The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-10-28
1--WE ,inutes after leaving the


territory when the railroads there were
new. I'VE had crossed an open lot
and turned up the sandy street leading
TO the principal street OF Las Cruces
when, bang-bang-bang! from some
where in the darkness ahead came the
reports of repeatlng-rifie, or heavy
revolver, mingled with the whizzing
screech Of bullets coming straight down
the road with us in the direct line of
their course. At the first shot Van Pat
ten and stopped still, and man walk
Ing along at little distance behind us
jumped to the roadside and went dat
10 the ground in the ditch. He wasn't
hit, and didn't mean to be. The second
bullet passed between Van Patten and
me, the wind of It Tapping the sheriff's
hat-brim. The third-well, | wasn't
there any more, but was making three
jumps to the second to get behind the
corner OF an adobe wall that fenced an
orchard from the road. The sheriff
stood his ground and laughed at me for
running away; then went back to the
house for his revolver. When we got
up to the main street. we learned that
the firing had been done by Mexican
taking shots at another Mexican IN
quarrel over girl No one was bit,
and so the matter passed.
The city's principal street was
ablaze with the lights of saloons, all
open In front on this hot September
night and crowded with customers.
Miners, rGnch-men. soldiers. lawyers,
tourists. and sh-Amerlcans, rich
and poor, passed In and out or lounged
about the doorways, The sheriff
candidate for reelection, talked with
everybody in English or Spanish, ms
the occasion demanded, and set up the
drinks often FOR the crowd as we
cruised from place to place At about
ten O'Clock a messenger with tele-
gram came hunting for him. and soon
a new excitement spread through the
town, and men gathered in groups 20
listen to such details as had reached the
city of an attempt at train robbery that
had occurred on the Atchlson road that
night a few miles above Las Cruces.
The robbers had tried to ditch the
southward-bound passenger train, but
had succeeded only in stopping 1t, and
after attacking the express-car, had
been beaten off. A mile from the place
the same men, It was supposed, lad
help up a rich ranchman and robbed
him of his money, pistol, and watch.
Messages had at once been sent by the
division superintendent of the road to
the sheriffs of Dona Ana, Lincoln,
Sierra, and Socorro Counties notifying
them of the occurrence. Two railroad
detectives had arrived In Las Cruces on
special locomotive, and were in con-
sultation with Van Patten by eleven
o'clock that night
ivan Patten hunted up all of his dep
uties that were IN town, and sent two
with posse up to the scene Of the at.
tempted robbery to trail the bandits
from that point. He also set inquiries
on foot as to whether certain untrust.
worthy characters living at Las Cruces
were in town at the time the train was
stopped. Having done everything ap
, parently that could be done that night
toward detecting and capturing the out
laws, Van Patten said to me:
, "Let's go up to Juana's and eat som,
, enchlladas before we go home.
! I'VE left the main street and its revel
. ries and went up the hill to the east
| among the hat-roofed adobe houses o.
9 the poorer Mexican residents of tn,
9 town. As we passed these humbl,
homes, through the doorways left opei
. for GOODNESS the forms of the lnmate
i asleep upon the floor Of the one room
:. within could lndlstnctly be seen. Ju
q ana's was sort Of Mexican restaurant
and here, at midnight, we ordered tn
enchiadas, which were brought TO II
on platter by the dark skinned come
J. " hostess. Enchiladas are tortlllas-
l. thin cakes OF unleavened bread re
d sembling an ordinary buckwheat cak
d In size and shape-on which Is sprea
J. a mixture of onions and red chill pei
8 pers chopped up together With a DO
70 tie of beer to accompany them | foun
1t the enchi.adas not half bad to eat. 4
% we sat at the table pretty Mexica
10 girl In white-muslin gown, and bar,
headed, came in, whom the sher
greeted as Josefa aud invited to
: glass of beer They chatted togetht
In the Spanish tongue as we ate OF
enchlladas. and he joked her abol
some person whom he called Shift
Bill Our meal finished, we paid IL
hostess, said goodnight to her an
Josefa, and went out i"to the darkness
We did not go back the way we ha
q come, but, taking another route. passt
an adobe house In which light w;
r. burning. while the door was closed
, THAT Is Josefa's house. the sher
said TO me. We walked on as far
the next house, few steps beyon
Van Patten pulled me into its shade
md stopped.
IS m'We'll wait here a bit. Don't spe;
or make a noise he cautioned me.
I "A minute later found myself stan
v ing alone, the sheriff having left me
:. silently that | had not noticed his {
- Ing. As stood in the shadow, wond'
ing whas all this mystery was abo'
he the door OF Juana's house, UP the hi
i. side, opened. and the white-robed fol
of Josefa came through the darknt
toward her house. Arriving, she we
ne into the house, leaving the door par
open. Then came the sound Of TO
nd steps of some one walking softly
ward the house, and in the light Il
,rd streamed through the doorway | 81
me man, In dark clothes and wearing
=. sombrero, on the point Of entering
!, house.
His foot was at the threshold wi
click, came the sound Of a pistol-ha
mer suddenly cooked, and the snerl
u voice said, sternly: Hands up! You
my prisoner!
sVrho man Of tho threshold star