Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-08-21
This COUNTY HAS
TIE DESPERATE
Copeland is Now Safe in Jail
at La Junta
EXPRESSES SORROW
FOR HIS MISDEEDS

FOR HIS MISDEE0S
VIII Have to Stand Trial for Highway
Robbery In Holding Up Marshal
Croop.
Sheriff Potter on Saturday arrived in
La Junta with Alfred M. Copeland. the
desperate arrested near Lamar and he is
now occupying cell in the Otero county
Jail, an edifiee where he had once before
been ineareerated.
Copeland. alias Solomon. and his broth
or were sent up in 1908 for grand lar
eeny from the Santa Fe. and was only
released last May.
Because of temporary illness the
preliminary hearing has not yet been held.
but it Is understood that he will have to
stand trial for highway robbery.
In an interview Copeland expressed
himself as sincerely sorry for what he
had done. and said that IL shown lsnisney
he would reform and try to live an honor
able life hereafter.
The following account Of his capture Is
taken from the Lamar Sparks:
"The bold bad man who has been ter
rorizing the north side farming sections
Of Prowers. Bent and Otero counties for
the past six weeks is now safe behind
the bars at the county jail at Lamar.
HIS name is A. M. Copeland. and his
home is on farm on Dry creek. seven
miles west of Lamar. where he lived
with his wife and father. Tho capture
Of Copeland was effected at 4 o'clock
this morning at Prowsrs, and was In
measure accidental. Sheriff Potter Of
Otsro county, Sheriff Gruber OF Bent
county, and Under Sheriff Lynch and
Marshal Russell Of, Lamar met here last
night for the purpose Of making another
effort to corner the outlaw who 50 clever
" slipped out Of tho clutches Of = posse
Of officers in Bent county on Monday
afternoon. While the officers were pre-
pairing to 60 out on the trail word was
received that holdup had occurred at
Wiley, and the party Immediately went
to that place in an auto to investigate.
They discovered nothing there. however,
and we're proceeding south to the rail-
road whom they met the much wanted
desperate driving north from Prowers IN
. rig he had stolen from the ranch OF Joe
Blackburn on Gageby creek. He carried
the lines in his left hand. and in his right
was a six shooter ready for instant ae-
ton. The officers were too quick for him.
however, and before he could make a
move he was covered by four winehes-
tsrs and lost no time in complying with
the order to throw up his hands.
"When Copeland was examined at the
county Jail it was found that he had a
bullet wound through the flesh in the left
side close to the hip. This wound was
received in the fight with the Bent eoun-
ty posse on Monday afternoon. After
eluding the posse when it had closed in
on him Copeland found refuge in wheat
field. and lay there. faint from loss OF
blood and weak from hunger, until the
following evening. when he went to the
Blackburn ranch and stole the outfit he
was driving when captured.
"As soon as the identity Of the prisoner
was established the officers went to the
ranch on Dry creek and made a search
Of the premises. Here they found most
of the goods that had been stolen from
the stores at Wiley about six weeks ago.
and also the guns which had been taken
from the Rocky Ford marshal at the
time the bandit abducted that officer and
q companion. In big artificial cave
carefully covered over with Russian
thistles were found two new farm
wagons. one of which had been stolen at
Wiley and the other at Las Animas.
Other rifles and revolvers were also
found on the place.
"The officers arrested the elder Cop
land and the wife Of the robber and
lodged them both in Jail on suspicion Of
being implicated in the thefts. The elder
Copeland diselaims knowledge Of his
sons actions and denies emphatieally
that he was in any way party to the
robberies committed.
THE rohber who has given the officers
of three counties so much trouble is be-
tween IS and 40 years Of age. He Is a
tall, raw-boned muscular man with a
dark sandy moustaehe and rather sin
lister eountenance. He seemed to take
considerable pride in the success he had
in outwtting the officers so long. and the
recollection Of his capture Of the Rocky
Ford marshal causes him to laugh heart
ily. He talks unreserv edly Of his exploits
and does not deny his part in any OF the
0rime attributed to him.
.., % - - ..ze.I th.t rana