Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1897-10-14

cdIe lue HTst cNtltlHS eAptIleuct VI
the night" said man from New Next
co in telling Of some happenings in that
territory when the railroads there were
new. 1--WE 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 n repeating rifle, or heavy
revolver, mingled with the whzZing
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
lng along at a little distance behind US
Jumped to the roadside and went fiat
to 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 1t Tapping the sheriff $
hat-brim. The thrd-well, | wasn't
there any more, but was making three
jumps to the second to get behind the
corner of an adobe wall thai 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 a
quarrel over girl. No one was hit,
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. ranch-men, soldiers, lawyers,
tourists, and Spanlsh-Americans rich
and poor, passed in and out or lounged
about the doorways. The sheriff, Il
candidate for reelection. talked with
everybody in English or Spanish, as
the occasion demanded, and set up the
drinks often for the crowd as we
cru'sed from place to place. At about
ten o'clock a messenger with tele-
gram came hunting for him, and soon
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 Atchison road that
night few miles above Las Cruces.
The robbers had tried to ditch the
southwark bound passenger train, but
had succeeded only in stopping it. and
after attacking the eXpress-car, had
been beaten off A mile from the place
The same men, 1t was supposed. | ad
help up rich ranchman and robbed
IF nj ,ol t1J,
Messages had at once been sent by the
division superintendent of the road to
the sheriffs of bona 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-
sutation with Van Pattcn 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
Oh foot as to whether certain untrllst-
worthy characters living at Las Cruces
were In town at the time the train was
stopped. Having done everything APP
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 some
enchiladas before we go home
I'VE left the main street and its reve!-
ries and went up the hill to the east.
among the fiat-roOfed adobe houses OF
the poorer Mexican residents of the
town. AS we passed these humble
homes, through the doorways left open
tor GOODNESS the forms of the inmates
asleep upon the floor of the one room
within could indIstlnctly be seen. Jul
ana's was sort Of Mexican restaurant.
and here, at midnight, we ordered the
enchiladas, which were brought to us
on platter by the dark-skinned come
~ hostess. Enchiladas are tortilas-
thin cakes Of unleavened bread re-
sembling an ordinary buckwheat cake
In size and shape-on which is spread
a mixture Of onions and red chill DeD-
pers chopped up together With bot
tie Of beer to accompany them. found
the enchi!adas not half bad to eat. As
we sat at the table a pretty Mexican
girl In white-muslin gown, and bare
headed, came in, whom the sheriff
greeted as Josefa and Invited to n
glass Of beer They chatted together
in the Spanish tongue as we ate our
enchiladas, and he joked her about
some person whom he called 'Shifty
Bin Our meal finished, we paid the
hostess, said goodnight to her and
Josefa. and went out ito the darkness.
We did not go back the way we had
come. but, taking another route. passed
an adobe house In which a light was
burning, while the door was closed.
"'That Is Josefa's house, the sheriff
said to me. We walked on as far rs
the next house, few steps beyond.
Van Patten pulled me into its shadow
and stopped.
"'We'll 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 60
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 " hite-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 I saw
man, in dark clothes and wearing a
sombrero, on the point Of entering the
house.
His foot was at the threshold when