Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-10-28
1--WE minutes after leaving tn

came the drst exciting experience OF
the nigh" snid q man from New Mexi.
I - In telling OF some happenings in that
territory when the railroads there were
new. I'VE had crossed an open lot
and turned up the sandy street leading
70 the principal street Of Las Cruces
when. bang -bang-bang! from some
where IN the darkness ahead came the
reports Of repeating-rine, or heavy
I revolver, mingled with the whizzing
j acreech Of bullets coming straight down
8 the road with 10 In the direct line Of
4 their coufse. At the first shot Van Pat
zen and stopped still, and a man walk
\ Nc along 1t little distance behind us
1umped to the roadside and went nat
" y the ground In the ditch. He wasn't
3 Mt ana dldn't mean to be. The second
bullet passed between Van patten and
me. the wind OF It tapping the sherifr's
1 hat-bflm. The third-well, l wasn't
there any more, but was making three
Jumps 70 TIE second to get behind the
corner Of IN adobe wall that fenced an
sDrchard frem the road. The sheriff
ofood his ground and laughed at me for
running away: then went back to the
] 0ouse Tor his revolver. When we got
mp to the main street, we learned that
the fring had been done by Mexican
! taking sAets ct another Mexican in a
quarrel over girl No one was hit,
and - the matter passed.
Ihe citys principal street was
r 1Oja1e with the lights OF saloons. all
zen - fronk on this hot September
Nlght and crowded with customers.
liners. fanch-men, soldiers, lawyers,
sou-ists, ard Spanish-Americans, rich
ma poor. passed In and out or lounxed
about tho doorways. The sheriff, a
Eandidate for reelection. talked with
aeyefybody in English or Spanish, as
! ne occasion demanded, and set up the
Gfinks eften Tor the crowd "a we
c1uised from place to place. At about
I'm O'Clock . messenger with q tele-
1ram came hunting for him, and soon
H. new excitement spread through the
town. and men gathered in groups 70
listen to such details AZ had reached the
3 <3tJ OF m attempt at train robbery that
- occurred on the Atchison road that
Night few miles above Las Cruces,
~ robbers had tried to ditch the
Soathward-bound passenger train, but
sAad succeeded only in stopping It, and
nfter attacking the express-car, had
Zen beaten on. A mile from the place
Nfne same men, It was supposed, Rad
I'D up rich ranchman and robbed
Nm Of his money, pistol, and watch.
Messages had at once been sent by the
1lyislon superintendent Of the road to
- sheriffs Of Dona Ana, Lincoln,
0teEra, and Socorro Counties, notifying
hem of the occurrence. Two railroad
sbetectives had arrived In Las Cruces on
H. special locomotive. and were In con-
sauttation with Van Patten by eleven
o'clock that night.
Van Patten hunted up all OF his dep
ntfes tAat were in town, and sent two
18th = posse up to the scene Of the at
afempted robbery to trail the bandits
ttom that point. He also set inquiries
san foot q to whether certain untrust-
worthy characters living at Las Cruces
we're n town at the time the train was
etopped Having done everything an
spaEen&l1 that could be done that night
toWAfd detecting and capturing the out.
lava Van Pa4ten said to me:
. LET'S 50 up to Juana's and eat some
enchiladas before we go home
We left the main street and its reyel-
- and went up the hill to the east.
1non6 the nat-roofed adobe houses Of
@3os poorer Mexican residents of the
ssown. A. we passed these humble
Aemes, through the doorways left open
s1oE GOODNESS the forms OF the inmates
1aeep upon the noor Of the one room
i1hin could indktinctly be seen. Ju-
mas was sort Of Mexican restaurant.
ond here, at midnight, we ordered the
ochilAdas, which were brought to us
$50 = platter BY the dark-skinned come
III hostess Enchiladas are tortillas-
thin cakes Of unleavened bread re-
embllng m ordinary buckwheat cake
m sire and shape on which is spread
a mixture Of onions and red chill pep-
ets chopped up together With a bot
Ia Of beer to accompany them. found
fAe enchiladas not half bad to eat. AS
3 - Aat ct the table pretty Mexican
4 1d y white-muslin gown, and bare
eaded, came In. whom the sheriff
Idkeeted O. Josefa and invited to 4
1ass q beer They chatted together
The Gpanish tongue as we ate our
NcAila6as. and he joked her about
one person whom he called .Shifty
Oar meal finished, we paid the
oetess, said goodnight to her and
spe1(a, md went out into the darkness.
fs dM not 50 hack the way we had
lSotne I'M. flking another route. passed
sSBN adobe house In which q light was
ornIng. while the door was closed.
NJ I. That u J0sefa's house. the sheriff
s3a16 b me. We walked on a. far 90
next house, . few steps beyond.
\ no PAtten pulled me into It's shadow
nd 1toppe0.
Veil wait here bit. Don't speak
take noise, he cautioned me.
minute later found myself stand
M AJone. the sheriff having left me %
n. 80 n. - -