The Socorro chieftain. [volume] (Socorro, N.M.) 1902-1959, 1906-09-22
Three Young Men Follow Indian
Thieves from Chloride to the
San Mateo Mountains
BRING BACK STOLEN HORSES
But Had a Close Call from the
Rife of the Indians in
Ambush.

count of the doings of India n
thieves and the subsequent pur-
suit and recovery of the stolen
property is given by Il special
correspondent of the Chieftain:
Fairview, n. NJ, Sept. 20.
To the Chieftain:
Doubtless the cleverest piece of
trailing ever done in these parts
was that accomplished by Chas.
Anderson. James Hiler and John
ME James, three young men who
recently undertook to bring back
two stolen horses and. il posSi-
BILE, bring back the thieves.
Some time between the first and
third of the month Mr.. Ander-
sons ranch on Monument creek,
seven miles from Chloride, was
raided by what was supposed to
be rustlers. The house, unoc-
cupied at the time, was broken
into and pillaged. A iiendish
frenzy of destruction seems to
have possessed the outlaws.
Doors were broken down, crock
cry smashed. a bedstead hacked
to pieces, side building pried
loose and tumbled over and
scarcely an article on the place
left unmolested. In addition,
the wire of the pasture fence
was cut and two horses taken,
together with a fine tent, tar
paulin and a shot gun.
After a hasty survey OF the
ruins of his home and the dis
coverv of the loss of the horses,
Mr.. Anderson rode to town and,
stocking up with provisions, he,
with two companions, started
out on the trail. This at first
led them TO the west and south
and then to the divide where
they made a turn to the north.
At Straight Gulch the trailers Sc
cured fresh horses and with re-
newed hope they pressed on,
twenty hours still behind the
pursued, over rocky mountains,
through the pine forests, where
the needles barely showed a
track, across gulches piled high
with bowlders by the raging tor
rents of summer, in the heat of
the long afternoons, in the chill
of the evening, ever pressing on
with the grim determination of
the western man. Long before
this, they knew they were in pur-
suit, not of white men but of In
dians.
At last, after five days of un-
renting toll. the trail turned to
the east, and, after crossing an
open space of country, the in
trepid trailers found themselves
in the rugged fastnesses of the
San Mateos. Here, on Sunday
morning, they at last saw the
camp of the Indians, who, how
ever, we're not visible. Ander-
son, seeing his stolen horses tied
near by, ventured with one OF
his men 10 approach the animals,
when a shot rang out and bull
let sped within six inches OF the
courageous cattlemen-so close,
indeed, that the latter beat .
haSty retreat to the shelter of a
large tree somewhat TO the rear.
Mr.. Anderson is a deputy sheriff
and had the warrant for the ar
rest of the thieves in his pocket,
but with the speed OF lightning
he then and there concluded that
lie was after the wroHG man. A
short consultation was held and
it was decided to go back for re.
Inducements.
In the mean time, the friend:
OF the trailers had not been idle,
Organizing a party OF seven,
they had started out and learn
ing at the Post (Ojo Caliente
that the boys had gone into the
San Mateos, they, on the second
night out, pitched camp on the
highest peak of those mountain:
and the next morning at five
saw below in a canyon the camI
fire of the Indians. Cautiously
approaching, the seven men
now scattered in various direc
tions, gained the cover OF the
thick brush, and getting between
the camp and the stolen horses
made the attack upon the aston
ished Indians, one of whom, ;
squaw. it is believed, dropped
her gun and turned and fec