Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1898-01-26

Gonzales. Rafael Gonzales aud Arismen
Duran returned from a ttip which took
Los Lunas. 5ycofrO aud u gOodly por.
ton Of the n%eighboring territory Of New
The Herald man had an inter.
with Audon Gonzales and listened
10 a story which II even one. half be true,
couyinces one Of the existence OF an Ur.
gained band OF cattle thieves located
just over the line Of this territory, in the
western parts OF Valencia and Socorro
counties, New Mexico. The operations Of
this thieving organization had assumed
wholesale proportions, beside which the
m vements OF the single rustler with u
rope aud branding iron pales into insig.
.nilicluce.
MIR. Gonzales story is as follows;
"On the 18th Of last December, while in
the neighborhood Of the Zuni villages, |
struck the trail Of three men driving a
large herd OF cattle. l sent back for as.
sistance. and was Joined by Rafael Con.
zales and Arismen Duran. The follow
ing day we came up pretty close 10 the
outfit, which had been Joined by George
Hardin, who seemed TO assume command
and directed the movements OF the
whole party. Afterwards several other
men rode up and Joined the party we
w-re watching. After q while myself
aud companions went to Los Lunas,
New Mexico. and made complaints and
swore out warrants for the arrest Of the
men driving of the stock. We we're &C
cjmpanied or our return by Deputy
Sheriff II. X Vigil, OF Valencia county.
New Mexico. and Richard Lewis, OF Al
buQuerque, a cattle inspector.
"During our absence the cattle had
been moved farther east, and we found
them at a ranch between Bluewater and
San MateO. owned by W.T.. Chadwick and
John Negler.
"The cattle had been cut into two herds,
The large herd was still In the hands OF
Hardin's men, while three other men,
all strangers to me, and who claimed to
be working for one Wesley Coates, were
holding the smaller herd. Deputy Shsr-
III Vigil arrested the men in charge OF
the smaller herd, a. all the cattle bearing
my brand were in that herd. The men
gave their names az Frank, Sam. and
Jim. Jones.
after the arrest Deputy Sheriff Vigil
with the prisoners and Messrs. Gonzales
and Duran, went TO Los Lunas The
particular steer charged in the complaint
was owned by Audon Gonzales. who lives
In SocOrro county, the whole party went
TO Socorro, where the Jones men had a
preliminary hearing before a committing
magistrate, at which Audon Gonzales
and Inspector Richard Lewis, OF Albu,
querque, were witnesses. The defendants
we're bound over to appear before the
next Socorro county grand jury. and In
default Of bail are now lodged In the So
zorro jail"
Mr.. Gonzales says that all the cattle
held by these parties at Chadwick's ranch
numbered $40 head, and bore the brands
OF the Wabash Cattle company, Pratt &
Becker, W. II. Phelps, ST. George Creaghe
George W. Henderson, Jose Garcia, Mi
guel Duran. Audon Gonzales. RafaeI
Gonzales, John Cox. Of New Mexico, anC
almost everybody else having cattle run
ming on the range In Apache county.
Inspector Richard Lewis, Of Albuquer
que, called the attention Of the live stocl
sanitary board, of New Mexico, TO thu
matter, who took charge OF the cattle
and they now have the stock In thelI
possession, awaiting further develop
ments.
IL il hardly necessary TO state that bOtl
George Hardin and Wesley Coats skipped
out at once, aud have not since beeI
seen. A little over a year ago HardiI
purchased the TX brand of cattle from
Johnson Brothers, OF Gallup, and ha
since made his headquarters at 0io Bo
nitO. just over the line In New Mexico
northeast OF this place. He has born
a good reputation before this occurrence
Wesley Coats is a common, ordinar.
cow hand, and was supposed to be work
ing for Hardin, as he has been making
his home for some time past at 0jO BOni
to. 1t is supposed that Hardin aud Coat
have left the country together.
There is some quiet talk that HardiI
is not che head Of the organization, ant
IL is pretty openly charged that certaiI
other parties rank him In the business
Be this as 1t may, II will all come out Il
time, and we hope TO see the big me
and moving spirits of the thieying organ
i~zation brought TO time, and receive thei
just deserts.