The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-08
HOTEL LOBBY GLEANINGS
w. G. HAMILTON, A NEW EXC
RANCHMAN, IN TOWN.
He Is Taking His First Vacation i'm
Seventeen Years-Henry County
Citizens-HoteI Visitors.

A tall, stanchly-b built young man with a
smooth-shaven face and wearing a light
colored winter suit of fashionable cut
lounged about the office of the Hotel Eng
lish yesterday afternoon. He looked as II
he might be a well-to-do New York broker
or n clubman who had nothing more TO do
than amuse himself. Upstairs in the young
mans room the half dozen pairs of fault
lessly creased trousers would serve TO dis
sipate the idea that the owner had spent
the last dozen years Of his life taking care
OF a sheep ranch in New Mexico in the
midst of the Pecos valley. The young man
was w. G.. Hamilton, and he is now taking
the first vacation he has had in seventeen
years. ''In all this time he remarked yes
terday, this is the first time 1 have been
this far East" Hamilton is on his way to
New York to take a well-earned vacation.
He came here to join his brother, who is
attending the conference Of miners and OPP
orators. and the two will journey together
10 the Eastern metropolis.
1.-The people of New Mexico are making a
strong effort TO have the Territory admitted
to the Union as a State" said Mr.. Hamil-
ton. w have worked hard to make a
Republican Territory out Of II, n we
think it will remain that way. To tell the
honest truth, though. / believe Theodore
Roosevelt is responsible for the Territory
being Republican. The fact that he was
In charge of the Rough Riders, and there
being many of this organization in New
Mexico. no doubt had a great deal to do
with it. We are mighty fond of Mr.. Roose-
Welt down in New Mexico, and there is
perhaps not another man that could be
named in America that would have the fol
lowing that he has down there Mr.. Ham
ilton went to the Southwest about seven
teen years ago from Pittsburg, and the
greater part of that time he has spent In
the neighborhood Of Roswell, New Mexico,
where he and three partners-wealthy East
ern men-owned what might be called a
country place of $50 acres. On this land
they raised the alfalfa and corn and fed
lambs. On the mountain ranges, on the
government land, they grazed in the neigh
borhood of 5000 head of sheep. Mr.. Hamil-
ton. in giving an illustration of the value OF
land in the Pecos valley, says they recently
sold their country place" for $4,000. Mr..
Hamilton is an intimate acquaintance OF
Captain John w. Poe and Pat Garrett. the
men who ended the career of BILLY the
Kid" the noted highwayman who used to
operate in New Mexico. Captain Poe Is a
banker at Roswell and Pat Garrett is col
lector of customs at Ell Paso, Tex. At the
time of the killing Of the highwayman Gar
rett was sheriff Of Lincoln county, New
Mexico. Poe was his deputy. BILLY the
Kid" was under sentence of death in the
Lincoln county Jail, but escaped after kill
ing the guard and the jailer. He was pur-
SueQ Dy Garrett ana roe ana was run GOWN
some time after his escape. According to
Mr.. Hamilton's narrative, the officers
shrewdly guessed that the h~ighwayman
would visit his Mexican sweetheart at
Puerto da Luna. New Mexico, and they
went there one night. Garrett went into
the house and Poe remained on guard out
side. While Garrett was talking with the
father of the girl and was being assured
that the man they were hunting had not
been there the highwayman, who had been
out to the corral, started TO enter the house.
AS he came through the door Garrett shot
him without a word of warning, knowing
that he must shoot quick if at all, for the
unerring aim Of the outlaw was well known
in New Mexico. Mr.. Hamilton says IL has
been reported that BILLY the Kid" killed
twenty-three men before he was twenty
one years old.
Mr.. Hamilton says that, aside from miss
ing the theater, people who go TO the Ter
ritory from the States find plenty of social
enjoyment. Tn dress suit is always in de-
mand in New Mexico. In the town OF Ros-
well there is a fiourishing club. and many
of the ranchmen are fond OF social pastime.
Parties and balls are no uncommon events.