St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1913-12-06
DESPERATE, AFTER KILLING SIX
MEN, SEEKS REFUGE
IN A NINE.
POISONOUS GASES FORCED
IN TO DRIVE HIM OUT
Crowded to Bulkhead of . Tunnel He
Calls the Name ct g. Friend
and Heard Nc Mere.

bowels OF the earth, with all exit
closed except at places where poison
GUS gases are being generated an,
, sent in; in mine stored with dyna
J mite; presumably weak from hunge
and thirst, while hundreds of mel
stand ready to shoot him, many ever
begging to be allowed to go into thu
mine, Ralph Lopez, murderer anG
desperate. tonight still was defyinl
the world.
! On November 81 Lopez killed 1
Mexican miner and later in the day
he killed the chief of police and two
deputies who pursued him After a
chase through several counties he
back-tracked to Bingham and took
|refuge In the Utah-Apex mine, where
he killed two more deputies who pur-
sued him.
A more dramatic setting for the
ending Of Lopez's career scarcely
could be found. The mine is near
the top Of precipitous canyon wall
and from any Of its fifteen tunnel
| mouths one could throw stone that
would descend for nearly thousand
feet before it struck. Here and there
miners cabin clings to the cliff,
and from one Of these widow sat
watching today for the avenging of
her husbands death.
The mouth Of the Andy tunnel was
stopped today with q bulkhead, and
the fumes Of sulphur smudge were
directed into the mine through an
opening. Bulkheads were placed in
fho o%hor Hv,{ro vno,,ths voe<ordou nrd
smudges of various compositions are
sending their poisonous fumes back
into every tunnel.
Exits Of the mine are at different
levels and It is estimated the tunnels,
.nclines and blind slopes criss-cross
for thirty miles. The seven sheriffs
In charge have more than 200 depu-
ties under them.
Lopez took refuge in the mine FRI,
day night with a limited supply Of
food. He was formerly one of the
lesees of the mine. which produces
gold, silver and copper, and is IA
mil;ar with every passageway.
Lopez crowded to the bulkhead of
the Andy tunnel this afternoon and
called for his friend, Joe Corrello.
What do you want? Speak now,
for in half an hour you will be dead, .
commanded the deputy in charge Of
the posse at the entrance.
Lopez refused to answer, except
to call again for Corrello, who was
sent for. When the latter arrived,
however, and shouted through the
bulkhead, he received no answer. It
IS supposed Lopez, fearing some
scheme to trap him, retreated back
pto the mine, or himself was resort
ng to some strategem.
On Corrello's being unable to get
a response, Mike ,Yukovich, Monte
negrin. and-a brother-in-law of Depu-
ty Mandrich, broke from a crowd Of
spectators, and tried to break down
the bulkhead to go after Lopez He
was led away by deputies and friends,
Repeatedly since Saturday lie had
pleaded for the opportunity TO pe1e-
trate the darkness and fight it out
with the Mexican.
s The deputies guarding the Andy
tunnel mouth believed Lopez was
overcome this afternoon behind the
until two hours la,er Trey
heard scraping sound, followed by
SOuSH.
Late tonight columns of smoke
were rushing ons Of various .un.lels.
showing that parts of the mins sl-
ready were f!ln;.
In the lowest level of the worI,ag
smudges were l.aced directly i,e-
nestn shafts leading up into tie ~.
per levels where Lopez took refuge
when he entered the mine Thurs: ~
r!eht. Smoke was also ss;r 'ig
through cracks oi, top Of the nltnr-
tain showing me Of the tunnels ~.
ve4r near the surface. Guards wee
laced at these 1iotS.
IL case Lopez does net annea,.
the smudging VII continue fof IA
other day and right. Then twenty
forr hours must elapse befc.e the
a., ptitfes can enter.