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xjjusuih muniu KJlU UKS©TEXAS ROMANCE.Daring Raid by Rustlers ona Fort Davis Store.Mvsterions Dave RudebauglTs Rescue byBis Pretty and Brave Wife.How She Met Her Death at the Handsof the Rangers.fSpecial Correspondence Philadelphia Titnes.1 I was at the depot the other day, awaiting thearrival of a friend from Paso del Norte, when some one touched me on the arm and pronounced my name. 1 turned and came face to face with one ol the most remarkable men that tiie South-western frontier has produced, no less a personage than the notorious Mysterious Have” Kudebaugti, who was one of Billy the Kid’s” lieutenants during the Lincoln county, New Mexico, cow war and was afterwards associated with Jesse Evans in several predatory raids along the frontier. Dave is still a young man and bis handsome face and weil-knlt form would atlract attention and excite commentanywhere. HU hair was long, curly and black as a raven’s wing. He sported a moustache, neatly trimmed and waxed, of the same color «as his hair, and his semi-civilized dress was of the richest possible description. A magnificent sombrero, which could not have cost less than $500, was set jauntily on his bead, and the handles of two silver-mounted six-shooters peeped from under the lapels of his broadcloth coat. A big diamond glistened on his shirt-front and another sparkled on the little finger of his left hand. I returned ins greeting, and at his invitation walked over to an adjacent contena and joined him in a bottle of aguadiente and a fragrant puro.Where have you been during the last two years, Dave?” I asked.In tiie principal cities this side the llio Grande,” w'as tiie answer.You appear to have been successful?”Success Is no name for the hog-killing times I’ve had. I’ve Just coined wealth, and if luck continues I shall be able to retire and settle down in a few years.You, of course, follow’ the old racket?” was my next observation.You bet; and I lilt every time.”When I referred to the old racket,” I meant the business my dashing friend was engaged in when I last met him in Texas, which avocation, hy the way, thanks to the vigilance of the State rangers, was neither safe nor profitable. Davewas a genuine rustler” in those davs, and no ad-veuture was too dangerous for him to undertake.lie wai a Cow Iloyin Lincoln county, New Mexico, when I first heard ot him; was reckless, brave and a (lead shot with a lifie or six-shooter. He was in the employ ot old man Chisholm, and when the cow w’ar broke out was employed as a rustler by thegreat cow man, and was in several desperateengagements under the leadership of William Bouney, alias Billy the Kid,” whose fortunes he followed to the end. Pat Garrett, the Sheriff of Lincoln county, rounded upaud killed the Kid” earlyin the summer ot 1881, near old Fort Sumner, and Dave, who was indicted in New Mexico for several murders and robberies, tied to Texas and joined Jesse livans, who had quarrelled with tiie Kid” at the beginning of tiie eovv war, and struck out for himself. Evans was'the leader of a desperate band, consisting of George Davis, John Gunter and the Graham boys. Mysterious Dave was a valuable acquisition to the outfit. He assisted Jesse Evans in planning raids, ana was the leader #lien they were executed., In tiie spring of 1881 emigration began to pour Into the counties ot IVcos, Presidio, Tom Green and'El Paso. The Indians had been driven out, and ranches W'ere located in all directions. Fort Davis, the seat of Presidio county, began to improve, and several stores were started. They did a flourishing trade and the owners made a great deal ot money. One of the principal mercantile firms of the post was Sender Slebenborn's. The Jesse Evans gang sized up” the place anddetermined to rob it. They laid their jffans accordingly, and one niuht, just after the boom of tlie retreat gun, the band rode up to the store and dismounted. The only customers in the store were two army officers. George Davis and one of the Graham boys remained with the horses. Jesse Evans and Mysterious Dave” entered the main store. John Gunter and Ed Graham pushed their way into tiie office.Throw up your hands, gentlemen!”cried Jesse Evans, and his six-shooters clicked ominously.The two army officers, the members of the firm and a clerk did as they were requested, and Gunter and ids companion compelled the bookkeeper to lay aside His pen, and marched him out into the main store.What Is the meaning of this?” demanded Mr. Sender.We have no time to answer questions,” said Mysterious Dave. All of you will please sit down on the counter close together, and I would caution any man against dropping ins hands. That sort of a move will cause my six-shooter to talk, and somebody’ll drop.”The six men obeyed the outlaw’s, command, and he took up His position in front of them with cocked six-shooters. Evans, Gunter and Ed Graham retired to the office and rifled the safe. They made the money up into a convenient bundle, and Evans tied it to the horn of ids saddle. During all this time Dave had beenILeepiux Guard over the l*ri«c»iier«.One of the officers wore a fine gold w atch, and the outlaw relieved him of it and compelled him to empty his pockets. When tiie officer lifted up the skirts of his coat to get to the pockets of his pantaloons, lie displayed a six-shooter scabbard.An! my friend,” said Dave, I see you are armed. I’ll take the six-shooter also.” lie did, and buckled tiie belt about his waist. Evans called him from the outside and he backed toward the door. On tHe threshold lie paused, lie placing one of his pistols in t He scabbard, lie raised his sombrero and bowed low.Good evening, gentlemen,” ho said, and then closed the door.The robbers rode away and it was some time before the men in the store dared raise an alarm. E” company of the State Hangers, under command of Captain Charles L. Nevill, were camped six miles from tiie post at MooskL's ranch. A messenger was dispatched thither with the news of the robbery. A scouting party, under command of Sergeant L. B. Caruthers, started out in pursuit of the rustlers. One of the members of the plundered firm, Siebenborn, was completely prostrated by the event and took to his bed. A nervous fever set tn and alter a short sickness he died. Sergeant Caruthers followed the trail of tiie outlaws and finally overtook them near the centre of the great Prison plain. The gang showed light and the rangers attacked tnem. One of the Graham boys was wounded and George Davis was killed. A ranger named Jackson was mortally wounded. Alter a sharp battle the outlaws surrendered andthey were brought hack to Fort Davis and lodged in the county presidio. Alt of the stolen property was recovered. In less than a week after their incarceration Evans, Gunter and the Graham hoys were released on ball. The Grahams forfeiied their bonds and escaped to Arizona. All three were afterwards killed there at a mining camp not far from Tombstone. Evans and Gunter stood their trial, were convicted and sentenced to ten vears each in the penitentiary. A short time after their removal to this instltuion they attempted to escape and Evans was successful. lie fled from the State and was afterwards heard of in Sonora,Mexico, where he was leading an honest life as a ranch superintendent. Gunter was less successful. In endeavoring to scale the walls of tiie penitentiary he wasShot Head by a Guard.Mysterious Dave was wanted for so many crimes that he was unable to give bail and languished in jail. He had many friends, however, and they contributed to make his sojourn in prison as pleasant as clreumstancas would permit. After his companions were liberated lie was the only prisoner. Knowing his desperate character, however, and fearing that he might attempt to escape, the sheriff solicited ranger assistance to guard the jail and a squad of men were stationed there. To further secure the desperate prisoner he was heavily ironed and chained to the ston wall. One night, about a week after Dive had been sole occupant of the jail, the overland stage going east brought in among its passengers a young woman, elegantly dressed and wearing a profusion of expensive jewelry. She was very beautiful, with a rich olive complexion, delicately tintedchecks, full red lips, which, when parted, disclosed teeth of dazzling whit* ness, and large brown eyes capable of great expression. Her hands were small and shapely and her form waswillow v and lissome. The tlnh lt;I feet ] eeped from under her silk skirt. She inquired the way to the jail, and when the squttn* adobe building was pointed out to her she went to the big gate and knocked for admission* A ranger answeredthe summons and raised ids sombrero to the visitor, who smiled sweetly.Is Mr. Dave Kndebaugh confined here?” sheasked In a delicately modulated voice. Yes’m,” answered the ranger.Can I see him?”I reckon so. I’ll call the corporal. lie hascharge.”The ranger corporal, who was a gallant man. gazed admiringly at his beautiful visitor, and when she begged in the sweetest of voices permission to see his noted prisoner it was readilygranted.I am ids wife,” she explained. a« they walked across the fail yard, and the corporal envied the Mysterious Dave the possession o! a being ot such ravishing loveliness. When the trap-door waslifted and she peered down into the dark dungeon where Dave was confined, she shuddered and tears started to ier eyes. Tiie rangers thought themselves brutes and were so badly infatuated that hey would have turned the prisoner loosehad she requested it.Can i see him up here?” she asked, timidly. It is so dark down there.”Certainly,” answered the corporal, and one of the men climbed down into the dungeon and unlocked tiie chain w hich confined Dave to the wall.His shackles were not taken off, however, and it was necessary to assist him up the ladder. When his feet touched the floorThe Remit! f ul Woman 1C tithed Forwardwith a glad cry and twined her arms about his neck. The rangers turned away their heads, and. after the first greeting, allowed the couple to talk together without interruption. When tiie Interview was over the rangers came in and put Dave back in the dungeon. He was carefully searched, but nothing was found on his person.My husband tells me that you have been very kind to him,” said the beautiful visitor to the corporal, as she was leaving, and if you will permit me I’ll send you over some wine, I shall remain here until Dave Comet to trial.”Thank you, ma’am!” said the corporal, and he escorted her to the gate.In about an hour after she left some wine and a box of fine cigars were brought to the jail andhanded to the ranger corporal, with the compliments of Mrs. Rudehaugh.” The rangers drank the health of the beautiful donor and puffed the fine cigars. Three of the rangers, including the corporal, finally re ired, ana they complained of being unusually sleepy. Two men remained on guard, but they nodded at their posts and rubbed their eyes to keep awake. At midnight, when thetwo men on duty should have aroused two of their companions, who would stand the balance of the night, they were both snoring loudly. Suddenly a woman, mounted on one pony and leading another, rode up and dismounted under the shadow of the lab wail, she tied both animals and crept around to the big gate. Here she waited and listened.During all this time Mysterious Dave had not been Idle. With some line*saws which the beautiful woman had brought him, and which he had managed to secrete iu such a wav that they were not discovered by the ranger who searched him, he cut off his shackles and then sawed out the heavy iron bars which protected the window of his cell. The night w:is very dark, and when had cut away the window bars he creptliethrough the aperture into the jail yard. He heard the snores of rangers overhead uud thought himself safe. The yard gate was locked, nut the key hung ou the inside. He groped Ids way across the yard, walking softly. Suddenly ids foot struck an object and ^tumbling be fell to the ground. The object moved and lie knew that it was a man. Dave scrambled to ids feet, ran toward tiie gate and seizing tiie key fitted it in the lock. Meanwhile the sleeping man, who was the ranger on guard outside the Jail, roused himself, and springing to his fee|f cocked ids gun.Halt!” he cried.Just then Dave succeeded In unlocking the gate and pushed it open. The ranger fired and the ball whistled by the outlaw’s head.Hurry, Dave, for the love of heaven!” cried the woman outside.The ranger’s shot alarmed his sleeping companions, and they rushed out into the yard. What’s the matter?” cried the corporal.The Pilioner Urn Escaped!answered tiie guard, who had reached the gate.He heard footsteps turning the corner of the jail yard, and fired again. Iiis companions joined him, and they ran around the jail firing rapidly. The fugitives reached tlie ponies, and both mounted. The rangers were now close at hand, and their bullets flew about like hail. Suddenly a piercing scream and then a cry of pain rang out, and when the rangers hurried forward they found their beautiful visitor of the day before lying upon the ground with a gun-shot wound through her lissome body. Dave was nowhere to be seen, and they heard the thud of his pony’s hoofs as he galloped down the Del Norte road. Three of the rangers started iu pursuit, but they never overtook him, and lie got safely across the Kio Grande. The supposed Mrs. Hudebaugh was lifted up and carried into the jail. One of the rangers hurried to the post for a surgeon, but before hereturned the beautiful creature was dead. No one knew' her. and there were no papers found on her body by which to identify her. Tiie tiny lace-bordered* handkerchief in her pocket was marked in one corner with the name Nita,” andthis was the only clew. She was buried under abig cottonwood at the iiead of L.vmpla canyon, and some one set up a rude stone to mark the grave, on which was scratched the name found on the imrntk rcliiof.All these facts recurred to me as I chatted with Dave at the*bar of the contena, and to satisfy my curiosity I asked him a question:Dave,” I said, was the beautiful woman who assisted you to escape from the Presidio jail and who was killed by the rangers really your wife?Carajo!” he cried, ana ids lace darkened. She was an angel of goouness and as brave us a lion. Poor Nita.”Was she your wife?”He looked at me sharply and shrugged bis shoulders.Gillen sabe,” lie said, and then abruptly changed the subject.A Japanese Barometer Stone.f Exchu nge. ]. A curious reminiscence of Japan as it was thirty years ago is incidentally furnished iu the story ot one Zenlya Gohtd, a merchant, who, in the days of the Bukufu government was guilty of the heinous crime of engaging in unlicensed commerce with foreigners. Zenlya, for this offence, underwent a term of imprisonment, and on his release disposed of any property that remained to him to procure the means of livelihood. This, however, is not the episode in ids career which recently made him a subject of interest to the vernacular press, but tiie fact that among Ids belongings was a celebrated chattel called the barometer stone” (See-i-Seki). This piece of rock is naturally of a pinkish white color, but it lias a charnel-loulike property of altering its line whenever a change of weather is imminent. Should rain be overhead, ii begins to look green as much as two days beforehand, and should a storm be brewing it assumes a dark aspect. So far as we are aw are,no mineral recorded iu Occidental catalogues exhibits this wonderful sensibility to atmosphericinfluences, and If Mr. Zcniya’s stone be a veritable affair, it is indeed a curiosity. The Yomi-uri Shimbun, from w hich we quote these details, says that after Zeniya’s mishap the stone came into the possession of the house of Mayeda (in Joshin), and that it is to be presented to his majesty tiie Emperor on the completion of the imperial palace.A Father’s Plain Talk.CChicago News.]A small boy who stood at the east end of the Illinois Central viaduct yesterday lost his hat on tlie lake by reason of the high wind, and was straightway seized with a paroxysm of grief. His shrieks greatly terrified two other small boys whowere His companions.Come away, or you’ll get drownded yourself,” said one of them.The little fellow' continued to shriek, and the others dragged him off, kicking and wailing.He knows he’ll catch it when he gets home,”chuckled a stout old geutlemuu who saw thecatastrophe.Dear me,” said his companion, a pale youngman. , ,But H lie’s a boy with any good in hint,” saidthe old gentleman, he’ll lie to tiie old folks, lie’ll• ■ • ■ • I _ ■ _ .say a big boy stole his hat as lie came from Sundayschool.”That would be a shocking falsehood,” said theyoung man.Yes. but he wouldn’t get licked,” said the old gentleman. If 1 was in his boots I’d lie aboutit.”Oh, father!” said the young man, sorrowfully. And you would, too,” said the old gentleman, fiercely. Have you forgotten how you used to lie to me? If you were that bov you would go home and say you hadn’t lost your hat, and that you never had a hat. That would be lying like a fool, and that’s your style, sir.”The young man was silent.iA Fresh Writer Salt.[Drake’s Travellers’ Magazine.]Say, boss, will you give an old sailor something to get a bit of grub?” said a wmuber-beatei) fellow, who looked as if a ragman had a mortgage on him.So you are a sailor, eh?” kindly inquired the philanthropist.I used to ne, your honor.” What was the name of the craft on which you chewed hard tack and tarred ropes?”1—1 lprget now.”How many masts did it have?”Didn’t have none,” uneasily replied the old salt, as he shifted his position.Was it square-rigged or schooner-rigged?” persisted the philanthropist, fixing his glitteringeye upon llie tiamp.Didn’t have no sails,” growled the vagrant.Then what in tiie name of all tiiat llouis was it?”It was a rnud-scow on the Mississippi, blast your eyes!” .veiled tiie discouraged wretch, as he uttvhed up his trousers and sloped away with a land-lubbcr's gaiuri
Newspaper Details
Boston Weekly Globe
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Tue, May 20, 1884
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Kokomo-Howard C.
IN, USA 31 Mar 2022
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