Ready to Hang

The sun rose, casting its glow onto the stage. However, it would go unused today as the two men meant to be on it were sneaking away. They had tipped off the deputy guarding them in order to escape. These men, a Texan and a Utahn, were guilty of an armed robbery in Prescott. They were trying to get the money to make it to California’s golden coast and take advantage of the abandoned mines; hoping to scavenge any gold that was missed.

Unfortunately, they had gotten caught and now they have to escape down to Mexico to avoid execution. They could only hope that Mexico had a decent mining industry for them to infiltrate. There was also the problem that neither of them spoke Spanish. Now they didn’t have time to think about the future, they had to find a place to hide out until the sun went down.

“What about that abandoned copper mine in Bisbee?’ started the Utahn, “It would be the best place, no one would think to look there since it got condemned.”

“That’s probably our best bet”, agreed the Texan gruffly

They spent the rest of the day travelling the dusty back roads of Arizona back to the mine. Once they arrived, they decided to stay until nightfall. Once the sun sunk behind the horizon they started out again.

“What do you suppose we’ll do once we cross the border?” Asked the Utahn. “I reckon we could get work at one of those mission places. They’re always looking for help and don’t ask many questions.”

“No, let's stick to what we’re good at, mining. We’ll work our way up to gold mining”, replied the Texan.

They agreed to disagree and continued on their way. After traversing for the entire night, they reached the Mexican border just before sunrise and skipped in without a problem. They took a few moments to savor their newfound freedom and to rest their tired legs. After a spell, they got back on their feet and continued to look for a place to stay, and potentially work. After walking for a few more miles they came upon a churchyard with some men working out front. They were relieved and the Utahn smiled victoriously to himself as they approached.

They walked up to a man wearing all black patching a window whom they assumed to be the preacher.

“Excuse me sir, my friend and I were wondering if there was any work you could have us do? No job is too big or too small,” said the Utahn with a hopeful note in his voice.

“Ah, are you men with the church?”, the preacher asked in return.

“We’re miners by trade, it doesn’t leave us time for much else”, answered the Texan.

“Well, you gentlemen believe in our Lord and Savior do you not?” asked the preacher.

“Uh….yes sir”, the two replied in unison.

“If you are truly men of God, you’ll have no problem reciting the Lord’s prayer”, the preacher said with a prompting look.

The men started and tried to splutter through, but neither of them were able to complete it for the simple fact that neither of them had recited it in years. They exchanged a regretful look with each other before turning their attention back to the preacher, who looked equal parts disappointed and aggravated.

“Well, it’s clear you two can’t do something as simple as that and judging from that you are not practiced men of the church and I cannot admit you into my mission.”, the preacher said, dejected.

The men shambled away from the churchyard and walked until they found a small town. Some of the people there looked like Americans so they tried to ask some people for assistance. They were able to convince one old woman to let them stay at her house. She even offered them jobs on her son’s train as guards. As it turned out, the woman’s son worked on a train that delivered money to the National Bank of Mexico( or the Banco Nacional de Mexico).

The three of them made their way back to the woman’s house. It was beautiful, but modest, with a small patio leading out the kitchen. They entered and the men quickly expressed their gratitude. After formalities had been met the two men left the woman to work on her sewing. They started talking as soon as they were alone.

“What kind of joke is this, living with an old woman forever?” huffed the Texan.

“It’s better than nothing”, challenged the Utahn. “And besides, if you would actually think for a minute, we just got our ticket to easy street.” he finished. The Texan stared at him expectantly, waiting to hear an explanation.

“Think about it! We’re given direct access to hundreds of notes in national currency. We just have to wait in the cabin and when we get close enough to a town, we disconnect the car and we’re home free. Way easier than trying to break into a guarded building.” said the Utahn triumphantly.

The Texan agreed and they waited until their first shift. Before then they also took some time to plan. Picking up bags as well as guns in case something went wrong. They charted out the best places to separate from the train. They decided halfway into the journey, when the train would have the most momentum they would disengage the hitch so that there was no way the train could stop to collect them.

The day came and the woman’s son introduced them to the rest of the crew. The two exchanged pleasantries and made their way to the holding car. They were given instructions that some of the money would be taken out and given at certain stops as payroll. It was specified that they didn’t get out of the car to do this. They both indicated that they understood and slammed the door on the man giving them instructions, much to his confusion.

They passed the time by playing cards and giving out payroll. They faintly heard the engine working harder and harder, signifying they were almost ready to disembark. However, before they got to open the door there was a knock. The Texan looked through the window and asked what the problem was. The man replied that it was time to switch shifts so they could sleep. The Texan insisted that they weren’t tired and that there was no need for them to leave the car. The man insisted back that they need to follow protocol whether they were tired or not.

It was at this moment that the Texan decided it was necessary to escalate the situation and shot through the door to keep the man from coming in. This was not the right course of action, however. One, the gunshot alerted the passengers and staff in the next car over and two, there was now blood on the platform and a missing crew member. One of the ticket masters pulled the break for the conjoining car and the train came to a stop. The ticket master opened the car door to look at the landing and saw the blood of the dispatched express man.

The ticket master promptly telegraphed the police of the nearest town and urged them to meet them at the station because they suspected a potential robbery in the express car. The train pulled into the station with our two robbers. They didn’t leave once the shot was fired because the Utahn stated that they would get blood on their shoes and incriminate themselves. That, combined with the fact that there was no other exit. So they decided to make it look like someone was trying to shoot into the express car. The Texan lined up against the first gunshot hole and fired into the car. The second shot rang out as it hit against the safe. Luckily enough, the shot hit against the lock making it possible to open it enough to get one’s arm through.

That’s just what the Utahn did, he stuck his arm through the gap and grabbed one fistful of pesos, pocketed it, and went back for another, and another. He grabbed three stacks of 200 peso notes before there was a knocking on the door. The police announced themselves and demanded to inspect the car.

Before the two obliged they tried to explain that someone had shot through the door and that they had barricaded themselves in the car. Their response was met with resistance and one of the police officers shooting the lock off the door. When the officers stepped into the car the two gestured to the bullet hole in the door and its match in the safe. The officers weren’t convinced. They demanded to know how there could be blood outside the door if the bullet came from outside. The two froze and panicked, not able to come up with a convincing story. This was all the officers needed to arrest them.

The two were charged with armed robbery, clapped in irons, and dragged into a police wagon. They were brought to the closest sheriff’s office to await trial in Mexico City. They had to wait in that cell for two and a half days. Two weeks of dingy wall and subpar rations and hay bale beds until they were finally transferred to Mexico City. The trip took a whole day and the men were stewing with nerves and anticipation.

They were escorted out of the wagon and into the courtroom. It wasn’t much of a trial. Their lawyer didn’t speak a word of English, no that it mattered; they didn't have a solid defence anyway. The blood from the other express man was too damning without an alternate explanation. After only one hour of deliberation the judge declared the men guilty of the armed robbery of a stagecoach and thus, they were sentenced to be executed at sundown.

They men waited for their imminent demise in silence. They knew there was no way this time. They had no money and no way of blackmailing any of the guards. The Utan decided to start praying for forgiveness in the corner, trying to increase his chances of escaping Hell. The Texan just rolled his eyes at his companion.

“He ain’t listening. We couldn’t even get into the missionary, he don’t want us, take the hint”, he said with more than a twinge of annoyance.

He was met with an indignant scoff. Before they could start arguing any further the guards came in and dragged up and through the door down a dark hallway. The four of them, two convicts and two guards, walked through the corridor until they emerged into the open air. They lined the two men up in front of the horizon with their hands tied behind their backs. Their bodies blocked the bright red glow of the setting sun. The executioner readied himself and then fired two bullets into each of their heads. The red spatter matching the setting sun.