The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-08-31
RAID ON AN
OUTLAW LAIR
Mexican RuraleS Capture
Three of Gallegos'
CutthroatS.
ATROCI0US CRUELTY OF
THE BAND.
One of Its Victims Found Tied
to a Tree in a Lonely
Canyon.
BOUND, GAGGED AND LEFT TO
PERISH.
Almost Dead From Exhaustion When
Discovered-Stolen Horses Re-
turned to Owners.
BOUND, GAGGED AND LEFT TO
PERISH.
Almost Dead From Exhaustion When
DiscoVered-Stolen Horses Re-
turned to Owners.

SAN DIEGO, CAL, Aug. 30.-Campo,
the un-burnt little border town, the
headquarters for startling scrimmages be-
tween the officers of the law and horse
thieves, smugglers and Mexican despera-
does, comes to the front with another
delectabie story of villalny vanquished
and stolen horses recovered. The pic
turesuue train OF events had their begin
ming in Lower California, but more than
one Campo citizen lost horses, so every
body in the town was interested in the
details.
For months. even wears, the officers on
both sides OF the line have had trouble with
horsethieves, who drove their plumber
down onto the desert and into the Coeopah
Mountains, below the line, where they
were free from American officers and
ready TO fight any Mexicans who pursued
them For g year past it has been known
that large gang Of thieves had its head
quarters at a certain park in the Coco
pahs, and the officers even learned the
names of most of the gang. 1t was found
that there were twelve men, ten known 10
the Campo people and two strangers.
During the past month the thieves have
been especially lively. Eighteen or
twenty horses were stolen from the vicin-
ity of Campo alone, and below the line the
Mexican ranehers complained that their
horses seemed to take wings and fly away.
The thieves became so bold that they
stole horses IN daylight out of the fields,
driving them down through the pine for
ests of the peninsula and thence to the
Cocopah stronghold.
This high-handed proceeding aroused
the officers on both sides OF the line, and
posses we're sent out to overhaul the des-
peradoes. The American officers, not
daring to cross the boundary line, could
do little beyond patroIling the border,
while the Mexican ruraIes penetrated into
the Cocopahs, searching for the head
quarters OF the gang. Meantime the
Eanchers. themselves went on the hunt,
irving TO recover their own stock.
On the 18th inst. two Mexican ranchers,
who had missed ten horses, started out
with the intention Of recovering them or
making lead fv in the attempt. They took
rifles and plenty of ammunition, and fol-
lowed the trail OF the horses toward the
Cocopah range. They saw by the trail
that FIVE OF six men had driven the stock
away, so they moved cautiously in the
pursuit
In the range they found q little, park
ike mesa, with good feed, and there, ap-
parently with no guardians or herders,
they found thirty horses and mules, all
hobbled. Not seeing any sign of the
thieves the two ranchers went in and be-
gan TO unho bble their own animals. They
had freed eight when a sudden voIley was
sent from an ambush on the hills above
the park. The ranchers were not in jured
and thew made haste to seek shelter They
could not return the fire as the assailants
were completely hidden.
Hastily mounting, they courageously
rounded up their eight free animals and
drove them before them out of the valley
and back bone. & brisk fire was kent
I'D by the smbushed marauders, but they
were TOO far away TO do any damage aud
too cowardIy 10 leave their hiding place.
Tie rsnehers held their rifles ready to
pick of the first man who showed his
head.
The two ranchers drove their stock
straight across the gap OF desert bet ween
the Cocopah range and the main range TO
the west, IN order 10 reach the FIST water
They got there safely and then turned
northvard toward home, taking q trail
that leads through the pine forests of the
Hanson ranch, Mexican grant of 20. 600
acres.
On the way through the pineries they
heard faint cry al one side of the trail
ard saw = man tied to tree.
One of the ranchers dismounted and re-
leased the stran ger, who fell TO the ground
in a heap from exhaustion and hunger
They gave him food and a drink from a
caEteen. and he soon revived. He said he
was Rabavo. Frenchman, and that he
had been robbed of his horse, saddle and
bride BY gang of horsethieves that met
him where he had been tied The outlaws
overpowered him and tied him there earlv
the previous morning, and he had been
there day and half.
The trail Is lonesome and unfrequented
and his rescue was remarkable. Rabavo
said the young Mexicans in the gang
treated him with the harshest cruelty
thrusting a gag into his mouth and tving
the cords about his wrists so tightly thai
blood foYed- They beat him over the
head with their riatas ana threatened 10
kill him. Indeed, the old man thought
they had carried ont their threat when they
rode of with his horse and left him tied
TO the tree. he managed 70 get the gag
out of his mouth, but the thongs were too
tight TO be loosened, and IN MS struggles
he became so exhausted that he tainted
several times
The two ranchers gave them an animal
and he rode of toward his home. while
they proceeded to Iecase on the border,
of the plains" was notified Of the out
rage. TIE Judge left immedia tely, taking
with him a posse OF six rurales, all picked
men. quick on the trigger anG of tried
courage. They went straight to the Co
copah stronghold ana surprised two men,
who proved to be the only ones IN camp.
They were quickly overpowered and tied
to horses.
When the two men were captured they
had American horses picketed out and
these were also taken BY the Judge and
his posse. The captors did not look
further, fearing an attack by larger num-
bers, but hurried back toward Tecate. On
the way they stopped at q ranch and
there found tracks OF another OF the horse
thieves. whose horse had a peculiar hoof
easily recognized by the expert traiiers.
They searched the premises and found the
bandit in haystack where he had hastily
hidden when surprised by the approach
of the officers.
Judge Ryley and his six rurales decided
10 90 direct to Ensenada With their pris-
oners instead of TO Tecate. They there
fara snnfh