The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

town few months ago, not an uncommon
experience in that district.
The Oakland party consisted of Mrs.
Mary E. Linde, a journalist from Hot
Springs, Ark, and her son-in-law, George
Mockwitz. wife and child.
Mr. Mockwitz is geologist and mining
prospector and had gone to Lincoln
County from Paris, Texas. for the purpose
of prospecting, prepared to locate claims
for himself aud a rich Danish syndicate.
He found the country rich in mineral s.,
but the environments SO dangerous that
he could not remain there with safety to
himself and family.
Mrs. Linde was offered the only print
ing office at Lincoln free if she would con-
duct weekly county paper. This offer
appeared generous, considering the fact
that it contained presses and type to the
value of several thousand dollars and that
the advertisements amounted to $3.50
monthly, at the rate of $40 an inch for
advertisements, from the cattle-ranchers,
known as brand ads" showing each
rancher's cattie-brand.
This appeared to be grand offer until
it was discovered that no man had yet run
a paper acceptable to the cowboy element.
The last editor had had his nerves shat
tered by the actions of a band who had
LdhGll OlltUSG dO SOIuS uSWS puDlloilSu.
Instead of calling for retraction they
took the law into their own hands, rode
up to the office, opened fusilade of pistol
shots, pied the type and scared the editor
and staff into suspending publications.
very wise precautlon under the clrcum-
stances.
1t was soon learned that strangers were
not welcome unless they would fall in
with the clique OF cowboys that ran the
town, and Mr.. Mockwitz was not one of
their set, so they determined to annoy
him. They took possession of his valuable
horses, and coniscated whatever they
could lay their hands on.
The birth OF a little daughter in his
family compelled him to remain at Lin
coin two months, while he felt that his
life was not safe.
In the meantime Mrs. Lnde had written
articles for a paper at White Oak in New
Mexico, more civilized country, in
which she showed up the doings of the
so-called cowboys, which this lady says
are not the class generally known as cow
boys, but renegades of Texas. New Mexico
and all Western States. These articles
found their way back to Lincoln, making
her position as dangerous as that of
Colonel Fountain.
The cowboys swore that the family
should never leave Lincoln. and neither
could they until message reached Fort
Stanton, ten miles distant, asking protec-
ton for themselves. Captain Burbank re-
sponded, and troops were sent over to
escort Mrs. Linde and the Mockwitz fam
lily safely to Fort Stanton, where they re-
mained short while, and later on were
protected by the Government troops over
q stretch of 140 miles to the railroad sta
ton en- route to California.
In speaking of the experience Mr.. Mock
witz says that he has travelled all over
America and Europe, but never epcoun-
tered class of people so wholly lawless
and defiant as these outlaws, who are
called cowboys, which is a decided mis-
nomer, for they are not like the cowboys
of Texas and elsewhere, but lot of men
who recognize no laws but their own, and
revenge every real or fancied wrong with
terrible punishments, regardless of life.
The population of Lincoln is not over
1000 habitants, and the law-abidIrg citi-
zens are greatly in the minority, standing
in abject fear of the class that murdered
Colonel Fountain.
II am surprised that he was allowed to
live even as long as he did," said Mrs.
Linde tonight, latter convicting the
twenty two cowboys, who were among the
very wors. OF the clique that rule Lincoln,
the county seat of Lincoln County,