El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-05
STORY OF THE GRIMES

SIORY VI IHE CRImES
For Which PARA and Antonio Flores
We're Hanged.
Ten years ago all this section of the
country was infested, as a great part OF
it is still believed to be, by band of
horse thieves, extending from the Pecos
to Morenci, Ariz., and from there on
to California. There were regular
relay stations for the transfer of stolen
stock along the way.
The leader In chief of all the bands
for five years prior to that time had
been Geronimo PARA, who gained a
craft and reckless. bravery among his
associates and the officers of the law.
Depredations and thefts and even
murders which occurred with increas-
ing frequency were laid at the door of
these outlaws, but they had never been
well located until in April of 1889, a
stockman came into Ell Psso early one
morning, and reported to the officers
that band of Mexican horse thieves
was concealed in an arroyo, Is miles
out on the eastern slope of Mount
Franklin, and that they had with them
q big bunch of stolen stock. Barnes
failed to estimate the full strength OF
the gang, and it was thought that
there were only two or three men In
the lot.
Sergeant George Fusselman, of the
Texas state rangers, was in town at
the time in attendance at court, and
George Harold, now on the city police
force, had just returned from Mexico.
where he had seen long service as a
detective scout under the Mexican
government.
These two men, accompanied by
Barnes, started out at 8 O'Clock In the
morning to capture the thieves.
They rode together to the base of the
mountain, and there they captured an
outlaw. who was left with Barnes for
safe keeping. Fusselman and Harold
rode cautiously on up the mountain,
keeping a sharp eye out for the out
laws.
told by Harold himself.
tWe were riding on up the arroyo"
says Harold, "when suddenly, and
without warning of any sort, the gang
of seven opened fire on US, at distances
varying from 10 to fifty yards. AT the
very first volley Fusselman fell from
his horse, shot through his head by
PARA. 1 jumped from my horse,
throwing away my gun. and sought
cover. From behind rock 1 opened
fire with a six-shooter whenever Mex
lean showed himself. They were for
the most part we'll protected by the
rocks, but one who was only few
yards from me exposed the entire up
per part of his body, and 1 fired at
short range, and hit him in the
g stomach.
81 made my way back to the foot of
tho mountain as best 1 could and
Barnes and 1 came back to town and
notified the officers. A big posse i'm
% ediately started for the mountain,
arriving there that night, but the out
laws had vamoosed, and had left only
a few fine hOrses.'
Subsequently PARA was seen in
Colemas riding the horse which Fus-
selman had ridden on the day of his
death.
Shortly after, in New Mexico, Ben
Williams, who has a wide reputation
rs deputy OF great bravery under
Dot nf
PARA. The latter was then wanted on
\ charge of cattle stealing, and his
Identity was unknown to the officer
making the arrest. He was captured
only after a sharp resistance, and
after several shots had been fired.
A year ago nearly, Capt. j. r.
of the Texas state rangers,
discovered PARA in the New Mexico
and he was re-indicted
~ the grand jury In Ell Psso, and was
surrendered to the officials of this
county by the territorial authorities.
He was convicted at trial in this
,ity last fall and sentenced by the
Judge to be hanged.
he crlme VI FLORES was Il lar more |
,owardly one than that of his compan-
on in death.
Or the 10Th day of March of the
present year, Antonio Flores. on his
way from mass, met the woman he
owed and who did not love him in re-
urn. He pleaded with her to come
With him. She would not. He be-
came fncensed, and then, with the