El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-21
Safely Landed This Morning
In Ell Paso City
Jail
A LONG, STERN CHASE
The Story Of Ben Williams
And His Partner And
Capture Of WILDER
And Wilson.

William Wilson and Oscar j.
Wllber, arrested Monday in San An
tonic for the robbery of Bowmsn's
bank at Las Cruces, were this morning
brought into El Paso by Ben Williams,
deputy sheriff of Dons Ana county,
and the captor of the men.
The party arrived at seven forty,
over the G. H., and were met at the
people anxious to get a glimpse of the
men accused of the robbery. They
were hustled into carriage Immediate
ly, and driven rapidly to the city pol
ice station, and lock ed up in cell
there. No one was permitted to see
them except by special permission Of
Chief Lockart.
Bo:h men are reserved, and refuse to
talk. They are to be taken TO Las
Cruces this evening, and until that
time will be kept incommunicado in
the city all. Both deny any compli-
city in the bank robbery by which, On
Feb. u, Bowman's bank was relieved
of SI1OO.
Though Deputy Sheriff Ben Will
liams. to whom credit for the clever
capture is due, refuses to give all the
details OF the case, 'lest it may pre-
vent their being properly prosscut-
ed, still the part OF the story which
he did consent to tell this morning is
Interesting.
WILLIAMS S STORY.
son the afternoon of the robbery,
and indeed, within q few minutes after
its occurrence said Mr.. Williams this
morning. "Sheriff Garrett and several
posses were on the trail. But there
was high wind, and the trail was
lost, and after vain efforts to find it
again it was realized, at the end OF
several days, that our only course was
to take the back trail.
"We ascertained that the robbers
had come from Hanover in Grant
County, and we had found the saddle
of one of them. That was the sum
total of clues we had to work on.
The horses they had ridden into
town were not their own. but merely
horses they had stolen for the occasion,
leaving their'own mounts. So we could
not identify them by means of their
horses.
"It was learned, however, at Hanover,
that Wilber, who had formerly
been a section boss on the Santa Fe,
with headquarters at Selden. had been
missing since before the robbery and
that ne had been seen with Wilson.
Mrs. WILDER also had left the town.
To some friends, Wilbsr had said she
vas going to Mexico, but she hai told
others that she was going to San An
,onio. We preferred her word to his,
md decided that they had gone to San
SIT was on this theory tha. l acted
when L went down there. did not, as
las bean enormously reported, trail
hem into Mexico. We do not know
low they got to San Antonio. 1
hink they went southeast to the G. 81.
racks either at or near Ell Paso, and
vent in on that road.
"When l went down to S sn Antonio,
found that Wilber had house at GIG
Iavalla street, where he was living
With his wife and with Wilson, and on
which he had recently made final
payment and received q warranty deed.
shaved off my mustache and rented a
Dom in a house across the
treet from this one, and kept a look
ut for WILDER.
''On Monday afternoon, | saw him
oava tina hon With WJil,oo r,l, b.d
ONE after him. Both men. formerly
rearing mustaches, were clean shaven
nd l was not quite sure of their identi-
y. l foil them up the strees, in
ompany with Deputy Sheriff Will
ireen, of San Antonio.
"As we came near them, l called
ut, Hello, Billy AMI Wilson turn
d around to reply.
" Il think you have the best of me-