The morning news., 1897-01-16
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A NEW MEXICAN EPISODE.
Dave Rudebaugh's Attempt to Rescue
His Partner From Prison.

From the New York Sun.
1T was in 1879. the year the railroad came
to Las Vegas, that Dave Rudebaugh and
man named Allen made their famous at
| tempt to rescue Dawes partner, Webb,
from prison. said the New Mexican in the
| Office of the Fifth Avenue hotel last even
ing. For careful planning and reckless
execution 1 reckon there is nothing in the
| stories of Jack Sheppard of Dick Tur-
pin to beat it. Webb had killed some
body in an irregular way, and was held
for trial in the old adobe Jail on the north
side of the plaza, with the prospect of
severe sentence by the courts, if he wasn't
taken out and hanged meantime by the
Vigilantes.
Dave Rudebaugh, as l remember him
then, was handsome young fellow, with
soft black eyes and smooth, pleasant
voice. Beneath this attractive exterior
were nerves like steel desperate courage,
and absolute unscrupulousness in the TAX
ing OF any human life that stood between
him and his purposes. Having decided to
try to get his partner out of prison, he
set about the business very Systematically.
Every afternoon he came to the jail with
delcacies and newspapers for the prisoner,
and, being allowed to talk with him
through the grating of the cell, he gained
place
and the time and manner of posting the
guards The Jail. modelled on the plan
of the Mexican calabozo, had a courtyard
in the CENTER and the covered passage
connecting it with the street was barred by
a grated gate. In the courtyard were two
arched cells closed by grated doors at
one end, and in one of these cells Webb
was confined. Armed officers, prompt to
shoot when occasion demanded, guarded
the jail.
"On the day set for the rescue an emis-
sary of Rudebaugh's came into Hough-
toms store, on the street leading from the
plaza to the open plain on the east and
bought three Winchester rifles and a large
supply of amKnunition which was packed
in box. The, box and rifles, a his re-
quest, were placed near the door, the pur-
chaser saying that he would call for them
later IN the day. In the afternoon Rude
baugh and Allen drove up to the entrance
of the Jail in a hack drawn by pair of
livery horses. and asked permission to
visit webb. The one guard on duty at
the time, a Mexican named Pine, admit
ted them. No sooner were they i'm the
Jail yard, out of view from the street,
than Rudebaugh and Allen drew revolVers
and demanded of Pine that he release
Webb from his cell. This Pine refused to
do, and Allen at once shot him dead. The
desperadoes seized his keys and tried to
find the one that fitted the lock of Webo's
cell, but before they could do this the
citizens about the plaza, hearing the shot
had begun to gather around the Jail. See
ing that the jig was up as far as rescu-
ing his partner went, Rudebaugh flung
the bunch of keys into Webbs cell and
with Allen, made a rush for the hack
and sprang into it. Allen seized the
reinS, and, lashing the horses they dashed
across the plaza, swung round the corner
at Bridge street leading eastward to the
mesa Uable lanD and the plains, and We're
beyond gunshot before the people at the
plaza realized what had happened. At
Houghton's store Allen pulled the horses
up short. Rudebaugh jumped out of the
hack and put aboard the rifles and ammu-
milton in waiting there and then the des-
peradoes were off and away again at
breakneck speed. They were out of town
and well on their way up the mesa. on
the trail leading to the Pecos country be-
fore the news of the attempted rescue Of
Webb and the killing of Pine became
generally known in the heart of the town.
An unorganized pursuit by citizens was
begun at once. Every man and boy who
could get a horse and firearm of any
kind started as quickly as he could on
the trail of the outlaws, until the i'm
promptu posse numbered several hundred.
The foremost of the pursuers soon came
within rifle shot of the hack, and shoot
ing at long range began on both sides
The running fight continued through the
remainder of the afternoon without in
jury to either party for, knowing the
skill with firearms of the two despera-
does, none of the pursuers was desirous
at this point Of lessening the gap between
him and the hack. At dusk Rudebaugh
and Allen took the horses from the hack.
and mounting them, escaped in the dark
ness, and an organized pursuit by the
sherims posse, though quickly begun,
failed to oVertake them. Once in the Pc
cos country, then practically region be-
yond the pale of the law, and dominated
by desperadoes and outlaws, the two fll-
gitives were safe, although the pursuit
of them was not slackened for a long
time.
"A characteristic and tragical event Of
this long flight from pursuit was the
death of Allen several weeks after the
outbreak at Las Vegas. Ii was told bv
Rudebaugh himself. To Allen, who had
lost one lung through consumption and
was sorcly afflicted with rheumatism. the
pain and discomfort from the exposure
and hard riding 10 which he was forced
became unbearable, and he often entreat-
ed his companion TO put an end to his
misery by shooting him. one day. as
they We're riding along together. Rude
baugh took him at his word. and. putting
his pistol to Aliens head, blew his
brains out. lie buried him by the way
side and rode on his way unhampered.
with an extra horse TO reward his act of
friendship.
1T was soon after this occurrence that
Rudohaugh Joined the gang of Billy the
Kid and became the chosen friend and
lieutenant of that formidable young out
law. II was in association with him that
he won his greatest notoriety as a robber
and desperate. and he was one of the
three companions Of Billy when Sheriff
Pat Garret captured them all. after a
siege Of "a day and a night I'm an adobe
house at Oio Hedionda. and took them in
irons TO Santa Fe Both Billy and Rude
haugh. az different times. made their