Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1911-04-01
EXPECT SENSATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
HO||RIY IN THE KIDNAPPING OF LITTLE.
WALDO rogers; Shadow SUSPECTS
POSSES GIVE UP CHASE

| fact that the posses who have been
beating the country in wide circle
to the east of Las Vegas during the
past twenty-four hours have been up
on a wild goose chase. In spite of
conflicting rumors concerning the cap
ture of fleeing horsemen by the
posses it has been given out authori-
tatively that not a single trace of
the kidnapers has been discovered.
The report that two of the men had
been captured early this morning was
based upon some foundation, it being
learned that two men chased several
miles by Sheriff Romero and a posse
/ from Montoya had turned OUT to be
two horse thieves whom the sheriff
has been endeavoring to round up for
some time.
This morning at o'clock it was
current talk on the streets that ],
d. Hand and Louis c. Ilfeld had dis
CONtltu luS Jluth VI INC dpuuSOOis
and were pursuing them rapidly at
distance of only a few miles in
feet that the men had come upon
ranch where the fleeing horsemeD
had stopped and compelled the resi-
dents to give them a breakfast, af
ter which they helped themselves to
horses and rode hurriedly away. The
rumor stated further that the horses
ridden by the two men were jaded
and gave every appearance of having
been ridden all night. The Optic
got into communication with Messrs.
Hand and Ilfeld this morning at
Cuervo, a station seventy-fve miles
east of Las Vegas on the Rock Island
cut-off. They stated they had travel
ed all night, believing they were
on the track of two or three horse
men,. Later it was learned positive
ly that they had followed an i'll de
fined trail all night They believe
it would have been impossible for
horsemen to have euded them or es
capped from them during the night.
Deputy Sheriff Enrique Sena, Gen
eral Snyman, the Boer war general,
E. G. Bleeker and Lorenzo Delgado,
after an all night trip, reached the
Bell ranch, sixty miles east of Las We
gas, early this morning. They had
been sent out to trace the two men
who were reported seen riding rapid
ily twenty miles east of Watrous yes
terday. They were reached this
morning by telephone by The Optic
and asserted they had discovered po-
stively no trace whatever of the kid
napers. Today the party left the
Bell ranch, making detour to the
south. 1t will make thorough
search of that part of the country and
return to Las Vegas tonight.
Another rumor that reached here
a. noon today was that posse had
captured one of the kdnapers near
Tucumcari and had engaged in a bat.
tie with second man, who had sue
ceeding in getting away. An investl-
cation by The Optic proved this 70
have been without foundation. All
the posses are expected to return to
Las Vegas tonight when plans for
further operations will be made.
Yesterday afternoon Charles Trum-
bull, and Erie Hoke drove to Las Ven
tanas, thirty miles east of Las Vegas.
While on the way they surprised two
horsemen in the road. The latter
quickly wheeled about and hurried
away across country. Trumbull was
unable to follow with his atuo. TruIn
bull and Hoke stopped at house
nearby and asked concerning the two
men. A native woman at the dwell
ing said one of the men was her hus-
band She told such a convincing
story that the men were inclined 70
believe her. 1t is possible, however,
the woman may have been intimidat-
ed by the horsemen and compelled 10
make such an answer for fear of he'
life The strange conduct of the two
men aroused the suspicious of Hoke
and Trumbull.