El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-07
Engineer Wells Goes Back
To Mexico For
Money
DUB Him AS WAGES
Is Spotted BY a Secret Police
Officer And Wins a
Neck And Neck
Race

|
overtaken meant season of unbeara-
BILE torment, in fact possibility of
Everlasting confinement behind the
grim bars of Mexican jail. That was
to him worse than death, for during his
three years service with the several
seen too much of the never ending in
carceration, where without voice up
lifted in his behalf many a poor VIC
tim of circumstances had wasted away,
subject to cruelty and starvation.
The facts of his case were of the
every day kind of which one has read
periodically since the advent of the
American in Mexican railrcading: bus
the subsequent developments and
Wells's narrow escape across the border
furnish a most interesting story.
He had been driving an engine out
of Juarez for the past few months and
had an uneventful career until he un-
fortunately sent his ponderous locom6,
tive over the body of Mexican who
was deaf TO its piercing whistling.
The accident was unavoid able, for he
could not bring the heavy machine to a
halt in time to save the victim. Real
izing the necessity of his escaping from
the country to avoid the dreaded
prison, he made his way across the Rio
Grande, arriving at this city in safety,
Everything favored him in bis dash
for the states, but he left behind about
$500 which was coming to him in
wages, and that was great sum to
him In his predicament 1t was too
much to have that tidy sum so close at
hand rightfully his for honest labor
performed, so he determined to re-
GROSS the border and strive to collect
the back salary without detection
knowing the desperate chances and
the pitfalls that would bs laid for hin,
should he again venture on Mexican
SOIL 1t was necessary that he proceed
with caution. Wells was built of that
old western stock that was willing to
rfska anything for it's own, having
served as deputy sheriff at Laramie,
Wyoming, during the dark days of
that section.
Inc way over was easy, and without
detection he secured the roll of bills
that was 80 much to him at the time
and began the retreat to his native soil.
mat was where his trouble commenced
Tor he was spotted at once by the secret
police officer OF Torreon who was on
his trail hoping to effect his capture
and return him. to future of misery.
Ihe recognition was mutual aud
realizing the hopelessness of his sisus-
lion II taken he made q break for the
river with the officer close on his heels.
Away'the pursued and the pursusr
vent, neither gaining perceptibly un-
Ill the river was reached, when Wells,
aow oreathlsss, saw he was In danger
u capture by his relentless Nemesis.
'Oh, how good the old American
'oil and the city of Ell Psso looked to
ne when L got down in the river bed
aid Wells. 81 would have willingly
acrihced the needed money just to get
ny feet back on this side, for l was
'fraid he might let loose broad side at
ne If l looked like winner in the
ace. stayed with it and made up
ny mind to get my feet on the other
'snk II [ died for it, aud when he was
lose upon me l reached the coveted
'oal and knew [ WAS safe.''
Wells was tired man after his dash
or liberty aud it was several minutes
efore he could recover himself to tell
Is story. But he had bis money and
ow safe from persecution he saws he
'ill never again cast his lot outside of
america for the wealth o; Monte
una.