Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-02-15
ABANDON FORT.
Cattle Stealing "Mesa Hawks"
Pursued by Officers,
POSSES AFTER BANDITS.

yer news from lucumcarl, N. M, I'M
der GATE of February AZ, says:
"A mock OF carbon crows, goIged and
heavy ~ on reluctant plnions from
che oi1al of a freshly Killed beef steer,
and slowly settled again a shor uis-
lance away on the cactus tree and
mesquite grown mesa.
The range rider drew rein, noticed
that the brand had been cut out OF the
beef hide, and muttering, The mesa
hawks are still flying, rode on over
the mesa to doubtless find additional
evidence of the activity OF the mesa
hawks the organizeu b OF the
Canauian and Pecos rivers stock
ranges of the New Mexican county of
Guadalupe.
The mesa robber riders comprise
three different brands, with an aggre-
gate membership of twenty-five or thir-
ty, the banded ~confederacy being I'M
der the supreme leadership of Hawk
Hawkins, a half breed Indian from the
Indian Nation. Probably half of these
range thieves are from the Indian Ma
ton, Arizona and Texas, the remainder
being former cowboys from the Guada-
lupe ranges.
CHIEF OF MESA HAWKS.
Hawkins is a noted broncho buster,
a crack shot with revolver and rife,
and an u~nrivalled lariat Inrower. He
has lately especially imported from the
Indian Na..on two desperadoes to act
as his New Mexican ~lieutenants. The
personality of these new bandit lead
ers is not yet definitely ascerta< ed,
but from description received of them
they are supposed to be Jack Jepson
and Bill Bowen, both bad men," of
crack repute.
The Mesa Hawks" take their title
from two sources. First, from the
fact that their strongholds are always
located on a lofty mesa, from whence
they silently swoop down on the open
surrounding stock ranges; and, sec
ondly, from Hawkins, the name of
their captain.
The band has now been in existence
for about twelve months. and has es-
tablished a series of stations or strong
holds, extending from RodOndo mesa,
in the Canadian river region, to Louis
lana mesa, on the Pecos river slope, a
distance exceeding 100 miles across
country.
Cattle and horses have been stolen
Wholesale and in many instances stock
of both kinds killed on the range out
of pure righteousness.
ADVENT OF A RAILROAD.
The robbers had things al their own
way until the advent of the new Rock
Island-El Paso railroad, and the begin
ming of the building of the new town of
Tucumcari. The Tucumcari citizens
speedily realized that the Mesa
Hawks" must be routed out, and the
first step in this righteous direction
has been already well taken. About
two months ago the six Spike brothers
were accused of cattle stealing, and
the Spikes having a ranch fifteen
miles from Tucumcari, at the foot OF
Rodondo mesa and being affiliated with
the Mesa Hawks"
Warrants were promptly sworn out
for the Spikes and served at the Spikes
ranch ON three of the brothers. The
later resisted arrest, and in the fight
which followed two of the Spikes were
klIed and the third was dangerously
wounded.
Taking this as the starter the Tu-
cumcari citizens and adjacent ranch
men organized a large posse, headed
by u. G. Logan, a peace officer, long a
1 " III Dou Ia vi ~ "a
west, and marched on the bandit
stronghold of Rodondo mesa. They
captured the stronghold, but the ban
dts had fed, going to the southwest,
and leaving behind them their bedding,
camp eqipage and a large store of pro-
visions accumulated for the winter use,
the latter including the carcasses of
six or seven beefs stolen from the sur
rounding country.
The Rodondo bandit station was
strongly fortified with heavy timbers,
while a portion of the mesa had been
fenced in for the p%asturage of botn
stolen stock and the riding horses of
been erected and a fine spring of water
close at hand securely walled in.
READY FOR CAMPAIGN.
Everything denoted that the Rodon-
do was to be the northeastern winter
headquarters of the gang, with the ulti-
mate object doubtless of robbing the
bank and merchants of Tucumcari and
of holding up of Rock Island trains.
Several miles from Rodondo a series
of caves was found fitted up by the
bandits as a place of concealment or
refuge, these being also abandoned.
Logan at once organized a pursuing
posse of twenty-five men, accompanied
by a four-mule grub wagon. The trail
of the bandits was taken and two OIL
three skirmishes speedily followed, the
robbers always, however, ~retreating
The chase is still in progress and will
not stop until the Mesa Hawks" are
slain or driven from the country.
The pursuing pose is armed with th'
United States Winchester carbine, al
well as ~revolvers, and will give a gooC
account of any and all Mesa Hawks
flying within range. These carbine!
carry 30.40 balls. both "~softnosed" anC
steel, and will kill at a distance of TIVE
miles.
1t is expected that the bandits vii
make a determined and prepared TO
stand at Louisiana mesa their grea