Omaha daily bee., 1906-10-14

n ten O'Clock one morning early IN last
l. March appeared in the public square
of Villa Mercedes, in the province Of
San Luis, which occupies a central
POSITION in the Argentine Republic.
Three of the men, 1t was noticed by
those members OF the population who were
not too sleepy to notice anything at ALL
were Of about medium height, well knit,
shorter and of slender physique, with deli
cate hands and feet, and with the flush OF
youth upon cheek and brow
The horsemen unconcernedly pulled up
in front of the small hotel that occupies
one side of the square and ordered drinks
from the waiter, who emerged lazily in
answer to their bidding Having disposed
of their refreshment and handed back
their empty glasses to the dull witted SER
vitor, the strangers deliberately dis
mounted and led their horses across the
square, where they stopped again in front
OF the bank. which bears the imposing
title Bank of the Nacion Argentina and
is branch of the Bank of Terrapoca Of
Rio Gallegos. The three stalwsrt MEM
bers of the party tossed their bride reins
to their smaller companion and entered
the bank.
At that hour of the day in villa Mer-
cedes. as IN most other inland towns of
the Argentine Republic, there is very little
doing in the way of business activity, and
upon the particular occasion In question a
solitary clerk was In charge. This indi-
vidual, casually glanoing up from the
ledger spread out before him, was in
tensely surprised to and himself gazing
with rapt concentration into the frowning
muzzle Of a large revolver pointed directly
panied the operation with sharp re-
minder that death would Instantly follow
any cutlery or attempt at resistance. Mean
while. the two comrades of the man be-
hind the gun had vaulted over the coun-
ter and were rapidly but systematically
gathering up all the cash and securities ex-
posed to their view. They had not COM
pleted their task when the manager of the
bank. having perceived from the outside
an apparent access of business to the In
stitution of which he was the Villa Mer-
cedes head, stepped IN to take personal
charge Of whatever transaction might be
In progress.
He was promptly shot in the head by
one of the intruders, all three OF whom.
with drawn weapons, backed out through
the open door and sprang upon their
horses, the whole quartet galloplng out
of town before the residents had fairly
awakened from their accustomed state of
somnolence. In few moments the entire
township was ablaze with excitement, but
the marauders had made good their es-
cape and all efforts to overtake them were
futile
$4,000 IN ONE HAUL.
During the few preceding months there
had been two or three similar attacks in
various sections of the Argentine. and this
final assault, obviously manoeuvred by the
same band that had taken part in the pre-
vious outrages. served to stir the authori-
ties OF the Southern republic They found
among the documents in their POSSESSION
and which had been in their possession for
a long time backs notification from the
Pnkerton National Detective Agency,
through a representative visiting the Ar
gentine, that In the year 1901 band OF
North American train and bank robbers
had landed in Buenos Ayres and had taken
up permanent residence In the remote in
terror. This gang consisted of Harry Long
baugh, alias the Sundance KID" Mrs.
Harry LongbauEh and George Parker, alias
Butch" Cassidy, who were subsequently
Joined by Harvey Logan. alias Kid"
Curry. These were the four persons en-
gagged In the villa Mercedes affair, which
Melted them between $4,000 and $4,000.
II was Eta Longbaugh. wife of Harry
Longbaugh, who, dressed In masculine
attire, held the horses of herself and her
companions In front OF the Villa Mercedes
branch of the bank OF Tarrapaca, while
IL was being robbed by her husband and
his mates, Just as she had held their horses
upon other occasions when similar raids
were made in the Argentine.
Mr.. and Ars. L0ngbaugh and George
Parker sailed from this country directly
for Buenos Ayres. After reaehlns
BuenOs Ayres they took passage on a
coastwise steamer 10 the port of Bahia
Blanca. still further south From this
place they shipped upon a semi-monthly
river steamboat to an inland point called
RawsOn, thence striking out across eoun-
try mounted on mules They had already
purchased extensive pasture lands to the
southwark some seventy ave miles from
the small village OF Cholulo. whers Sheir
nearest white neighbors were situated
When they reached their destination the
party had travelled in all some seventy
four days from New YOFk-thtrty-n nine
days TO BuenOs Ayres. twenty days more
to Rawson and fifteen days from that In
terror hamlet TO their ranch. which Is IN
the province OF Chibute. OF Chubut IN
the Department Of the Sixteenth Of
October.
The capital required for this investment.
together with the no incohsiderab'e
amount demanded for travelling expenses
on the journey OF twelve thousand mile 8
had been derived from sundry train and
bank robberies In the Western part of the
United States. the bold and daring char
acter OF which win be described later.
1t is apparent that Longbaugh, the
leader OF what Is left of one of the mos.
noted bands of robbers in this country. in
tended, when framing up the trip to South
Amsrioa. 70 abandon The LIE OF oatlawEy