El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-08-30
DIAMOND DICK SHOT
In a Eiqht With RanChmen.


ing shortly after dark which resulted |
in the death of one man and the |
of two others.
The affair as stated to the HERALD
reporter this morning by Captain John
Il. Hughes is in substance as follows:
&c. st. Leon, better known as Dia-
mond Dick, one of my rangers, was
to go to SocOrro aud subpoena witness
es. Dick complied with the request
and this particular case, an alleged
theft of cattle, was disposed Of. While
the trial was in progress the horses be-
longing to John Collier and Bob Fir
ley got loose and, it is claimed, wan
dered OIL into pasture belonging to
Mexican. The Mexican promptly put
the horses in the pound to await the
arrival of the owners. Finley and Col
lier arrived at the pound soon after
and released their horses by force of
arms. Dick being on hand was natur-
ally asked by the justice of the peace
to arrest them. Dick deputiZed citi-
zen to assist in making the arrest and
Finley and Collier were brought into
court.
when arrested Finley and Collier
put up the story that their horses had
been released by the Mexican on pur-
pose and placed in the pound. Dick
by Will tHC" oho apo4 Liz
suggestion to the peace justice the case
against Finley and Collier was dismis-
sed.
st was getting dark when Dick and
his deputy and Finley and Collier
mounted their horses to ride away
from Socorro. They all shook hands
and separated apparently the best OF
friends. Dick and his deputy started
for Ysleta and Collier and Finley start
ed for their ranch in exactly the OPP
posite direction to that taken by Dick
and the deputy.
1.-THE four had been separated but
short time when twelve shots were
heard in the direction taken by Finley
and Collier. Dick heard the shots and
imm ediately fastened in the direction
whence they came. In making this
chase Dick passed the Office of the JUS
tice of the peace at SOcorro and that
official was standing outside. Dick
stopped and asked the justice con-
formed that it was Finley and Collier
who had done the shooting, and advis-
ed not to attempt to arrest them as
they were bad men. Dick paid no at
tentiOn to this but continued down the
line after his men until he reached
the La Maire ranch. Here he stopped,
aud not having yet caught up with
Finley and Collier he deputized 8
young physician NAM ed Oscar j. Braux
to assist him in capturing the Offend
ers. The chase was resumed by Dick
and the young physician.
when they arrived within few
hundred yards of the Finley and Collier
camp it was very darS aud after q brief
conversation, Dick and his deputy con-
cluded to tie their horses and camp
there until morning before making tn e
arrest. The officers lay down to rest
for the night They had been resting
but short time when they were arous-
ed by approaching horses from the
direction of SocOrrO. Dick concluded
Immediately that they were the par
ties whom he was hunting, and that he
had passed them some place along the
road.
she ordered them to surrender and
they opened fire. Dick fired also and
the battle was on. Fifteen shots were
fred while the fight lasted and when
the smoke cleared away Dicks deputy
was found dead, SHOT in the right ear.
Dick was shot in the biceps of the left
| arm, the ball passing through into the
left lung. John Ray, who had joiced
the Finley party somewhere along the
line, was shot in the right leg.
"Finley's horse WAS shot in the neck
during the fight and at the same time
Finley claims that he was not there DUR
ing the shooting, that Collier was riding
his horse
after the shooting Finley. Collier,
and Ray went to Judge Carr's ranch at
San Elizario and Finley told Mr.. Carr
that the three of them wished to sur
render. They remained at the home
of Judge Carr until arrested this morn
ing. We boarded the T. P. trsin at
San ElizariO and brought the prisoners
to Ell Psso.''
The party arrived over the T. p.
this morning on the regular train and
John Ray was locked up in the county
Jail while Finley and Collier were
brought before Justice DarwoOd where
them, the first charging Finley. Col
lier and Ray with the murder of the
young physician Oscar J. BrauX, and
the second complaint charging the same
three3with assault with attempt to
kill f.. st. Leon.
Oscar j. Braux, the young physician
killed in this fight, is said by those
who knew him, to have been an intel
ligent, respectable and law-abiding
citizen. He came from New Orleans
to SOcorro five months ago in search of
health and had during this short time
accumulated large circle of friends.
Diamond Dicks injuries are being
attended to by DR.. G f. Knoblaugb, of
Yslets. 1t is thought that he is not
fata ly injured, and that with the nee
essary attention ne will come out all
right.
The reporter called on Finley and
Collier at the Jail and asked if they
wouldn't make statement for
the public SO that both
sides OF the MISTER would be
known, hut they both refused to have
anything to say, but told the reporter
to call on their attorneys, Messrs. Fall
vey and Davis
These gentlemen said that they
would rather not make any statement,
as the examining trial would come up
Thursday, at which time the public
will know the other side of it.
There is some doubt OF being able to
have q trial on Thursday, as it
is said that Diamond Dick, the wound
ed man. will have to be witness for
the state in the case, and it will likely
be impossible for him to come before
the court at that time.