Arizona republican., 1916-05-20
TEXAS RANGER
 JOINS MILITIA
Charlie McCandless Under goes Terrifying Experi- ences at Columbus; Weird Tale of Exploits In the Raided Town

Charlie McCandless, hero of the Co., | lumbus raid. and ex-two-gun- Texas ranger, will help guard the border with | the National Guard of Arizona. He enlisted yesterday and left Phoenix with a detachment of eighteen men, sent out by Lieutenant c. R. Price, in charge of recruiting here.
 strange, almost weird tale thereby hangs. McCandless went through the Columbus raid. He left the scene of the May 9th tragedy the day after, and so, missed a friend, who has written as follows in the Dallas News: Kansas City, Mo-. March 14.-You will confer a favor if you will publish the letter inclosed herewith. l select your paper because of the fact that know the person referred to is very fond of the News, and often quotes it as the best newspaper published.
 'l am anxious to learn if Charlie McCandless is still living He was. to my certain knowledge, the greatest hero of the Columbus (New Mexico) battle with Villas bandits March g. "I am a civil engineer and live in Iowa, but was stopping at the hotel in | thC ANCN .htAiNO tOWA liIt HISIt or lIP Mexican bandit raid, and so was this man McCandless. He seems to have been engaged in Mexican warfare for two or three years and is an enthusias- tic Mexican fighter.
 When the Mexican bandits came into the little town and began their deadly work, killing and burning, this man McCandless said to me:
 old scout, keep cool now, for "hell" is to pay!
 When we saw our hotel was on fire, we made our escape at rear window. When we struck the ground l ran behind the corner of the burning building. As I had no gun, l knew [ could not help fight the bandits.
 "McCandless opened fire witI a large revolver. As soon as he hit the ground he commenced shooting Mexi- cans. l am sure he killed seven or eight, and the last I saw of him he was still pursuing the running Meyi- cans, and l could hear shots until the fighting parties must have been one half mile distant. 1 lay deep down in the sand and escaped. As McCandless would shoot down a Mexican he would take the dead mans gun and ammuni- tion and then continue his shower of bullets.
 Il can't content myself until l learn if that bravest man l have ever met got through that awful battle alive If you publish this letter l would he very glad if McCandless would write me if he is alive.
 Thanking you in advance
 "J. R. BURKE. Perry, Iowa
 Last night McCandless told why 7 Burke had missed ham
 After l had run out onto the desert ? cha sing the raiders l became separated from everyone. Being extremely tired : } lay down in some brush and final, : fell asleep. was awakened towar, 2 morning by a bunch of stragglers, win g took me with them. bound hand am s foot. At little stream, they tied 0 rock about my neck and pushed me 1T
 The water was only eighteen incne e deep, and before I entirely lost con |. sciousness, l worked free from th e rock. was found by some COW !, punchers the Eext day
 Il Meanwhile, Burke had returned 1 n Kansas City. McCandless came 1 l. Phoenix, where he got hold of a cop el of the newspaper containing the ir = ---,-- -