Tombstone Epitaph

CONVICTS PASSED THROUGH TOMBSTONE
Sixty convicts for road work on the Bisbee-Tombstone branch of the State highway passed through Tombstone last night en route to the Divide road camp, where they will be encamped while the work is going on. There were two truck loads of the convicts, and one truck carrying baggage and equipment for the camp. There were four armed guards with the convicts.

Arriving in Tombstone last night after dark, and with the intent of reaching the stockade in Tombstone Canyon, the same night, the guards in charge of the convicts decided that more guards were needed to assist them on the night trip through the canyon. After a stay of about a half hour, Deputy Sheriff Harry Rafferty, Allie Howe, and Jas. Baker were secured as the extra guards and the three trucks resumed their journey to the camp.

When out of town about a mile, and about to negotiate the big hill, the largest truck carrying most of the convicts failed to make the pull, and backed down into the second truck which was close behind and considerably damaging the radiator and lamps so that the trip could not be resumed.

Guard Allie Howe was sent back to town and he secured five local autos in which to transport the prisoners of the disabled truck, while a temporary stockade was formed and the prisoners corralled until the machines arrived from town.

The damaged truck was brought back to Tombstone this morning for repairs and continued on its trip to the canyon.

Out of the sixty convicts, there were six negroes, ten Americans, one Italian, and the balance were Mexicans. There were two "lifers" in the bunch.

Road work will commence as soon as the camp is established and put into shape, and will continue toward Tombstone, beginning where the work was left off last year. It is expected that the work will be finished as far as the Bisbee Extension this year with the funds available, but it is understood an attempt is to be made to secure more money to push the work through the Government Draw hill section, thereby cutting off the bad piece of road in the valley, which has always given trouble.