magic and real detectives-第3部分

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thousand　dollars。



During　this　period　Dodge　was　quartered　under　guard　at　the　Rice

Hotel　in　Houston；　and　the　day　following　the　argument　the　twenty…

thousand…dollars　bail　was　put　up　in　cash　and　Dodge　released　from

custody。



In　the　meantime；　however；　Jesse；　knowing　that　no　sum；　however

large；　would　deter　Hummel　from　spiriting　Dodge　out　of　the　country；

had　made　his　arrangements　to　secure　a　new　extradition　warrant　from

the　Governor　of　Texas；　so　that　if　the　prisoner　did　succeed　in

getting　beyond　the　Southern　District　of　the　Federal　Court　of　Texas；

he　could　be　seized　and　conveyed　to　New　York。



Of　course　someone　had　to　keep　watch　over　Dodge　while　Jesse　hurried

to　Austin　to　see　the　Governor；　and　it　was　decided　to　leave　Sergeant

Herlihy；　re…enforced　by　a　number　of　local　detectives　for　that

purpose。　　But　while　the　watchful　Jesse　was　away；　Bracken　proceeded

to　get　busy　in　the　good　old　Howe　and　Hummel　fashion。　　Lots　of

people　that　Herlihy　had　never　seen　before　turned　up　and　protested

that　he　was　the　finest　fellow　they　had　ever　met。　　And　as　Herlihy

was；　in　fact；　a　good　fellow；　he　made　them　welcome　and　dined　and

wined　at　their　expense　until　he　woke　up　in　the　Menger　Hotel　in　San

Antonio　and　inquired　where　he　was。



Jesse　meantime　had　returned　from　Austin　to　discover　that　Dodge　with

his　companions；　Kaffenburgh　and　Bracken；　had　slipped　out　of　Houston

early　in　the　morning　of　February　11th；　after　disposing　of　Herlihy

and　eluding　the　watchfulness　of　Herlihy's　assistants。　　Hummel　was

leading　and　by　ten　o'clock　the　next　morning　Dodge　and　his　comrades

were　on　board　an　English　merchantman　lying　in　the　harbor　of

Galveston。　　Later　in　the　same　day　the　Hummel　interests　chartered

from　the　Southern　Pacific　Railroad　for　the　sum　of　three　thousand

dollars　the　sea…going　tug　Hughes；　to　which　Dodge　was　now

transferred　for　the　purpose　of　being　conveyed　to　the　port　of

Tampico　in　the　Republic　of　Mexico。



But　here　Hummel's　wires　became　crossed　with　Jerome's；　and

unfortunately　for　the　little　lawyer；　the　persons　from　whom　the　tug

had　been　leased　turned　out　to　be　closely　allied　with　the

prosecution's　interests；　with　the　result　that　the　captain　of　the

tug　was　instructed　by　his　superiors　under　no　consideration　to　put

into　any　Mexican　port；　but　on　the　contrary；　to　delay　his　departure

from　the　harbor　of　Galveston　for　a　period　of　two　days　and　then　to

proceed　only　as　far　as　Brownsville；　Texas；　where　he　should　compel

the　debarkation　of　the　fugitive。　　The　captain；　who　was　a　good　sport

as　well　as　a　good　officer；　promptly　threw　himself　into　the　part　and

told　Bracken　and　Kaffenburgh　that　it　was　evident　from　the　barometer

that　a　severe　storm　was　approaching　（which　must　have　had　a　sinister

implication　to　these　two　unfortunate　gentlemen）；　and　that　he　could

not　think　of　putting　to　sea。　　Once　the　〃storm〃　had　blown　over；　the

tug　started　out　across　the　blue　waters　of　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。　　But

now　Bracken　and　Kaffenburgh　were　informed　for　the　first　time　it　was

impossible　to　consider　putting　into　any　port　of　the　Republic　of

Mexico；　since　to　do　so　would　cause　international　complications　and

compel　the　revocation　of　the　captain's　license。　　In　desperation　the

Hummel　interests　offered　the　captain　five　thousand　dollars　in　cash

to　disregard　his　instructions　and　put　into　Tampico；　but　the　worthy

sea…dog　was　adamant。　　It　was　probably　worth　five　thousand　dollars

to　him　to　see　three　gentry　of　this　pattern　so　much　put　about。



While　Dodge　and　his　accomplices　were　dallying　in　the　harbor　of

Galveston；　Jesse　was　taking　advantage　of　his　opportunity　to　proceed

at　once　by　railroad　to　Alice；　Texas；　which　at　that　time　was　the

furthermost　southern　point　reached　by　any　railway　in　the　direction

of　Brownsville。　　On　his　arrival；　he　at　once　applied　to　Captain　John

R。　Hughes；　commanding　Company　D　of　the　Texas　Rangers；　who　received

him　with　great　joy　and　ordered　a　detachment　of　the　Rangers　to　meet

the　tug　at　Point　Isabelle　at　the　mouth　of　the　Rio　Grande　River　on

the　border　of　Mexico。　　In　the　meantime；　Jesse　started　on　a　toilsome

stage　journey　to　Brownsville；　across　one　hundred　and　seventy　miles

of　desert；　which　occupied　two　days　and　nights；　and　necessitated　his

going　without　sleep　for　that　period。　　During　the　trip　Jesse　heard

no　word　of　English　and　had　as　his　associates　only　Mexican

cattlemen。　　Every　fifteen　miles　a　fresh　relay　of　broncos　was

hitched　to　the　stage　and　after　a　few　moments'　rest　the　misery　began

again。



Jesse　had　been　hurrying　toward　Brownsville　by　stage　while　Dodge；

Kaffenburgh；　and　Bracken　were　landing　at　Point　Isabelle；　where　they

were　kept　under　close　surveillance　by　Sergeant　Tom　Ross　of　the

Rangers。　　Thence　they　took　the　train　to　Brownsville；　registering　at

the　Miller　House　under　the　assumed　names　of　C。　F。　Dougherty；　A。

Koontzman；　and　E。　M。　Barker；　all　of　Oklahoma。　　But；　although　they

knew　it　not；　Sergeant　Tom　was　at　their　elbow；　and　had　Dodge

attempted　to　cross　the　border　into　Mexico　he　would　instantly　have

been　placed　under　arrest。



As　Brownsville　was　within　the　Southern　District　of　the　Federal

Court　of　Texas；　Jesse　decided　not　to　arrest　Dodge　until　he　should

actually　attempt　flight；　and　when　Dodge　and　his　companions；　on　the

following　morning；　February　15th；　entered　the　stage　（the　same　upon

which　Jesse　had　arrived）　and　started　for　Alice；　Jesse　and　Tom　Ross

procured　the　best　horses　they　could　find　and　started　after　them；

keeping　just　in　sight　of　the　stage。　　Dodge's　intention　in　making

this　move　was　to　take　the　Mexican　International　Railway　at　Alice

and　cross　over　to　Mexico　via　Laredo。



Jesse　and　Ross　covered　the　seventy…four　miles　from　Brownsville　to

Santa　La　Cruz　Ranch　by　four　in　the　afternoon；　which　was　fairly

strenuous　work　for　a　New　York　detective；　and　here　found　themselves

so　sore　and　exhausted　from　their　ride　that　they　were　glad　to　hire　a

pair　of　horses　and　buggy　with　which　to　complete　the　journey　to

Alice。　　Luckily　they　were　able　to　get　into　telephonic　communication

with　various　ranch　owners　along　the　road　and　arrange　to　have　fresh

relays　of　horses　supplied　to　them　every　twenty　miles；　and　here　also

Jesse　called　up　Captain　Hughes　at　Alice；　and　suggested　that　he

substitute　for　the　regular　night　clerk　at　the　City　Hotel　one　of　the

privates　of　the　Rangers　by　the　name　of　Harrod。



Dodge　and　his　companions　arrived　in　Alice　on　February　17th；　and；　as

Jesse　had　anticipated；　repaired　at　once　to　the　City　Hotel；　where；

inasmuch　as　they　were　dry　from　the　dust　of　their　trip　and　depressed

by　lack　of　society；　they　entered　at　once　into　an　enthusiastic　and

confidential　friendship　with　the　man　behind　the　counter　in　the

hotel　office；　sublimely　ignorant　that　they　were　unfolding　to　a

member　of　the　Texas　Rangers　all　their　most　secret　intentions。

Harrod　was　just　as　glad　to　see　Dodge　as　Dodge　apparently　was　to　see

Harrod；　and　kindly　offered　to　assist　the　fugitive　to　get　into

Mexico　in　any　way　that　the　latter　desired。　　Dodge；　for　his　part；

took　advantage　of　his　usefulness　to　the　extent　of　requesting　him　to

purchase　them　railroad　tickets；　the　plan　being　to　leave　Alice　the

following　morning　for　Monterey；　Mexico。　　Three　hours　after　the

stage　bearing　Dodge　and　his　party　pulled　up　at　the　City　Hotel；　Tom

Ross　and　Jesse　drove　in　behind　a　pair　of　fagged…out　broncos　at　two

in　the　morning。　　Jesse　had　had　no　sleep　of　any　sort　and　no　proper

nourishment　for　five　days；　and　had　just　strength　enough　left　to

drag　himself　up　one　flight　of　stairs　and　tumble　into　bed；　from

which　he　did　not　emerge　for　many　hours。



In　the　meantime　day　broke　and　Dodge；　Kaffenburgh；　and　Bracken；

having　breakfasted；　drove　comfortably　down　to　the　International

Railway　Station　and　settled　themselves　in　the　smoker；　but　they　had

no　sooner　given　this　direct　evidence　of　their　intention　before

Captain　Hughes　entered　and　placed　Dodge　under　arrest。　　The　latter's

surprise　may　be　appreciated　when　it　is　stated　that　from　the　time

the　three　had　left　Houston；　they　had　no　idea　that　they　were　being

followed　and　believed　that　they　had　completely　foiled　Jesse　and　his

assistants。



While　Jesse　had　been　chasing　Dodge　across　the　desert；　his　lawyers

had　not　been　idle　and　had　secured　at　Austin　another　extradition

warrant　from　Governor　Lanham；　who；　on　receiving　news　of　the　arrest；

promptly　instructed　Captain　Hughes　by　wire　to　assume　charge　of　the

prisoner　and　to　deliver　him　into　the　hands　of　the　New　York　officer

to　be　conveyed　to　New　York。



There　now　began　such　a　legal　battle　as　the　State　of　Texas　had　never

known。　　Hummel　had　been　forced　into　his　last　ditch　and　was　fighting

desperately　for　life。　　Through　Kaffenburgh　he　at　once　applied　for　a

new　writ　of　habeas　corpus　in　Nueces　County　and　engaged　counsel　at

Corpus　Christi　to　assist　in　fighting　for　the　release　of　the

prisoner。　　Precisely　as　Hummel　had　intended；　Chief　Wright　of　Nueces

rode　into　Alice　and　demanded　the　prisoner　from　Captain　Hughes。　　As

Hummel　had　NOT　intended；　Captain　Hughes　refused　to　surrender　the

prisoner　and　told　Chief　Wright　to　go　towell；　he　told　him　that　he

intended　to　obey　his　commander…in…chief；　the　Governor　of　Texas。



On　February　20th；　Hummel；　through　Kaffenburgh；　attempted　to　get

another　writ　of　habeas　corpus　in　Bee　County；　and　promptly　the　Bee

chief　came　buzzing　over　and　demanded　Dodge；　but　to　him　Hughes

replied　even　as　he　had　spoken　to　Wright。



Excitement　in　Alice　had　now　reached　such　a　pitch　that　Judge　Burns；

of　the　Federal　Court；　in　Houston；　ordered　United　States　Marshal

John　W。　Vann；　of　Alice；　to　assume　charge　of　the　prisoner。　　The

indomitable　Hughes；　however；　paid　no　more　attention　to　the　United

States　Marshal　than　he　had　to　the　local　chiefs。　　But　the　situation

was　so　delicate　and　the　clash　of　authority　might　so　easily　have

resulted　in　bloodshed　that　it　was　finally　agreed　by　all　parties

that　the　best　thing　to　do　was　to　have　the　prisoner　returned　to

Houston　in　the　JOINT　custody　of　Captain　Hughes　of　the　Rangers　and

the　U