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SilvaFrom Page 1Anames of three of the other pallbearers: Charlie Fore, Vincente Otero, and a man, with the last name of Anaya.Aside from his relationship with Billy the Kid and the Maxwell family, Jesus had other tales to tell, and another reason to go to Fort Sumner, Chano said.“His brother, Vincente, wanted him to join his business, and (Jesus) came south to get away from him.”Vincente Silva, Chano’s great-uncle, had already established himself as one of New Mexico’s most feared crime bosses.“He was an outlaw in what is now San Miguel County,” Chano said. He owned Las Vegas, and ran saloons, gambling houses and prostitutes.”Vincente ruled with the strength of the 40 gunmen he employed.He also owned a large ranch near Las Vegas, but Chano said he doesn’t know how his great-uncle acquired the land.“He probably took it,” he said. “He had his boys steal the cattle and horses.”Chano said the ranch, called Hidden Valley, still exists.“There’s only one way in and one way out, he said. “It was a good hiding place for outlaws.”Vincente, like many outlaws in the Old West, died violently.“I knew the man who killed him,” Chano said. “It was his right-hand man, Jose Chaves y Chaves.”According to Chano, Vincente killed his wife so he could be with the madame of his prostitutes.Chaves y Chaves took it upon himself to revenge Vincente’s wife, and shot him for killing her.He was subsequently tried and convicted for the murder.Chaves y Chaves spent five or six years in prison, Chano said, and was released early because he went blind.“I went to see him years later,” Chano said. “We talked for a while, then he asked me to stand in front of him. He felt of my shoulders neck and face and said, ‘You’ve got your uncle’s features, but you don’t have his guts.’“I told him I was glad — f didn’t want to be like my ;,reat) uncle.”
Newspaper Details
Clovis News Journal
Clovis, New Mexico, US
Sun, Mar 05, 2000
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Kokomo-Howard C.
IN, USA 18 Mar 2024
Other Publications Near Clovis, New Mexico
The Clovis News
The Eastern New Mexico News
Clovis Evening News Journal
Clovis News Tribune
Clovis New Mexico Evening News Journal
