Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1905-04-14

retail trade With citizens Of lie OVID
toWn.
There was q little excitement 10
town Saturday over the arrival Of a
bunch OF Arizona rangers, having 10
custody Lee Hobbs, q deputy sheriff
OF Graham county, charged with muir.
der on the high seas, the officers and
prisoner being en- route from Clifton,
where the was made, 20 Phoenix,
where the warrant was Issued from
the United States court. The LIBERAL
interviewed Constable Foster, OF Cliff.
ton, and from him learned the follow.
ing story: Ia 1902 Lee Hobbs was q
deputy sheriff at Clifton, and suddenly
disappeared. Il was publicly stated
at that time that he had embezzled
some Gfteeu hundred dollars Of money
collected for the county, After q
periOd OF time Hobbs returned, bis
em~bezzlement was made good and be
resumed bis position Al deputy sheriff.
IL wal recently whispered about that
while gone Hobbs had sailed on a ves-
sci from San Francisco, called the
Lancaster Castle, and with two other
men had murdered tie second mate
OF the vessel, aud escaped 10 q boat,
Constable Foster, hearing this story,
cOFrespOnded with the British consul
at San francisco, and learned that the
mate Of the Lancaster Castle had been
murdered about this time by a sailor
named Lee Hobbs. A comparison Of
the signature on the ships papers with
Hobbs known signature was made,
and they we're pronounced Identical.
Foster learned that Charles Walk,
who wal q cook on the boat. was some
where In this section Of the country.
By the aid Of Sergeant Sparks Of the
rangers. Walk was located aud brought
20 Clifton, where he identified Hobbs.
The British consul reported the mat
ter TO bis government and q requIsltlon
was made for Hobbs. The United
States court at Phoenix issued q war.
rant for Hobbs arrest, aud It was given
to Ranger Sparks, who ls also a deputy
United States marshal, to serve, IN his
CAPACITY as deputy marshal. There
has been some bard feeling between
the rangers force and SherlR's Parks
Graham county deputy sheri6s, and 81
the deputy marshal concluded he had
better take a force 70 Clifton suficient
ly large 70 Overawe any persons VIII
might make an attempt 70 rescuI
Hobbs. The deputy marshal and hi
ranger friends went TO Clifton on Fri
days train. AS they got Of the trail
they found Hobbs at the depot, cOV
cred him with their guns and arreste,
him. The arrest was somewhat theat
rical but Wal accomplished wIthou
any trouble, Saturday the Omcer
took their prisoner to Phoenix for
hearing on the question Of eXtradltion
Deputy Marshal Sparks took Hobb
before Judge Kent, at Phoenix, Mon
day. British Consul Bennett, and I
E. K. Carmse, an English lawyer, %
peared before the court, asking for hi
extradltiou. Judge Kent pOstponet
the hearing until to-day at ten O'Clock
Hobbs elaine he was out OF th,
territory, and q prove 3 good abb
with plenty Of witnesses. The muE
der vas Slleged to have been commit
ted on September 2. 1909. The ales o
the Clifton Era we're searched, and 1
was found there we're personal men
lions Of Hobbs being In Clifton 10 thI
papers dated August 81 and %. 1905
II he was 10 Clifton as late as Angus
q, II would have been q physical i'm
possibility for him TO have been 10 th
South Pacific on September 2.