by Delbert Trew
Robert W. “Bob” Lewis, an early New Mexico lawman and rancher was interviewed in 1949 by author Howard Bryan. Lewis had participated in the hunt for gold in the Lost Adam’s diggings but refused to talk about it. Why? Because he was ashamed to admit he had wasted part of his life hunting for lost treasure.
Other chapters in his long, adventurous life included stories about when he became friends with Apache Chief Geronimo. At the time, the chief was being pursued all over the territory and Mexico for his depredations against white and Spanish settlers.
Either unknown or ignored in history, some white ranchers were friendly with the wild bands of Indians. Though countless settlers were raided and killed in the territory, friends of the Apache were spared. How could Native Americans tell the friendly settlers? Geronimo told them to wear white hat bands on their hats, and they would not be bothered.
Later, after Geronimo was captured and placed on a reservation in Fort Sill, Okla., Bob, a lawman at the time, was sent to the area to bring back a prisoner for trial in New Mexico. While waiting at the train depot, he saw Geronimo standing in the shade of a post, approached him and spoke. At first the old chief ignored him, but when Bob explained who he was and where he was from and that some of his friends wore white hat bands, the chief shook hands and asked many questions about his old homeland.
A horse thief once stole Bob’s favorite mount. He loaded up for bear and took up full pursuit. When he caught up with the man in camp, they had a big shootout in which both were wounded. Bob felt himself weakening from loss of blood and, in desperation, shot through the favorite mount to kill the thief and the horse. While shaking his head about the sad occasion he stated, “Sure did hate to lose that horse.”
Once, while serving as town marshall of Magdelena, N.M., he arrested a cowboy for being drunk and disorderly and was escorting him handcuffed to the local jail. Another cowboy was following along behind, jeering and making crude remarks.
The prisoner stopped and told the marshall, “Sir, if you will allow me to whup this man I promise I will go to jail peacefully.” Bob, who didn’t like the remarks either, unlocked the handcuffs and watched as the prisoner “whupped the hell” out of the heckler. He then held out his skinned knuckles and hands for the handcuffs and smiled on the way to the jail.
Though never proved, Bob also gave the only answer to date, of who killed the well-known Col. Albert J. Fountain, a prominent Las Cruces, N.M., attorney and his young son during the Lincoln County Wars. History still considers it an unsolved mystery.
Bob said the killer was Black Jack Ketchum. Why? The prominent and successful attorney was prosecuting and convicting many of Ketchum’s outlaw friends. Later, Ketchum was wounded, captured, tried and hung at Clayton, N.M., in 1901. But the Fountain murders are still listed as by “unknown killers.”
Delbert Trew is a freelance writer and retired rancher. He can be reached at 806-779-3164, by mail at Box A, Alanreed, TX 79002, or by email at trewblue@centramedia.net. For books by Trew, see www.delberttrew.com. His column appears weekly.
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Robert W. “Bob” Lewis, an early New Mexico lawman and rancher was interviewed in 1949 by author Howard Bryan. Lewis had participated in the hunt for gold in the Lost Adam’s diggings but refused to talk about it. Why? Because he was ashamed to admit he had wasted part of his life hunting for lost treasure.
Other chapters in his long, adventurous life included stories about when he became friends with Apache Chief Geronimo. At the time, the chief was being pursued all over the territory and Mexico for his depredations against white and Spanish settlers.
Either unknown or ignored in history, some white ranchers were friendly with the wild bands of Indians. Though countless settlers were raided and killed in the territory, friends of the Apache were spared. How could Native Americans tell the friendly settlers? Geronimo told them to wear white hat bands on their hats, and they would not be bothered.
Later, after Geronimo was captured and placed on a reservation in Fort Sill, Okla., Bob, a lawman at the time, was sent to the area to bring back a prisoner for trial in New Mexico. While waiting at the train depot, he saw Geronimo standing in the shade of a post, approached him and spoke. At first the old chief ignored him, but when Bob explained who he was and where he was from and that some of his friends wore white hat bands, the chief shook hands and asked many questions about his old homeland.
A horse thief once stole Bob’s favorite mount. He loaded up for bear and took up full pursuit. When he caught up with the man in camp, they had a big shootout in which both were wounded. Bob felt himself weakening from loss of blood and, in desperation, shot through the favorite mount to kill the thief and the horse. While shaking his head about the sad occasion he stated, “Sure did hate to lose that horse.”
Once, while serving as town marshall of Magdelena, N.M., he arrested a cowboy for being drunk and disorderly and was escorting him handcuffed to the local jail. Another cowboy was following along behind, jeering and making crude remarks.
The prisoner stopped and told the marshall, “Sir, if you will allow me to whup this man I promise I will go to jail peacefully.” Bob, who didn’t like the remarks either, unlocked the handcuffs and watched as the prisoner “whupped the hell” out of the heckler. He then held out his skinned knuckles and hands for the handcuffs and smiled on the way to the jail.
Though never proved, Bob also gave the only answer to date, of who killed the well-known Col. Albert J. Fountain, a prominent Las Cruces, N.M., attorney and his young son during the Lincoln County Wars. History still considers it an unsolved mystery.
Bob said the killer was Black Jack Ketchum. Why? The prominent and successful attorney was prosecuting and convicting many of Ketchum’s outlaw friends. Later, Ketchum was wounded, captured, tried and hung at Clayton, N.M., in 1901. But the Fountain murders are still listed as by “unknown killers.”
Delbert Trew is a freelance writer and retired rancher. He can be reached at 806-779-3164, by mail at Box A, Alanreed, TX 79002, or by email at trewblue@centramedia.net. For books by Trew, see www.delberttrew.com. His column appears weekly.
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