Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-25
BUSY BAND OFF, BRICANDS
They Hold Up, Rob and Fight Withou
Frovooation.
THEIR HAUNTS IN THE SOUTHWEST
Daring Operations of nm Active Gang
of PIundcrcrs In Arizona aud
New McNico-Thcir Idcn-
tity Unknown.

coaches, postoffices and the stores of country
merchants Although often surrounded and
closely pursued. relates a correspondent OF
the New York Sun, the band has eluded
all pursuers One of the band. supposed to
have been the leader, is dead, but his loss
has not stopped the depredations OF the rest.
So little is known of these robbers that not
even name has been applied to them.
They appear to be as fearless and as clever
in their exploits as the Jesse James gang
or the McCarty bank robbers
When Cole Young alias Estes, was shot
by United States Deputy Marshal Loomis on
the night of October ., while the robbers
were attempting to hold up the eastbound
passenger train on the Atlantic & Pacific
railroad, near Rio Puerco station, the Off
GERS thought that the party consisted OF
Black Jack, Jesse Williams, Bob Hays and
Tom Anderson desperate fellows who had
been cowboys on several of the great cattle
ranges of southeastern New Mexico. AS
Black Jack and his companions have not
heen seen in their accustomed haunts for
several months the suspicion that they are
the robbers is probably well founded. Who
ever the robbers may be, however, they
have been leading civil and federal officers
and troops of United States cavalry chase
of hundreds of miles over the most desolate
regions in the southwest and not a week
goes by without reports of new robberies
coming into railway headquarters and to the
Postoiiice Inspectors department in this city
LOOTERS OF THE DESERT.
OF i'm the desert country of eastern New
Mexico are scattered herds of sheep tended
by q nomadic class of poor Mexicans The
sparsely watered valleys have long been oc-
cupied by the big cattle companies. which.
through the ravages of cattle rustlers and
4. Nf Hon al hNt
wiped out. 1t was off in this dreary country
that Colonel Fountain OF Las Cruces, accom-
panied by his little son, was waylaid by
band OF cattle rustlers as he was returning
from the trial of two members of their gang
for cattle stealing, and though six months
have passed no trace of the missing lawyer
or his son has been discovered. Both prob
ably were murdered and their bodies buried
in the white sands.
On the evening of June two men entered
the storehouse en- the Bell ranch and stole
a large quantity Of provisions. On the pre-
vious day they had killed steer out on the
range aud had cooked some choice cuts OF
fresh meat over an open camp fire. TWO
days later they entered the general store Of
NJ. Herzeen. at Liberty, deSolate settle
ment where the few wants OF the Mexican
sheep herderp are supplied. They displayed
their guns and, holding up the proprietor
and his son Levi, they pillaged the place.
There was postoffice In this store, and be-
cause of il the knowledge of the holdup
reached the Office of the postofiice inspector
in this city, and an inspector was dis
patched to investigate the case. The inspec-
tor had to travel in a blackboard 112 miles
over the desert from Las Vegas station TO
reach the place, and arrived one day toe
late to be held up on enc of the San Antonio
stages by the same gang.
Meanwhile the storekeeper had gathered
posse of neighbcrs and was OF in pursuit of
the band. The party overlook the robbers in
camp about thirty miles southwest of Lib
erty and spirited attack was made upon
them. The robbers stood their ground, and
in the fight Levi HerZstein, the postmaster,
and a Mexican was killed. Three horses
were shot. This loss stopped the pursuing
party and the robbers made their escape.
One of their horses was killed, and in order
to hide their identity they cut out the brand
with hunting knife before making off
further into the hills.
RANCH ROBBERIES.
Occasionally during the next three weeks
the local newspapers of New Mexico con-
tanned brief items about ranch houses robbed
and country stores pillaged, but no trace OF
the robbers seemed to be found. On July 20
three men dressed as cowboys entered the
postoffice at Separ, small station on the
Southern Pacific, thirty miles west of Dem
ing, held up the postmaster and raed the
mail for registered packages. AT the time of
this robbery two troops of United States
cavalry were IN the 0eld along the DOTOer OF
Mexico chasing a band of renegade Indians
who had been committing depredations
among the settlers The United States mar
shall secured premisson from army headquar-
ters to guide the cavalry against these post
office robbers who had escaped into the
to tho north of Deming. Deputy
Looms, accompanied by Lieutenant Clark
with Troop ID, Seventh Cavalry, traied the
robbers to point about fifty miles south
west Of Lordsburg, where they were sur
al IraIa 10,
had intrenched themselves behind natural
and defed capture. While the
cavalry were closing in upon the men, care
fully studying the ground, the robbers eluded
them, and, making their way through Skele-
ton Canyon, Travelled 1l0 miles at a rapid pace
stopping over night at a ranch near Deming.
and on the following morning boldly entered
the town, calling for their mail at the post
office and then riding out of the settlement
More than $50 men now Joined
in the chase and great circle was formed.
1t was thought that the robbers could not es-
cape. but they did and the chase was
given up
ONE RoBBER FALLS.
As Deputy Marshal Loomis and Special
Agent Cade Sevy were returning on the
lastbound express on the Atlantic Pa
cifc railway on the night OF October 2 to |
their home in Albuquerque, after their un-
successful pursuit, the train was held up by |
4 party of masked men at Puerco Station |
While the engine was taking water at the |
tank, the engineer was tightening a crank |
pin on one of the driving wheels, and the |
conductor was standing near by, talking to |
aim. The robbers suddenly appeared out OF |
he darkness and commanded the tralnmen |
% hold up their hands. Then they ordered |
he engineer to uncoupie the express car |
rom the train and move up the track While |
his was being done the robbers began a |
uslade in the direction of the train, in |
order TO intimldate the express messenger |
md tho passengers. Loomis and Selvy were |
sitting in the smoking car at the time and |
when they heard the shots they rushed out
md started forward to learn what was |
going on. Taking in the situation Looms |
lrew his rife and taking deliberate aim at
me of the robbers he fired, bringing down his
nan at the first shot. He fired at the others |
)ut when they saw their companion fall |
hey retreated, followed into the woods by
.ooms. The brush was rather too dangerous
spot for even an intrepid officer like Looms
md he returned to the train. The robber
hat had been brought down proved to be
1ole Young alias Estes, but nothing was
ound upon his person TO assist the officers
n their pursuit OF the other members OF the
,and. Loomis remained at the water tank
while the train went on to albuquerque,
hoping to get another shot at the robbers
when they returned for the body OF their
omrade but they did not come back. Mean
While a special train had been made up at
and a posse tried TO overtake
he robbers before they could get into Mex