Stop the Train !: Western Fiction Album

By Tom Leftwich

; Five original fictional western stories. Featured is the innovative recovery of a buried gold train and accounts of the captures of murderous Train robbers. An interesting tale of wild horse capture. A 600 mile trek to sell 50 teams of oxen. Then dealing burro’s for gold miners, (Excerpt) Big man said , ‘”Shut up Johnny. Look mister we weren’t gonna do nothing. You didn’t have to pull a gun on me.” Cole said, “ You’re right, you weren’t gonna do nothing except get yourself killed , Johnny boy, you better get yourself a new partner, this one’s got Boot Hill written all over him. That left handed gun killing is cold blooded murder while a man offers you a welcome hand shake. No , big man, I’ll let someone else bury you.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Feb 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9781304650726

Book preview

Chapter  1    Stop the Train !

Herb! What are you doing home? This exclamation coming from  Mrs. Herbert Jefferies In Las Vegas New Mexico. Herb ,  answered,   The damn fools fired me! Ten years of my life wasted Ann. Ann replied,  Oh No Herb! That can’t be. Gotta be a mistake. You just got that promotion. Herb replied. Ann this new management , a damn bunch of school boys. Don’t have a loony bird brain between the four of them.The train was robbed at Trinidad Pass by that Black Jack Gang. We had just reached the summit and were creeping around Horseshoe Bend when  a man on horseback raced up beside  the engine cab and threw down on George and me yelling ‘ Stop! Stop the train. We had no choice , unless we get cut down by a bullet. We stopped the train and were told to get out. We did and stood there with black Jack Sam holding a shotgun in our bellies , while a gang of robbers hit the Mail Car and cleaned us out.

Our four collage boy manager’s fired me and George claiming we should have poured on the steam and kept going. The idiot’s don’t know that almost any horse can run faster than this bucket of iron. I tried to tell ‘em, if I had been killed; the Santa Fe would have lost the whole train and everything. It’s a dangerous down hill run outta the horseshoe; without some one in the Cab to use the air breaks. It would be Good Bye. Ann, I tried my best to make them see reason, but No; someone had to be the scape goat. I pleaded with them to save  George’s job. Hell, he’s only the fireman They finally decided to just transfer him . Me, I got the chopping block.

I ask you Ann,; where in Hell can I get a train engineers job  here in little Las Vegas. This is the end of the line. I’m now blackballed. Can’t even get a part time train labor job. Ann said Herb, I’m so sorry, but I’d rather have you than any railroad pay roll. We’ll just have to find something else. You can do almost anything. You’ve always found a way to make a living."

Herb replied, " Ann, I’m almost forty years old. I can’t be a cow hand  or freighter anymore. Physical labor is out even if I could get that kinda job. We’re lucky to own this farm house. At least we can get by raising a few animals and working your garden .Ann, I’m sorry, but I feel cheated. Ten years of dedicated work and look what it’s got me . Nothing ! I’d love nothing better, than to get a gun sight on that Black Jack Gang. Wish to God I’d had my pistol with me , I’d a put that Bandit with the shot gun outta business.

Half a dozen times he watched his Gang working instead of George and me. I thought about jumping him ,but it woulda been suicide. We were just a little too far from him. Ann said  Herb, forget about that gun fighting. It never did you any good when you were a Deputy Marshall. I was always worried that you’d get shot and killed. Yes, I know you were better than anyone I ever saw with a rifle or a pistol, but you just think about it ; most all of those you worked with are in some Boot Hill.’ Herb replied, Or prison Ann, I wasn’t just lucky with firearms, remember Buck and I brought in that whole Jessup Gang and a couple dozen others. Yes it was dangerous , but so was coming down the mountain outta Horseshoe and I been doing that every two weeks for over a year. George and I both needed a little bracer on many occasions just to calm the nerves after a white knuckle run. Ann said , Forget it Herb. That life is over with. We’re gonna raise chickens and you can ease off the booze since your drinkin buddy George won’t be around."

Two weeks later Ann was cashing a bank note in the Santa Fe First National  when members of the Black Jack Gang attempted to rob the Bank . Ann was shot by an  outlaw Willie Hobbs; identified later by a customer as he lost his mask running to get away. It was only a small flesh wound in the upper left arm but a furious Herb Jefferies took it upon himself to join the posse that chased the Outlaw killers. Ann tried to persuade him to stay out of it, but this was by the same gang that had cost his job and his future.  Herb oiled up his guns while Ann was still at the Doctor’s Office. Sheriff Roberts , Deputy Jensen and Railroad Special Agent Al Collins  took the eight man Posse to the little town of Lamy by train and there secured horses prepared for them. The outlaws had been seen by a number of cow hands and travelers. It was easy to locate their direction of travel and guess where they would stop to camp.

They burst upon the Outlaw’s Camp in Turkey Creek Canyon, a hide out, often visited by men running from the Law. An immediate gunfight followed. Herb , having been involved in shoot outs before ,  bailed from his horse and flattened to the ground where he emptied his repeater and began shooting with his belt gun. His first shots had wounded Black Jack Sam, but the Gang escaped wounding two of the Deputies. Leaving one Deputy to get help for the wounded, Sheriff Robert’s , and town Deputy Jensen’s posse was now reduced to five. Herb asked Roberts about just following the Gang until they could get more men. There were now more Outlaws than Deputies. Roberts and Jensen were both adamant in refusing his advice with Jensen saying,  Jefferies, if you’re  afraid and wanna pull out go ahead. We’ve got these killers on the run; no time to quit now.

Herb replied, Jensen it’s not a case of fear. It’s common sense. That’s six desperate and well armed killers we’re chasing. Neither you or Roberts have ever been in this kind of fight before. I have and were it up to me, I’d send one to trail and get more help. Jensen exclaimed, Damn Jefferies only a coward would use that kinda excuse. Agent Collins broke in saying,  I don’t know Jensen, that sounds like good advice. Roberts exclaimed, Hell, quit the damned Jawin and let’s get’em. They’ll be in the next County by nightfall and I have to pull off the chase."

Roberts and Jensen  broke out in front and raced after the Outlaws. The Posse’s horses were much fresher and had been selected for this type of job. Sam , wounded and bleeding still set up an ambush for the Posse. Roberts and Jensen were shot  outright. The Gang had pulled up a short distance from the Posse and Herb  expressed no surprise to Agent Collins as they both opened up on the Killers. There was no way under the gunfire to get to Robert or Jensen. Both had suffered  multiple wounds.; anyone of which would have killed them. Herb and Collins both laying prone were giving the killers more than they could stand and once again pulled out with the wounded Sam, but leaving two wounded killers behind.

One of the wounded was only lightly hurt.  Herb was checking the bodies of Roberts and Jensen, when one of the wounded outlaws managed to crawl off into the surrounding brush.  He was Willi Hobbs. Herb and Collins felt it would be suicide to try finding a wounded and armed killer in thick brush. Collins had been looking over the campsite and said, Jefferies, it looks like one of the killers was losing a good bit of blood; he won’t be going far. Herb said,   That’s Black Jack Sam , I got a bullet in him at Turkey Creek. Collins exclaimed,  Damn! That’s great, maybe that’ll put him and his Gang outta business. I wish it was his brother Tom also. He’s a murdering skunk. Too bad he wasn’t with Sam; we mighta got’em both. Herb  said Collins this does it for me. You’ll have to get into Las Vegas and Sheriff Paul Evans. He’ll come join you. I think Sam should be easy to find if he lives. I’ve gotta get back to Ann. She’ll be Ok I’m sure. I hired a livery to drive her home. Collins asked, Jefferies would you be interested in a job with our Agency. I’ve never worked with anyone as cool under fire as you were. You must have a Law Enforcement background. Herb replied, I was a Deputy Sheriff for six years in Dodge . We had a lotta training handling dangerous cow hands and Outlaws. Many times I rode for days to arrest a killer or a thief. You know I just might talk Ann into letting me take on a job like that. Collins Said I’ll keep in touch.

Ann was overjoyed to see Herb coming home, but not when she heard his plans to join the (RPA)Railroad Protection Agency which specialized in investigating train robberies. Herb said , Annie, there’s never any guarantee in this life. Look at you making a routine bank visit and almost got killed. That bullet missed your heart by less than four inches. I could be shot just riding into town. It’s Gangs like this Black Jack bunch that kill off a lotta innocent people. If you had been killed I would already be on the trail of whatever was left of that gang and I wouldn’t be taking any prisoners. Annie, I have the God given talent and experience to stop some of this killing and crime. I think like a criminal and can almost predict how, where and when to rob a train. No, I’ve never had the opportunity to use that talent before, but George can tell you that many times, I predicted the robbery at horse shoe bend. He can tell you that it happened just as if I had planned the whole thing. I should have listened to myself and carried a gun, but maybe it’s better this way. At least I won’t be killed in a train wreck. I predict that happening on that down hill grade at Trinidad Pass. It’s a suicide run  and no grade change to slow it down. You hit the bottom too fast and that ol’bucket of iron will leave the tracks. I tried to tell Management this for two years and now that they’ve got college kids running things, I wouldn’t want that run .  They’ll send a twenty car run up there and it’ll be their last. I always refused any thing over ten . You just don’t have the breaking. You can sit at a desk all day adding numbers, but they’ll never include the white knuckles you  see on that steam brake arm  as you near that curve at the bottom. I always kept both hands on that arm. They were always close enough together for praying we’d make it.

Annie said,  Herb , you know how I feel, but I guess you’ll never be happy raising chickens. You seem to have came alive with this chase after those outlaws and I cain’t stop the future or tell when our time is up. Go ahead with joining the agency. I know you won’t be gone more than you were with the engineer job, but please be careful and let some one else do the shooting.Herb replied,  "Hon, this job is far less risky than coming down Trinidad Ridge, and I’m not planning to arrest anyone. That won’t be my job. I’m not sure what Collins has for me, but it won’t be ducking bullets.

The Southern Pacific and Santa Fe have been leaders for bringing money, goods, labor, and connection to and from the remote and sparsely populated part of the country. Rail cars are easy targets and easily boarded from horseback .You add passenger cars to a freight and you’re lucky to get fourteen miles an hour.  Most horses can run faster than a train and it becomes an easy target for criminals. You know as well as I that crimes committed during train robberies often include killing guards and passengers. If I can stop some of that, it’ll be far better than raising chickens. I’ll be taking the train to Santa Fe tomorrow. From there I don’t know. I‘ll write."

In Santa Fe , Collins introduced Herb to other members of the Railroad Protection Agency. It was here again that he had to deal with collage boys trying to be detectives. He soon found that he was only considered an old man, not suited for the Agency.  When asked about his qualifications, Collins said, Far better than mine or anyone working for Santa Fe. He knows every aspect of rail travel and has served as a deputy sheriff in the gun smoke of Dodge city. I personally witnessed his gun fighting in the wounding and capture of Black Jack Sam, outlaw , murderer, and train robber. You’ll soon see news of Black Jack’s hanging. He’s the man to have behind your back. We can all learn from his experience. Mister Weston has assigned him to the  Dubby Creason water tower robberies. They have been a thorn in the side of this agency for over a year. All of you agents have had opportunities in that case, but we’re unsuccessful in stopping him because there is no way to determine which water tower station he may decide to use for his robbery. The railroad cain’t put guards on every station. It’s been a game of catch and we haven’t got it right after four robberies. I’m requesting that everyone lend your support to  Mister Jefferies in his efforts . Make any information of past robberies available to him. He prefers to be called Herb.

Later Collins said to Herb, Don’t be offended Herb by any lack of respect you get from this bunch. They all rate themselves as trained experts in detective measures. I rate them as elementary students when it comes to the real world. You  are assigned to my office and we’ll work together. Let me know of any help you may need. All of our investigations are at your disposal. Herb thanked him and began gathering Dubby Creason files.

It was two weeks later when Herb reported to Collins saying, " I’ve gone over every file and learned the details of every robbery. One thing that stands out. There’s an informant within this agency . Every robbery has the same method of operation and every water station offers a perfect set up. It appears that Creason knows where your agency is concentrating it’s efforts for prevention in every robbery. Anything you do is well known to Dubby. In the past he’s hit unguarded stations every time, so placing guards won’t work. There’s a dozen stations and it’s easy to know where the engine must stop for water . In the past according to witnesses, Dubby has eight men and always selects a remote and unmanned water stop. He always hits those within thirty miles of Trinidad. That number three station , he’s hit twice. I think because it offers a lot of cover for his men. Trees and brush surround the water tower and spring. It’s