Arizona republican., 1898-01-30
CATTLE THIEVES.

The St. Johns Herald publishes an | interview which throws light on the 1 subject. It is here presented:
 "On the 7th of last December, while ill the neighborhood of the Zun vil- lages, | struck the trail of three men | driving a large herd of cattle. I sent back for assistance, and was joined by Rafael Gonzales and Arismen Du-
 ran. The following day we came up pretty close to the outfit, which had
 been joined by George Hardin, who seemed to assume command and di-
 rected the movements of the whole party. Afterwards several other men rode up and joined the parry we were watching After awhile myself and companions went to Los Lunas, New
 Mexico, and made complaints and swore out 'wahranIt.z for the arrest of the men driving off the stock. We
 were accompanied on our return by Deputy Sheriff F. X. Vigil of Valencia county, New Mexico, and Richard Lewis of Albuquerque, a cattle in- spectOr.
 During our absence the, cattle had been moved farther east, and we found them at ranch between Bluewat5r and San Mateo, owned by W. T. Chad wick and John Nagler
 ''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 therd. Deputy Sheriff Vigil arrested the mem in charge of the smaller herd, as all the cattle bearing my brand were in that herd The mem gave their names as Frank, Sam and Jim Jones'
 After the arrest Deputy Cheriff Vigil with the prisoners and Messrs. Gonzales and Duran, went to Los Lu- mas. The particular steer charged in the complaint was owned by Audon Gonzales, who lives in Socorro coun- ty, the whole party went to Socorro, where lthe Jones mem had a prelimi- niaIy hearing before a committing magistrate, at which Audon Gonzales and Inspector Richard Lewis of AL buquerque, were witnesses. The de- fendants were bound over So appear before the next Socorro county grand jury, and in default of bail are now lodged in the Socorro jail.''
 MT. Gonzales says that all the cat tie held by these parties at Chad+ wick's ranch numbered $40 head, and bore the brands of the Wabash Cattle company, Pratt & Becker, W. H. Phelps, St. George Creaghe, George w. Henderson, Jose Garcis, Miguel Duran, Audon Gonzales, Rafael Con- zales, John Cox of New Mexico and almost everybody else having cattle running om the range in Apache county.
 Inspec.o Richard Lwis of Albuquer- quei called the attention of the live stock sanitary board of New M ,xico to the matter, who took charge of the cattle, and they now have the stock in their possession, awaiting further developments.
 It is. hardly necessary to state that both George Hardin and Wesley Coates skipped out at once, and have not since been seen. A little over a 1 year ago Hardin purchased the " brand of cattle from Johnson Bros of Gallup and has since made his head quarters at Ojo Bonito, just over the line in, New Mexico, northeast of this place. He has borne a good reputa- ton before this occurrence.
 Wesley Coa,es is a common, ordi- HdIy cOW Hduu, aIpu was SuppOSe0 to be working for Hardin, as he has been making ahis hDme for some time past at Ojo BonIto. It is supposed that Hardin and Coates have left the country together
 There is sbme quier talk that liar din is not the head of the organiza- tion, and it is pretty openly charged that certain other parties think him in the business. Be this as it may, 1t will all come out in time, and we hope to see the big me nand moving spirits of the thieWing organization brought to time and receive tlneir jus, deserts.