. A hasty morgan
lied pursuit followed and hundreds Of
half armed and accoutered
pursued the fugitives on horseback.
Many shots were exchanged but the
reputation and desperate de-
meanor of the outlaws prevented the
.eaderless citizens from closing IN and
capturing them. After a few miles Of
light the vehicle was abandoned and
a~udebaugh and Allen, mounted on the
livery animals, made good their escape
md succeeded in reaching the Pecos
which locality Billy the Kid
lad terri Red SO thoroughly as to make
t a safe stamping ground for criminal
'efugees.
A present resident of Denver, who
and talked with Rudebaugh o few
Years ago, IN Juarez, Mexico, has fur
,ished the Field and Farm with An &C.
of the end Of Allen, who, it was
supposed, had been killed by
indians on the Jornada del Muerta.
The real fact is that Allen met bis
cath a few weeks after the memorable
reak from Las Vegas. Sick and Grip
led with rheumatism, life became q
urden to him, especially as he could
ct no medical attention, and was in
ne saddle in constant fear of capture.
lie frequently besought Rudebangh to
i'll him and the latter, as they were
ding along one day, sput his pistol
, Aliens head, blew out his brains
nd buried him by the roadside. in the
and near Alkali Wells. Not long
fter disclosing this story OF bis old
omrade's death, ~Bedebaugh himself
anne to a tragical end, il the story be
'ue that came up from Mexico. 1t is
lid that the outraged people Of Parral
eheaded the famous outlaw with a /
utcher's cleaver and carried the head !
round on a pole to the great pleasure
I the inhabitants. !