Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-08
Breaking Up New Mexico's
Famous Gang of Bandits

stayed that night in Woods ranch and
until about 10 o'clock the next morning. As
we started to leave the other four of the
boys rode up-Cook, Potter, Smith and
Isbell. We all went back there and had
supper. Mrs. Woods preparing the food.
While we were at supper deputy sheriff
and four men rode up to the house. Potter
saw them coming. and we grabbed our
guns. BY this time they were within the
yard and within fifteen steps of the house.
They all carried rifles as well as revolvers
and we began to think there was a warm
time ahead. Mrs. Woods went out and
talked with the officers. As she came
back one of the officers called out they
wanted to come in. Potter yelled back.
You can come in if you lay your arms
down"
This the officers did. on the grass. and
came In.
Tricking Deputy Sheriff.
II guess you are after us boys amt
you?" said Cook
No said the sheriff; 1--WE are after the
men who stole those horses up there" re-
ferring to some horses we had snagged
from a field when we went up into the
mountains the night before.
"Well," SAID Potter. we're the men you
are after them
Cook asked him If he wanted the horses.
and he answered he did. We all went out
and found the horses AS the officers
started to leave Cook made them all hold
up their hands and swear that they would
not tell anything about US. The deputy
knew of the robbery and murder at sum-
ner, for he spoke of it on the way TO the
field, and said eight men did the job to
which remark Potter said:
well, boys, we need not be uneasy
then, as there were only six of US" Be-
fore leaving the deputy ard his men shook
rxyffh fhoHl
friends. Guess twas policy with them
right at that time. At Woods house that
night we separated. Neill and / turned
south and lie other boys turned toward
the Block ranch. We did not see anything
more OF them, but know that they had de-
cided to go to the Luna Valley. Neil and
1 rode all that night and next day, camp
ing then in a gully Our rations soon ran
short and the next day we only had four
biscuits apiece. The third day we rode
into the Mescalero Indian Reservation,
reaching there about o'clock in the even
ing
Captured BY Indians.
Neil told me to wait in a bunch OF tim
Der while he went down to the Indians to
get something to eat. He went down, and
was soon out of sight beyond a ridge.
That is the last / saw of Neil. waited
in the timber about two hours and then
went down into an Indian camp. riding a
horse had traded for with some fellow
up in the timber while waiting. When I
appeared in camp with the horse the In
dams Immediately surrounded me and said
/ had stolen their horse, and they made
me prisoner. They soon made up their
minds to take me to the Mescalero Agen-
cy, which they did arriving there the next
day. The same day was taken to Ala
magordo and locked up for horse stealing.
It was not long before was identified as
being with the Fort Sumner gang, and 1
have been in limbo ever since. To add to
my trouble, a couple of fellows in Fort
Sumner say they positively identify me
as the one who fired the shot that killed
the man there, and / am up against it on
a murder charge as extra measure.
All of the boys are now under arrest,
except the leader, Hawkins, and Isbell.
Neil and Cook were taken in down in
Arizona, and the chances are Hawkins
will be within the tolls before very long.
guess our game is about played, and
with the dose we viii get for robbing the
postofice by the United States. court is
added the chance that some OF us will
swing for the Fort Sumner murder when
tried by the Territory next January. Well,
my life has been short, but / guess I can
stand the benediction.