Los Angeles Herald

HIS OWN MURDERER.

"Do you see the bullet hole in the crown of this sombrero, Neb? Thereby hangs a tale, which, if you will make yourself comfortable in an easy chair, I'll relate."

I was visiting the pleasant rooms of my friend R-, an old telegraph operator; not old in years, but in experience, for he had worked at the business since a boy, and had been in many difficult positions, thus having a varied experience from which to draw his stories.

The hat he now held in his hand was a light gray felt with a leather band around it, and near the top on one side and through the crown on the opposite side were two small holes, made by a bullet, R said, in an attempt on his life.

"You remember," he began, "some ten years ago I made a trip down the Mississippi, through Texas, Mexico and California. This was partly for my health, partly for pleasure, but principally on a business excursion for our company.

"I spent considerable time in A- Tex., and while there the city-as they called it-was being completely demoralized by as vicious, corrupt a set of gamblers as it was ever my lot to fall in with. These southwestern cities of rapid growth, rapid wealth and with a population of adventurers and uneasy people collected from many parts of the globe, are just the place for these desperadoes to do their richest fleecing; but in this instance they were notorious, and having committed several capital crimes, the government took the case in hand.

"In this quiet northern town you are scarcely able to realize the difference a few degrees of latitude can make in the apparent dispositions and surroundings of human beings. While traveling through the southwest it often seemed as though I must be in a different country, everything was so foreign and lawless in its character.

"About this time there had been considerable trouble along the telegraph lines in that section of the state, and I had been employed as a detective by the government to help ferret out the mischief makers, and as I was now stopping in A- they wanted me to help stop the gamblers, who were beginning to smell a rat and were keeping under cover.

"In an excitable community where firearms are carried by all and often used indiscriminately, the arrest of desperate characters is not only difficult but dangerous, for, as you know, 'birds of a feather,' they usually have many friends in a crowd. In this instance a small posse was selected to arrest the gamblers, and it was agreed that except in a case of emergency I was not to touch the criminals, but simply enter their resorts, spot the men if there and signal the officers to enter.

The first night we succeeded in arresting two in a faro saloon, and in the conflict-for they had to be taken by main force-I had been obliged to help the officers, and this I suppose gave the crowd an inkling of my true character.

We did not know it, however, and the next night determined to make a raid and arrest the remainder of these, who I discovered had located themselves in one of the dives in the lowest part of the town, near the river.

"We had, as we thought, used the utmost precautions, for the men were desperate and would fight, we knew, to the last. The buildings on this street were so close together that their low, flat roofs nearly touched each other, growing more and more squalid till they reached the river, which cut off their growth. Consequently there were no side entrances. At the back door we placed two men, and at either side of the front entrance, in the darkness, the remainder of the posse concealed themselves. It was agreed that if I found the gamblers in the saloon I was to give a signal at the most opportune moment, when the officers would rush in from both sides and secure their men before they had a chance to escape or to offer much resistance.

"I then sauntered in, walked up to the bar and called for a glass of liquor. I noticed that the bartender looked surlily at me, and as I turned with the glass in my hand and faced the crowd standing and seated around the faro tables, there seemed to be an unusual silence, but I leaned carelessly against the wall, pretending to sip the villainous stuff in my glass, but at the same time taking a keen survey of the crowd. I think I never saw a more hardened set of criminals outside of prison bars than were gathered around those faro tables that night. Little piles of silver and gold were heaped up here and there, many of them guarded with six shooters and bowie knives, while men were dealing out the cards and raking in the coins.

Just as I was about to give the signal one of the tables was overturned and in an instant there was a general commotion. Before I realized what was happening, so rapid and unexpected were the movements, a door opened by my side and a girl grasped me by the coat and said in a frightened voice, "This way, quick, for your life!" Quick as a flash the girl slammed the door and I found myself being hurried up a flight of stairs and through an open trapdoor on the roof. The girl gave me a push, as angry cries followed us, and said, "To the river. It's your only chance. They mean to kill you!" You may be sure I wasted no time in grateful thanks, though why she braved the angry crowd for my sake I never knew.

"I leaped rapidly from one flat roof to another toward the river, but none too fast, for tramping feet, oaths and shots followed all too quickly for my comfort, and as I leaped from the last roof into the river one bullet made the holes in the crown of that hat, just missing my head. The ruffians thought they had finished me, and then the rush of the waiting posse, who made a dash when they heard the commotion, gave them other business.

"It was a short time before I was on the opposite bank of the river reviewing the case. Detectives are more feared and hated by lawbreakers than the regular officers, and I knew if my business was known, as it seemed it was, it was as much as my life was worth to return for the present. Besides, the work I had undertaken was finished, so I concluded to go due north till I had struck the railroad, stop the first train I saw go to the next station, then telegraph back for my grip and continue my journey west.

"It was now toward morning, and I concluded I had better make myself scarce before daylight revealed my whereabouts. I struck out rapidly for the north, but when the hot sun came out, and with most of the time nothing to show me my locality, I lost my reckoning and must have taken a northwesterly course. Thus it was long in the afternoon when I sighted telegraph poles and knew I must be near the railroad.

"Taking out my climbers, which, with telegraph instruments in case of some emergency I always carried with me during my trips, I climbed the pole, cut the wires and telegraphed to the station east to stop the next train where a white flag was flying from a telegraph pole. I then tacked my handkerchief to the pole and slid down. I was so overcome with hunger and fatigue that I knew this precaution was necessary, for I might drop to sleep and fail to hear the train.

"In about two hours a train came along, stopped and took me on. The engineer told me I must have traveled nearly forty miles since leaving A-. As soon as the train was under way the conductor wanted to know by what right I had stopped the train. I took out my pass and showed him my official badge. In a few minutes he left me and said a few words to two men, the only other passengers on the train, and then went out.

"I had noticed the suspicious glance of the two men before, and now I noticed they winked knowingly to each other, but I partly closed my eyes and pretended to be dozing, yet all the time watching my fellow passengers closely and wondering what was up. I scented foul play and meant to be on my guard.

"Finally the men came and sauntered toward me, and one was just about to put his hand on my shoulder and I caught a glimpse of a pair of handcuffs in the other fellow's hand, when out came my six shooter and I told them not to touch me as they valued their lives. I had taken them by surprise, as it was too late for them to pull out their weapons. They fell back, but I did not put up my weapon till I was safe in the next station. Seeing a large placard on the wall as I entered the little waiting room, I turned to read it with my hands behind me. In a moment I felt a pair of steel bracelets snap on my wrists, and I wheeled around to meet the complacent looks of my fellow passengers, the train hands and telegraph operator. I just foamed then. I was so angry. I wanted to know what they meant and ordered them to release me. For answer one of the men clapped his hands on my shoulder and said:

"I arrest you for the murder of C. R. Raymond."

"C. R. Raymond, you fools!' I managed to blurt out. 'Why, I am C. R. Raymond myself, and not much of a dead man either, as you will find out if you don't release me at once.'

"They still kept calm and advised me to read the notice behind me, for I could come no game on them.

"I turned and read: 'Murdered! Arrest any one presenting the pass of C. R. Raymond, state official, who was murdered on the 6th inst. Body thought to have been robbed and then thrown into the river.'

"That glance revealed the situation, but no expostulations or explanations of mine could convince the men that I was C. R. Raymond and not his assassin. I immediately telegraphed to the governor the circumstances of my escape and arrest, and the result was an order to release me at once.

"By this time the excitement and fatigue had so worked on my nerves that I am sure I was never angrier in my life, and when the governor's commands were executed I turned and gave those two officials such a blessing as I presume they never before received. All believed me then and were ready to do me service. After rest and refreshment of course I could view the case more calmly."

-Detroit Free Press.