El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-12-29
BOY READY To
REPEL BANDITS
Son Of Family on the Brite
Ranch, in Christmas Raid,
Loads Air Rifle.

20 ut4p leleLf mamma ana ny 4AuLl
from the bandits"
This Is what young ous Miller,
aged nine years. said Friday evening
at the home OF his parents. Mr. and
Mrs T. p. Miller. 29i5 Tularosa street,
In talking about the raid Of the MexI-
can bandits on the Brits ranch IN
the Big Bend district south OF Maria.
Texas. on Christmas day. Otis re-
turned with his morner to Fl Paso
from a visit 20 his grandfather. D,
81. G0urley. who lives az another
ranch house OF the big Brits ranch
about ~ miles from the house where
the raid Of the 80 bandits occurred
Broke Up Christmas Dinner.
we were Just getting ready 20
have dinner az my fathers" Mrs.
Miller said, when Afr. Cobb came up
with his family and told Us that the
bandits We teIsphoned to Maria FOR
the soldiers and then we loaded up
In big Overland auto. eight OF Us.
and went as fast as W could 70 the
ranch Of Fl P. Holmes, which YVES
four miles closer TO Maria. Hers Mr.
Holmes and his three hands prepared
for defence In case the bandits should
continue on The soldiers came hur-
rying out, about 200 OF them, loaded
IN autos, Just about noon. and I tell
you what. they looked mighty good.
and we were not afraid any longer
We returned to my fathers ranch
later and warmed Up the turkey again
and had our Christmas dinner about
five o'clock"
IN the auto that carried the women
out OF danger were Mrs. J.. A Walton.
Mrs Milers sister ana her two
d 20 n p "a
other sister. and her husband, who
drove the machine. and Miss Alice
Gourley, another sister. Little Otis
carried his air rifle along 20 the
Holmes ranch
Rides Alone to Fight.
1Ir. GourIey. who IS a foreman So-
l. G Brlte, owner OF the ranch. rode
alone 20 the other Brlte ranch 20 help
Van Nell and his father. Cam Neil.
while the raiders looted the store
about 100 yarTE away. He arrived.
Mrs Miller stated. just aa the last
party OF bandits were leaving with
their load OF saddles. provisions and
clothing. Mr.. Gourley e 90 yearB o.
age
Mr.. Brits came from Maria vita The
Mrs. Miller said
Pere Guron was in his house Al %
the time with his family. ready %
defend them 90 the last. shs stated.
but was not molested. not q shot
being fired a. his house
Mexican Lad Saves Preacher,
In the house besides the two NsiIs
we're two women, MA Van and Mrs.
sam Nell Miss LOWE Men. a sister
o. Van; Miss Leila Weatheriy and
Rev and 8irs. H n Bandy. The four
latter came 70 visit the Brits ranch
Christmas morning and did not know
hat there was any trouble unfil they q
were IN the house. a. they did noe
suspect the crowd outside being ban
llls. MIS- Miller said The lie OF
Rev Ban-iy was saved by q young
Mexican lad who told the bandits
that he was a priest
This lad and Mrs Jose Sanchez.
wife OF the Mexican servant were
also IN the Brlte house and armed.
WIS Sancnez had rifle and prom
sed 90 use Il on the invaders as best
she could Mrs. Miller said.
Bandits Young Fellow.
That the bandits were mostly boys
md youths and probably from the
Interior. was the statement q Mrs.
.filler Two signal fires we're built
he night before the raid. one At the
'anch. between the store and house.
~ young Mexican who had hung
Iround Tor several days, and the
lther az the rim rock" where the
mesa drops sheer down % the river
ALLEY. about four or five miles away
{ is su1nosed that this was built BY
he bandits
sam Men Hunt IN Nose
After sam Nell had killed the ban
q captain. and Van Neil had fired a
Dad OF shot into the bunch advancing
m the house. the bandits retired and
fterwards left the adobe ranch house
2 peare- sam Neil was wounded IN
he nose By a piece OF flying stucro
rom a shot that struck the house and
lso had his leg Erazed Mrs. Mll1er
aid The men afterwards went into
he house and remained until the ban
Its left
Praises Mexican Helper.
The conduct OF Jose Sanchez ths
feEican hired man, vas highly
raised by Mrs. Miller. He was sent
~ the bandits 20 the house 20 tell
he Neils that n they would not fire
ne bandits would let them alone
his truce was observed the re-
1aInder o. the time while the bar
IT'S finished their work % Carrying
~ OF destroyirE the contents OF the
'uyon store The sum OF $500 was
d the safe but they were not abIa
o get 70 open, using an axe They
ent word 20 the Neils that money
nj goods were all they wanted
lose afterwards esczned and after
Obj had been warned By Guyou not
o come nearer. net him and told him
he farts He then rid. fearing To
. back lest the bandits would XII
I'm
leader Federal Captain. Report.
The stage driver. Mickey Weich.
-7s killed. % IS believed Mrs Miller
7ld- because he had recognized some
2 the band The leader who was
He'd was afterwards identified b.
ome as a federal captain who had
cen with the tronns interned a.
'arfa. Mrs. MILLER ststeE He called
'yill all Americans' when he fen. she
Thirty horses were stolen bv ghs
md. according 20 Mrs MILLER. IN ad-
'rion 20 the clothing and provisions.
he Wevi"sns were especially anxious
0r tobacro.
In the pursuit the soldiers were
FINISHED horses BY the ranchers
bout. as they had MAIDS the hurry
IN from Maria by auto. The facts
the raid and pursuit a. told By
rs. Miller were practically the sane
9 was told IN press dispatches. The
evIc9us o. the last party were
'iiEed to leave their horses at the
m rock and 60 down the dangerous
al on foot.
~T-1