Deming graphic., 1921-09-13
RUM RUNNER WAS
CAUGHT SATURDAY
Fable Parra Is In Luna County Jail
and q Quantity Of Smuggied L.
quor From Mexico Is Held.
DIDN'T LAND ALL THE BUNCH
Prohibition Enforcement Officers are
Interested In the Case and Other
Arrests May Follow Shortly.

Pablo PARA Is IN Jail here and two
five gallon cans Of alcohol 80 quarts
OF tequila, % pints Of tequila and one
gallon of whiskey are In the hands of
customs officers at Columbus The
capture was made Saturday mile
east and two miles south of HOndale.
Mexican and liquor, along with a pack
mare were hidden In the brush. Others
known 10 have knowledge Of the rum
running from Mexico escaped, hut
Sheriff Jack Smyer has hopes OF catch.
ing them yet
The rum running from Chihuahua
via Columbus has been going on for
several months to the certain know
Ledge 0f customs officers and the shcr.
ifs office here. PARA lives In Dem.
ing on Diamond avenue and Sheriff
Smyer got tip that he and others
would drive a wagon loaded with liquor
through from Columbus last Friday.
Officers failed to connect with the
wagon. William Dixon OF Waterloo
telephoned early Friday morning 10 the
sher.ffs office that someone had stolen
saddle, saddle blanket and a bridle
from his barn. The sheriff concluded
that the rum runners had done tho
stealing; Mr.. Dixon was ordered TO
follow the trail. which led In the gen
eral direction OF Hondale, Sheriff smy-
er and Deputy Sheriff l.. 2. Davis.
promising To cut in and meet him near
that town.
Just south OF Deming. ON the rock
roh extension Of Eighth street, the
sheriff party met three Mexicans. two
on one horse and one on another: the
i0rsemen were evidently headed TO-
ward Hondale Sheriff Smyer decid-
ed tO follow these men at distance
In his ear. The trail led zig-zag and
uncertain one, but IL lead right past
the chache Of liquor which was hidden
in the brush. Without disturbing the
cache the officers went ON toward the
Tes HeI nanas mountains % meet Mr..
Dixon. a. the Simon ranch Sheriff
Smyer telephoDed 10 J. H. Breen, Gus
toms inspector. and Clarence Rogers,
little later at Waterloo. The federal
and county officers soon found that the
saddle thieves and the rum runners
were distinct parties and the officers
decided to go back to the liquor cache
10 round mp the smugglers.
On arrival at the spot Il was DIS
covered that the liquor had been re-
moved Immediately the officers be-
gan cutting signs for the smugglers and
soon saw a Mexican, afterward arrest
ed. dodgng around IN the brush. The
sheriff opened fire with his pistol Ou
the fugitive and later Inspector Breen
joined the chase and began FIRING with,
his pistol IL was unfortunate that theri
rifles had been left at the cache for
accuracy with pistols was impossible
with mesquite as high as a mans head,
The Mexican did not return the fire.
Early in the chase a mare was disc0v-
cred loaded down with liquor, evidently
the pack had just been completed by
the fugitive Mexican. Inspector Breen
cut the pack loose ana united the mare
and soon captured the smugger under
meath a mesquite bush with his pistol
in his hand The fugitive could easily
have killed the inspector had he not.
evidently been afraid of the rest OF the
officers who were hard ON the trail.
The rest Of the liquor was then gather
ed up and the sheriff's party returned
Ia Deming. Inspector Breen took the
liquor to Columbus. Both federal and
state charges will be- preferred against
the prisoner wha has broken the reven-
ne laws. the prohibition enforcement
law, and has complicated his case by
being found illegally transporting
liquor and with arms in possession In
New Mexico, the latter being covered
by state statute that places Is years
as the limit.