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Dave Rudabaugh was probably the most desperate, and dangerous of all of New Mexico’s outlaws. He was born in Missouri, but shortly before the Civil War the Rudabaughs moved to Texas. In the war Dave’s father fought with Sibley's Brigade, but was wounded and returned home to die.Most people stood upwind of Dave, because he never learned the advantage of using soap. He rarely shaved and probably only changed his clothes when they wore out.Soon after the death of his father, he became a trail-driver, and got to see New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas. But since he liked spending money better than working for it, he soon fell in with a gang of rustlers.He drifted into Wichita where he heard of a ten thousand dollar reward offered for the death of Marshall Wyatt Earp. At first Dave thought about doing away with Earp. but soon decided that if he did he’d have to face every gun-happy person interested in shooting the man who shot the marshall.When gold was discovered in the Black Hills,Rudabaugh headed for the Dakotas, but gold digging wasn’t to his liking, so he took up with a man named Mike Roake in Deadwood. He and Roake pulled a few robberies and rustled some1?Barbara'shoi si:oi cum i itsltUit TENTH STREETVia mo^ortio. N.M.FTDv/1 11CHINAAUTHORIZED ACCUTRQN DEALERQUALITY WATCH REPAIRING437-7030908 NEW YORK AVE. ALAMOGORDODEFEAT HEARTDISEASE THE NO. 1 KILLER With a Memorial, Beqult;or Special Gifthorses from Fort Griffin, but nothing spectacular. During this time however, Dave became famous for escaping jail. He escaped from jails in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, and Texas. There didn't seem to be a jail to hold him. He’d been chained to walls, handcuffed, and shackled, but he always managed to escape. Some jailers believed he could disappear at will.Since Earp was a marshall in the vicinity, hewas assigned to bring in Rudabaugh, and was offered ten dollars a day and expenses for the job.Our friend Dave led the marshall a merry chase. They went from state to state and back again but Dave was always one jump ahead.Dave’s most famous escapade was a train robbery near Kinsley, Kansas. Just in sight of town, Dave and his men, including Rattlesnake Sam, stopped the Santa Ee. They boarded the train, and forced everyone aboard, even the engineer and the conductor, to surrender alltheir valuables. Dave was polite to the ladies, butthey were still asked to contribute.The Santa Ee officials were furious. Theywanted Rudabaugh dead or alive. So they asked the sheriff, who just happened to be Bat Masterson, for this help. They invented a plan to get Dave into Ford county where Bat arrested him. Nothing came of it though, because there was no conclusive evidence.Shortly afterward Dave went to Las Vegas, New Mexico, where he robbed the Wells Fargo Office so many times they considered closing it.His various escapades eventually led him to the town of Parral, Mexico, in the state of Chihuahua.Here on the evening of February 18, 1886. he entered his favorite cantina, and sat down to a game of cards. Dave’s Spanish wrasn’t very good, and he treated the people he met w ith contempt, but on this evening he noticed that something was different.During the card game that evening, he shot two men for cheating. Then he decided to leave, but as he walked up the street, he saw that it was deserted. He turned back toward the cantina. Watching the shadows, he slunk quietly through the dark.From somewhere a rifle cracked. Then another. Dave Rudabaugh was deadThe town came back to life. The people surrounded the body. They cut off its head, stuck it on a pole, and paraded it up and down the street.They went to the graveyard, dug a hole, and threw the body and head in. It was over.SOURCE Desperados of New- Mexicoby F. STANLEY
Newspaper Details
Carrizozo Lincoln County News
Carrizozo, New Mexico, US
Thu, Nov 09, 1972
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Kokomo-Howard C.
IN, USA 02 Apr 2022
Other Publications Near Carrizozo, New Mexico
Carrizozo Outlook
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