Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-09-14

a proceeding which will almost GER
Itainly result in nothing, since nobody
has any description of the bandits.
There has been only one important
robbery in Arizona before this of
which there was no consequent trail.
That was the Wham robbery, COM
mitted in broad daylight. There was
a plain trail for a short distance, when
it utterly disappeared by the blanket
] trick and was never found again. The
pursuit would have ended where the
blankets were laid but for the jealousy
/ of woman, a mistress of one of the
robbers, who gave the military a clue
which ought tc have led to their con-
victfon. It did lead to their capture
! but that was all.
! In that case the robbers were plainly
seen at the time of the crime. A
doubt of their identity was effectually
raised at the trial and the Jealousy of
the woman who knew all about the
crime had unfortunately, subsidized so
that she hindered rather than helped
the government, which had fcolishly
neglected in the beginning to avail it
self CT all the information she had
given.
In this case the authorities are
more seriously handicapped by ignor-
ance. What is worse, there are too
many conjectures, many of which are
plainly unreasonable, and the others
plainly incapable of development, IN
less somebody turns traitor.
The most reasonable theory, but
equally incapable of proof now, is that
the crime was committed by a band
of New Mexico and Arizona outlaws,
commonly known as Climax Jim's
gang, with headquarters in the wild
country on Blue, river Among the
members of this gang is supposed to
be Dan Mcdonald, who killed Ford on
Camp Greek last spring. The Camp
Verde murderer is also believed to be
there This theory is based on the
main fact that Climax Jim was seen in
the vicinity of the robbery shortly be-
fore it was committed, and partly on
the fact that such a body of desperate
outlaws are known to exist in an al
most inaccessible region. This coun-
Try is not so very far from Cochise and
IN the direction the bandits took upon
leaving the plundered car. Some idea
Of the character of the stronghold and
its inhabitants is gathered from
man who visited it a month ago. When
he got ready to start, a friend said:
duct1on to those fellows; it will save
your outfit, maybe your life. and then
they'll treat you right" The traveller
never had carried a letter to outlaws.
but took this one for the novelty of it.
He was treated right and saw, perhaps.
the greatest aggregation of despera-
does outside the hills of Italy. He
knGT none of them and did not know
why they were fugitives from Justice.
He didn't ask them impairment cues
tions, fer he was there on legitimate
business CT his own. He came AWAY
with the impression that if, for in
stance, the Camp Verde murderer
was there, there was only one
way he could be captured, and that
wouad be to bride a member of the
gang to bring him. He Thought
bribery would not be hard to accom-
pllsh, for the gang was hard up. There
was nc whisky, little tobacco and am
mumtlon was running low
The traveller predicted when he re-
turned to Phoenix that there would be
an outbreak before long. That p1edic-
ton was made only about two weeks
Before the Cochise hold-up.