Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1897-10-14
A NIGHT AT LAS CRUCES.

an adobe house in which light was
burning, while the door was closed.
THAT is JoSefa's house, the sheriff
said to me. We walked on as far as
the next house. few steps beyond.
Van Patten pulled me into its shadow
and stopped.
"'We'il wait here bit. Don't speak
or make noise he cautioned me.
"A minute later found myself stand
ing alone, the sheriff having left me so
silently that | had not noticed his GO
| ing. As stood in the shadow, wonder
ing what all this mystery was about,
! the door Of ,Juana's house. up the hill
side, opened, and the white-robed form
of JOsefa came through the darkness
toward her house. Arriving. she went
into the house, leaving the door partly
open. Then came the sound of foot
steps Of some one walking softly to-
ward the house, and in the light that
streamed through the doorway | saw
n man, in dark clothes and wearing Il
sOmbrero, on the point of entering the
house.
His foot was at the threshold when
click, came the sound of IA pistOl-ham-
mer suddenly cooked and the sheritf's
voice said, sternly: Hands up! You're
my prisoner!
"The man at the threshold started
back as if he had been stung and
turned, but his hands went up above
his head as quickly when he saw Van
Patten, who had stepped behind him
from round the corner of the house,
covering him with his revolver. He re-
covered himself in a moment enough to
curse vigorously. Van Patten took no
chances with his prisoner. Josefa n
the doorway was screaming for res
cue and calling for a knife that she
might kill the sheriff She would have
attacked him tooth and nail, but he ue-
clared that he would shoot the prisoner
with the first interference from any
one.
Its no use, Bill; you'd better come
along peaceably,' he said, I'll show you
my warrant when we get to the Gala
boose. This gunll do for warrant till
we get there. You know what'u hap
pen if you drop your hands. Right
about! March"
Down the hill, into the main street
or the town, we went, where, at past
one o'clock in the morning, the saloons
were in full blast. with a trade almost
as good as in the beginning of the even
ing. a crowd gathered and followed
as the sheriff took his prisoner to the
lookup. There had been no chance
since the arrest was made for the man
to get rid of anything he had concealed
about him, and there were found in his
possession, besides the pair of revolvers
and knife at his belt, back mask and
n gold watch and pocket-book with
money, which afterward led to his
conviction for the crime of attempted
train-wrecking and for the robbery of
the ranchman. The arrest of Shifty
Bill--such was the prisoners title, his
real name being Philip Hulskamp-
was followed by the capture of his two
accomplices within the next twenty
four hours, so that this episode was
quickly closed.
Il suspected from the first that
Shifty Bin had a hand in the business
up the road said the sheriff, as we
walked home together in the early
morning. Why? Instinct, | suppose
l found out that he had not been in
town through the afternoon and even
Ing. When his girl, Josefa, came for
enchiladas and frijoles to take to her
home-that was her errand at Juana's
i made up my mind that she expected
him to arrive late and hungry. Did
you see her face when | joked her
about Bill? She was anxious for nm.
and showed it. So when he came to
her house | took the risk of arresting
him, and made no mistake New
York Sun.