Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-04-28
Blumng an
Outlaw
BY C. b. LEW Is


ell In Mexico. but owned and worked
by Americans. had been In running or
der n year before lose Favara put In
however He was known rs cattle
stealcr. u claim jumper and n general
outlaw. ana IL was the popular belief
that he stood In with the police. Al
any rate they had not interfered with
his operations 10 any extent. and he
as any other man. One day Jose ap.
peared ut the mine. He walked
straight 10 the superintendent office
and. doiiing his hat. said:
''Senor Barnes. beg you TO excuse
me. My name is Jose Favara. |
but have been busy In other directions.
am now here 10 do business with
You
We'll. what is your busincss?" que.
ried the superintendent although he
had pretty fair idea of H.
ITO arrange To draw my monthly sal.
AIRY. senior"
For performing what servicesT'
For leaving your mine in peace"
In other words. YOU mean TO levy
tribute on u.s."
THE senior hits the nail on the head
per month in cash. shall call for IL
myself. If accepted you will be under
my protection. II not
You will make trouble for us? z"
"The Senior Barnes hits the nail
again like To do business with an
Americana.
Jose Favara was told that he would
have to walt a few days until his prop
osition could be submitted 10 the pres
ident and board OF directors III New
York lie was agreeable. He went
away bowling and smiling. and Mr..
Barnes sat down and wrote a letter.
The proposition was extortion pure
and simple. The authorities could be
appealed to. and would doubtless do
something Nevertheless the fact re-
manned that Jose WAS Il bigger man
in that district than the authorities
He could harry and harass. He could
scare every peon out of the mine in
two weeks. He could capture every
mule and driver engaged IN transport
ing the ore over the mountains. He
could do lots of things 10 make the sit
uation unpleasant. and the superin-
tendent recommended that monthly
salary he paid He added that $500 per
month was dog cheap
The president and his board looked
upon II as Il rather funny case. but fol-
lowed the advice of Mr. Barnes. From
that time on for two years Jose Favara
regularly appeared on the 10th OF each
month and received his salary"
Twice during that time the poems would
have struck for higher wages had he
not appeared and threatened them
with his vengeance. a Mexican lawyer
discovered what he thought was flaw
In the title OF the New Yorker and
would have made cost and trouble had
not Jose sent him word that he was
after his scalp II was conceded that
the outlaw earned his wage.
Things were going on satisfactorily
Nervely was elected in his place. While
the dividends were large. Mr.. Nervely
wanted to increase them. lie saw
way to do II by Topping of and cutting
down. A cut OF 10 per cent was made
in wages and salaries, and the 500 per
month to Jose Favara was cut OF en-
tirely
When Mr.. Barnes wrote that this
move would bring trouble he was d.
rected to arm his stan and fight. When
he asked for rides u dozen old con-
demned Springfield muskets were sent
him, but not single cartridge. He
wrote for cartridges. but was answered
that the president would soon take a
trip to Mexico in his private ear and
would visit the mine and give further
instructions In person. Mr.. Nervely
had been known in trade as hustler.
As president OF a silver mine he deter
mined 10 be hummer.
Jose Favara called. as usual. on the
10th of certain month 10 he told that
his salary was nix. He had been dis
charged. Mr. Barnes entered into par
tlculars with him. even to stating the
probable date of the arrival OF the
president. Jose was impressive and
imperturbable. He smiled the same
old smiles and bowed the same old
bows. He knew he had earned his
money, but II he felt sore he gave no
sign Of IT, lie went away saying that
he might call again. and things went
on as usual for three weeks.
Then President Nervely arrived. II
was twenty miles over 10 the railroad.
and he had 10 make this distance on
the back OF a burro. but he made IL.
He arrived at the mine at 3 O'Clock In
the afternoon. ~ g the poems came up
from the shaft and announced that
there was strike on. There were
400 OF them. Next morning Jose Fa-
vara appeared. He %anted 10 know
II his salary was TO be restored.
President Nervely battered himself
that he was fighter. II not an actual
fighter. then he was a good buffer. He
had heen blufiing Tor thirty years and