The San Francisco call., 1896-11-17
BANDIT B0RONDA
DIES FIGHTING
The Lower California Des-
perado Killed by a
Rurale.
Battle to the Death Fought in a
Canyon Stronghold on the
Peninsula.
The Outlaw AMI a Pursuer Meet in a
Desperate HanG.to. Hand
Conflict.

terroriZed the sparsey settled country
back of Ensenada for number of years,
has been laid away with Il rurale's bullet
through his head. But Boronda fought
hard, and the battle between him on one
side and Kurale Jesus Escobar and Justice
of the Peace Simon Contreras OF the other
will be remembered as one of the most ex-
citing in the annals of The peninsula.
So great has been the thievery of cattle
in the pastoral country below the line that
peculiar law was enacted by the Anunta-
miento of Ensenada to stop it. This law
was, in brief, that nc man should kilt
COW or calf without first giving notice TO
the nearest Justice of the Peace, who was
then to 60 and personally witness the
killing. or send deputy, the object being
to officially inspect the brand and see
that the butcher had not killed the wrong
animal.
Boronda, the outlaw. scoffed at this
quaint Spanish law. and kept up his pre-
datory habits, visiting the corrals or
ranges of the cattlemen and picking ont
the best steers and heifers for his own use
or profit. He made his headquarters in
the inaccessible country beyond Santa
Clara Valley. where he kept sharp look
out for pursuers, and is said to have made
away with Vicente Ramos, a Iancher,
who followed the tracks OF his stolen steers
TO his own death. Nothing wac ever heard
of Ramos, and men who followed his trail
said it led to the little canyon which
Boronda made his stronghold. They did
not follow the tracks further, as Boronda
had habit of lying in a nest of rocks,
which afforded a birdseye view of the ap-
proach for several miles.
IN Gnnd1u pirht NnVar1 hor RnrnnAQ
was seen skulking on Augustin Josea's
ranch. The next uav the best calf in the
bunch was missed, and Josea determined
to follow up the thief. He hunted up
Judge Contreras and told him of the theft
and infraction of the law. The Judge said
he did not care anything for the theft, as
Josea was understood to be able TO look
out for himself but as for the infraction
of the law-well. he was determined TO
hunt the criminal down. The Justice
sent for his best rurale, Jesus Escobar, a
dead shot, and together the three men
took the trail
They were armed with Winchesters, and
Escobar rode ahead. 1t was on Monday
afternoon when the men arrived near the
little canyon where Bor0nda held out.
They followed the trail easily, discerning
the tracks of the missing calf. Escobar
got off his horse when near enough to
make the hunt interesting, and asked the
others to stay back. They followed him
at distance. Escobar crawled through
the brush over the crest of the conyon.
just as his head appeared against the
horizon there was shot from below and
the rurale's head dropped. Bnt he was not
killed. lie lay like a snake watching his
chance. When few moments had passed
and he failed to stir, a head was cautiously
lifted from behind a rock 200 feet ahead and
quick as fash the ruraie's rife sounded.
Boronda was too quick for him, and
l., l. -
arm raised TO fire. The two men. having
located each other kept up a brisk fire,
both emptyng their magazines and keep
ing them refilled. Escobar who is famous
for his dalinG, edged constantly closer to
his adversary, keeping in the shelter of
powders. The Justice and Josea followed
and appeared over the brow of the hill |
but a shot from Boronda's ready rifle split
the bone in the ralcher's arm and he re-
tired.
Contreras made detour and found |
position where he could rake the rear of !
the outlaws retreat. Boronda realized |
instantly that the game was up. He fired |
a shot at the Judge to temporarily rattle |
him, and then, With a curse, sprang out |
from behind rock and rushed toward |
the rurale, who was sprawled behind |
small bowIder not thirty feet distant. In |
two bounds Boronda was upon the aston !
ished rurale, who had his rifle at his |
SnOulueT. DOLu men ureu at Inc same In |
slant, but the excitement of the charge |
sent their bullets astray.
Boronda landed squarely upon Escobar, |
and they ciinchad. Escobar had second |
to grasp his revolver, while the outlaw
was trying to get at his knife. judge |
Contreras dared not shoot, as the COM
batants were rolling over and over. cursing
and striking at each other. Escobar |
managed to get his right arm free and |
with ligh:ning-like quickness raised the
revolver and fired. The outlaws brain |
was pierced ana he fell over without |
word. Throwing him from his arms Ru-
rale Escobar fell exhausted, while the
Judge and Rancher Josea came up.
The outlaw was buried where he fell,
and a bowlder rolled upon his grave. The
Justice took official note OF the proceed
ings on the spot. and reported them 10
his superior at Ensenada. The men went
10 Boronda's camp and there found lot
of stolen cattle grazing on the rich bot
toms and q lot of plumber in the outlaws
house. The cabin was an arsenal of
weapons.
Among the rifles on the wall was the
one taken by Rancher Vicente Ramos in
his search for the outlaw, and for the first
time the rancher's fate was definitely
known. He had been laid low by Boronda, |
his body robbed and thrown to the |
coyotes.