Rufe Meets Some Regulators

Below is an account, or a tall tale, of Rufe LeFors, of Texas.

Rufe LeFors

It was a cold day when two young men rode up in front of the ranch house, got down and walked in, never stopped to knock on the door, as that was not customary at that time in that part of the country. We had a large fire place, and good fire. We moved around and let them up near the fire, as they seemed very cold. One of them looked to be about twenty-five years old a rather handsome fellow, with a long light brown mustache. The other was younger, looked to be only Eighteen or nineteen years of age. Introductions were not considered necessary then, but Pa, I suppose to start conversation, said My name is LeFors. The older man said, My name is Charley Brown, and this is Billy Bonner, (who was “Billy the Kid”). Then Brown said he drove up the trail with a herd of cattle for a man whose name was Perry LeFors. Pa told him that was his son. Perry and Bill had already gone south to geather herds to drive north the next spring.

After we learned that Charley Brown knew Bro Perry, we became very friendly with them. Pa asked them to take their horses in the correll out of the wind and feed them hay, only kind of feed we had. They did so, and stayed there until late in the afternoon. Then Brown said we will not impose on you folks by staying over nite, and asked if there were any other house, or camp near. They could see we were pretty well crowded. Pa told them there were two men over on the other prong of Cantonement Creek, who had a dug-out, and was sure they could stay over nite with them, which we learned they did. These two men were Gus Hartman and Jim Lester. They were partners in the Buffalo hunting, and this is the Gus Hartman that later come and stayed with us after they quit hunting Buffalo, and Jim Lester went back to Canada. For several years they had hunted and roughted it as partners in that uncivilized country...

One time I met [Billy and his gang] driving some fifty or sixty head of good horses. They were near the head of the North fork of the Red River, and about fifty miles east of the wild, tough little town of Tascosa, Texas. They were traveling east, I was going west. Henry Brown said to me, your horse looks jaded, go in our bunch and pick out a good horse for your self. I refused and told him I did not want one of them horses...

I think it was their last drive, and only a few of Billy the Kids men ever returned to New Mexico. On their return after taking the Chisom horses to the Indian Territory, to Pauls Valley, and disposing of them Billy the Kid and Henry Brown returned. I came into Tascosa late one evening from the west. After putting my horse in a livery barn, and eating supper at Jesse Sheets Restaurant, I walked into a Saloon near there, and at once saw Henry Brown and Billy the Kid back in the pool room playing pocket pool. Henry called to me to come back there, I went back and he said, “get a cue and play a game with us” which I did. While we were playing the game, Cape Willingham, the sheriff of that county, walked in, and came back and took a seat and watched the game. When he came back there he shook hands with me, then I introduced Henry and Billy calling them some other names. When the game was finished we walked to the bar in the front room. Then Henry, or one of them said “Invite your friend up to have a drink.” So I invited the sheriff up, and he came up and we four of us drank there togeather. Shortly afterwards one of the boys said, Well, I guess we had better get back to the beef herd, as they might need us. So they shook hands with the sheriff and walked out.

It was some two or three weeks before I was back in Tascosa, and I met Mr Willingham again, who had been a cattleman and was a close friend of my brother Perry. After talking a few minutes to the sheriff I asked him if he remembered coming into the pool room where two young men and I were playing pool. He said yes, he remembered it. I asked him if he ever seen them before, he said “no, why?” I told him that they were Billy the Kid and Henry Brown. Old Chisom had an offer of $5000.00 reward on each of them. The sheriff said “Why in H--- did you not tell me.” I told him I did not want to get him killed. He said could of got help in a few minutes. I told him no matter how much help he had there would have been a killing, as they would not surrender, and I did not aim to be the cause of a killing. I had followed Henry and the Kid to the door when they had started, and one of them told me to tell the sheriff, the next time I came to Tascosa, who they were, or I would not of told him. I told them who Willingham was when I seen him as he came in the front door. They said just go right on playing just like they would if he was not there. I told them he was a good man, and an old friend of ours. I afterwards told brother Perry about it, he said I did right.

Billy the Kid and Henry Brown went back to New Mexico...

The out-law band split up and went their separate ways. Brown and Charley Mortimer come back to the Pan-handle and stoped for a while at Mobeetie. Brown came near giting into serious trouble there for one nite. There had been a large lumber store building erected by Hamberg & Dixon, this was W.L.R. Dixon, who some years later was elected Liue’t Governor of Texas. Before they stocked up the store, they decided to give a big Ball in the store. By this time there were several big ranches in the country. Some had drove their cattle from central and south Texas and some from Colorado to ranch them in the pan-handle, and some farmers had settled in the country, so there were quite a crowd geathered at the store building the nite of the Ball. About the time the dance started, in walked Henry Brown. He was well dressed nice looking quite young man. My brother Perry was there. He and I were the only ones there who knew Brown.

Now, each man that came in, and expected to dance had to buy a number, to make up money to pay the musicians. Henry baught a number. The room was some eighty feet long, and as they at that time danced the square dance, three or four sets could dance at same time, with one man calling for all. As soon as a number was called the man who held that number was supposed to get a partner and take his place in one of the sets forming. I was in a set as Henry Brown came in, and as soon as these sets were finish, the floor Manager called the next numbers, so Henry Browns number was called for the next sets. Henry not being acquainted with any of the girls asked me to introduce him to one of the Ladies. I took him and introduced him to Miss Mary Richardson. L.B. Anderson was floor manager. He was a big loud mouth man and very overbearing. Before I could introduce Brown and he could get out on the floor, Anderson called the next number, and the man who held the next number jumped up in the only vacant place in the sets being filled.

Brown walked out on the floor with his partner and saw that all sets were full, said to Anderson that his number had been called. Anderson told him to go take a seat, he was too slow. So I went to Mr. Anderson and told him that this man was a stranger, and he got out on the floor as soon as he could get a partner. Anderson said he can’t dance in this set. Brown said “I’ll see.” He took Miss Richardson back to a seat and very politely begged her pardon, then steped up near Anderson and in a low voice asked him if he could see him out of the door. Anderson said yes, you can see me anywhere. Brown quietly walked out, and Anderson started to follow him out. I steped in ahead of Anderson, and out o the door just as Brown pulled his six shooter. Perry grabed Anderson by the arm and told him not to go out there, without he wanted to get killed. It caused such a commotion that the women and girls commenced leaving at once. I told Brown to put up his gun, that if he got into trouble with Anderson he would be arrested and they would find out who he was. He said he would not be arrested.

Anderson, after Perry spoke to him, quieted down, and sent a boy to tell Jim Smith, the City Marshal to come down there. Smith was at his home up on a hill about five or six block from the store building. I heard Anderson when he sent the boy after the City Marshal. I asked Brown to get his horse and leave town. He said no, that would look like he was running from Anderson. I told him, then lets go and meet Jim Smith, and that he had shown he was a good friend of ours, and did not want him to hurt him. He said all-right, so we started up to the Smith house. We met him coming down town. I introduced Henry Brown to Marshal Smith but called Brown some other name, and explained to Mr. Smith how Anderson had acted and that Mr. so-and-so had not said or did anything to be arrested for. Smith said all-right, Rufe, you and your friend come go back with me and we will have a good drink and forget it. We went up to the Marshal’s house. The Marshal got out of a desk drawer a big bottle, and went into the kitchen and brought some sugar and water and we had a few drinks. Then Marshal Smith sat and looked at Brown for a half a minute or so, then said, “Henry, if I was you I would get out of this country.” And then said, “there might be some other man in this country as low as Pat Garrett.” It sure surprised Brown and I. Then Henry said, “thank you Mr Smith I will take your advice,” and Henry went to the livery barn early the next morning saddle his high stepping horse and rode away. I never saw him again. Henry Brown was killed at Medicine Lodge, Kansas about two years after he left Mobeetie.

(Source: LeFors, Rufe, Facts As I Remember Them: The Autobiography of Rufe LeFors, pp. 46-52, University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas, 1986.)