Chapter 03

Santa Fe

We make a mid-afternoon arrival in Santa Fe and head for a Mexican owned stables Jesus knows of close to a nice cantina. We soon have our animals in an almost empty large stables. Few gringos do business with the Mexicans and this once busy stables is almost broke. Little work since this became part of the US and business fell since the gringos took over. He’s glad of the business, more so when I insist on paying top dollar for exclusive use of the premises yet I allow his regular clients to stay as I only want to keep any strangers out of the building.

After tending the animals we go next door to have a meal at the cantina. There’s a few sour looks at us gringos by the locals until I insist my crew sit and eat with me. I get a few smiles of humour from the men at my order of fresh milk with the meal, but the Mexican ladies serving us know its properties and they smile with understanding.

With no hotels that suit us in this part of town we go back to sleep in the wagons. Most of the men stay for some more drinking. After I pay for all our food I advance the men some more money to do a bit of relaxing. Jesus tells me not to worry because he’ll keep an eye on his men, but he sends Pedro back with us. We settle down and have a good night’s sleep, despite being woken up when the men return just a little drunk.

After breakfast the next morning I get ready to go into the main part of town to get an idea of the place as well as some information. For the first time I put on a new holster rig one of the men made for me at my request. He’s a very good leather worker and it’s perfect for what I want.

My new holster is more of a harness as it’s a single unit that crosses my back and goes around my waist as well as over my shoulders. Under each arm is a holster for a Dragoon ready for a quick cross-body draw, two more from each hip and tied to my thighs with a fifth in the cross belly position. The shotgun is secured with its butt where my right hand comes to rest at my right hip, with the web sling about its centre of balance. There are pouches for paper cartridges of gunpowder and spare shot for all of the weapons. A sheath for a Bowie knife in front of the right shoulder with the handle down, another sheath is across my belly under the revolver - handle to the right, and two more knives have been added to my boots. So I’m ready to go into town with four big knives, five heavy revolvers, and a shotgun. I also have a back pack almost as wide as my shoulders which covers me from the neck to the waist which is about a hand’s width deep. This is in case I want to carry anything, it can go in the pack so I can still keep both of my hands free.

Those twelve inch Bowie knives may sound big, but that’s the full length of the knife while the blade is eight inches so one fits nicely on the shoulder with the handle just above where I need to reach for the pistols and the belly knife is all but hidden under the gun there.

I even have a new hat that looks like a cross between a Mexican hat and a gringo hat. They took my spare Texas style hat and worked on it for all of the trip. Now the brim is wider and flatter with a small upward curve on the edge and the front is straight. It’s more like an Aussie bush hat, and I like it a lot.

Each of the ladies gives me a checking over while smiling. I’m about to leave when Jesus walks back in and sees me. He says something and everyone who knows Spanish almost dies laughing. It’s several minutes before I get a translation: he’d said, “Mother of God, he looks more like a Mexican bandit than any Mexican bandit I’ve ever seen or heard of. When he walks into a bank they’ll hand the money over before he even asks.” Even I have to admit I look to have a heavy load of guns and it’s a good line. I’m sure some think it’s excessive fire power, but you don’t get breaks to reload in a shooting unless you’re in a large group, while I want to be able to out gun anyone after me, because I wish to stay alive a long time.

Jesus assigns two of the English speaking men to accompany me and he adds some comment about they’re needed to see I know how to get back here. He’s becoming a real comedian, at least he thinks he is. It’s a sad thing most of the men think he is too. Oh well; we head out. They have a pistol and carry a rifle each. We walk down the street.

Trouble Town

There seems to be an almost invisible line between the old Mexican town and the newer American town of Santa Fe. When we near this line we’re confronted by a couple of cowboys from a saloon close by.

One of the cowboys says, “You Mexs can turn around or leave all that hardware right here.”

He’s shocked when I say, “You can back off and leave my guards alone or you can die. We’re going into town to make some enquiries.”

They both shake their heads while they try to place my accent, as it’s clear I don’t sound like a Mexican. One moves closer to get a better look, then he says, “He’s no Mex. Why the Mex outfit?”

I watch them while I say, “The guns are because I’ve had numerous threats and attempts on my life, the hat and clothes are because they’re more comfortable. The Mexican guard is because they’re more reliable and honest than any others I’ve met so far. Now out of my way, please.” They’re hesitant when they back off while they try to think about what we represent.

While we walk further into town I tip my hat back a bit more to make my fairer skin a bit easier to see. I’m hoping it’ll reduce some of those types of trouble makers.

A few minutes later there’s a crash of gunfire as five men charge out of a building on our left about twelve yards away. They’re carrying heavy saddlebags on their shoulders, have their lower faces hidden, and have guns in their hands while they shoot at people in the building. It’s a robbery of some sort. I don’t even think while I whip the shotgun up, draw the Dragoon from under my right arm, and open fire on them.

I aim the revolver at the man nearest the horses and the shotgun at the two closest together. When I fire my two sidekicks open up on the other two with their rifles. The two jumping off the side-walk are hit by the shotgun and land on their backs, the man swinging onto his horse is flattened against it with a .44 kick in the middle of his back, followed by him falling to the ground. The other two men are knocked down by the .44 calibre balls out of the rifles appropriated from my dead enemies.

I call out, “Hey, you inside, they’re all down. What’s going on?”

Two men walk out with pistols in their hands: one looks like a clerk while the other is in what passes for a business suit around here at this time. The suit gives me a long stare then talks. This is the office of a local stagecoach run who’d just had an express box in with some gold coin and these men wanted to take the coin for themselves. The manager hastens everyone on their way and we take time to reload. We’re quick to go through the belongings of the dead to appropriate everything of value. While we all wait for the undertaker to arrive to take away the garbage I’ve a talk with the manager about the town’s banks. Although there are a few some have started closing due to the troubles back East and only two look like weathering the current crisis. The Bank of Santa Fe and the Harrison Bank of Georgia. After the Town Marshal visits I leave my new horses under the care of the stagecoach manager while we continue into town.

When I visit the Harrison Bank I see the brother of the Harrison from Albuquerque in the manager’s office so I give it a pass. Over to the Bank of Santa Fe. Owner and Manager is Saul Thomas, a man of the Jewish faith, I meet him and I’m quick to develop a liking for as he’s a good man.

Banking

The Bank of Santa Fe has a new vault and sound security rules. He’s surprised when I ask to see the books to check out the liquidity status, he’s a bit short but not by much. As long as he doesn’t get a major long run he should survive the current panic. I further surprise him by discussing the panic and the situation in town. He has a few friends in smaller banks and he’s concerned they’ll go under. He’d like to help them out but he has to look after his own customers first.

I turn to him and say, “Mister Thomas, I’m very happy with what I see about your bank and I’d like to put nearly all my money here. But there are types of people I’d rather not see it loaned to, despite how secure it is. In fact, I’d rather not see them get any loans at all. While there are others I’d be in favour of giving loans to, even if they are at a higher risk. My main criteria is the quality of the person first; second is what it’s for; and the security is third. I’ve a substantial amount of gold coin to deposit or invest. Do you think we can come to an agreement?” He nods yes as he asks about my preferences. “The people like Mister Harrison and his friends, I don’t like supporting such ignorant bigots or any business run by such or employ such in senior positions. I’m ready to take more risks with family businesses set up by Mexicans as well as encouraging them into expanding into other fields of business. I don’t know if you’re familiar with any people from my homeland, but I’m an Australian of Welsh and Irish ancestry with some Scottish and English in there too. So I’m well acquainted with bigotry and I hate it in all forms.” He smiles because we’re on the same page. “As well as investing money in the bank I need a local partner to manage a business for me to buy land in a certain part of the territory to establish a huge ranch, can you recommend someone reliable?”

He recommends someone, and this is the fifth person to name him so I think I’ll see James Peters, lawyer. Then Saul asks the big questions from his point of view, “How much are you wishing to deposit with us? And why did you say deposit or invest?”

I smile as I say, “I’m happy for it all to be a deposit if you want, but I’m also happy to make an investment that leaves you as the majority investor because you’ll be running the bank. The choice is yours. At the moment I’ve one million dollars to invest. I raised the investment aspect because a cash investment of a few hundred thousand by me would change your liquidity ratio and enable you to help out your friends.” He’s stunned and he rocks back in his chair while he gasps for breath.

After a moment he says, “If it’s OK we’ll set up two hundred and fifty thousand as a forty-five percent investment in the bank and the rest as a deposit.” I nod yes. He stands and goes to the door to call out, “Isaac, run to Mister Worthing then Mister Irving, tell them I can help them and to come quickly. Jeremy, you take the same message to Mister Berlin and Mister Bright.” He turns back to me to ask, “How soon can you get the money into Santa Fe? To do what I want to do I’d need it here within a month. Two of those men wish to sell out and retire while the other two just need a loan to cover current liquidity problems. The two purchases will give me three bank offices nicely spread throughout the town.”

I smile as I say, “The money’s already in town, I just need to bring it here. I’d originally been intending to deposit it with Mister Harrison, but I met his brother in Albuquerque and I disliked him. Enquiries show this one’s just as bad so I looked around again. Now I’m here and you can benefit instead of him. I’ll also be sacking my original adviser next time I see him. He knew I disliked bigots.”

Saul smiles, “That explains a lot. Harrison is in a worse liquidity situation than I am but he acts as if he has no worries. He even told a few close friends he’s expecting a large cash investment soon. Now I wonder how he’ll go without your money? He’ll probably be closed within a month.” I smile at the thought. “Can you please go and get the money now, I’ll stay open longer if I have to just to make sure it gets locked away safe.” I nod yes and get up, then I leave after we shake hands.

We get back to the cantina in time to have a good lunch after picking up our new supply of horses and weapons on the way. There’s some good hearted joking when I tell them we have some work this afternoon since we have to go to the bank. I want everyone along as armed guards and ready for plenty of trouble because being ready may stop it forming.

We’re ready to move out just after lunch. I’m leaving the trail wagon with Pedro to keep an eye on it and the spare animals with three of the ladies and two of the dogs as support.

Depositing Desperadoes

We take the lead wagon with Alice driving and Jesus in the shotgun seat, they’ve four shotguns and rifles with them as well as two pistols each. The leather worker is making everyone a four gun shoulder and hip holster outfit, Steve and I are the only ones done so far. Jesus has all of his men armed with two pistols and a rifle each so all are ready to start shooting. Three men on horses in front of the wagon with three men on horses behind it, plus a man on foot each side beside the lead mules, and another each side of the last mules. Harry and Tom are armed and walking alongside the rear wheels while Steve and I are loaded for bear and are walking beside the front of the wagon. The orders are to stop and hunker down to manage any shooting as I don’t want any running fights. If anything starts we’re to stop and wipe them out before moving on. Sixteen armed people spread out to bring six or seven guns to bear at an attack from any angle. It’s a tough looking force we make as we move through town. And that doesn’t include Apollo leading the last line of defence. Two of the bitches in the wagon lying on the gold itself with the other eight dogs spread out under the wagon. They’re in a line and are almost impossible to see. One between each pair of mules with the other five in a head to tail row under the centre of the wagon. They’ll be a real surprise from the shadows. We form up ready and start moving to town. We get a strong reaction while people scurry to clear the side-walks. I don’t blame them because we must look like a small army on the move.

Just when we pass that invisible line the Town Marshal steps out with some armed deputies. So I call a halt and walk up to him while saying, “Afternoon, Marshal, I’d appreciate it if you’d spread your men out along the side-walk. I’ve a significant amount of money in this wagon and I intend to get it safely to the bank. All these people are my armed security guards and we’re going through now. We’ll kill all who try to stop and rob us. Any attempt to stop us will be seen as a robbery attempt.” He stands there and stares at me for a few minutes before orders his men to spread out on either side of us on the side-walks.

Turning to me he says, “You start any shooting, except at a clear robbery attempt, and we’ll shoot at you.” I nod agreement because my people are under orders not to shoot unless I say so. We even have a few different words to signify different types of responses we worked out over lunch.

We head off again and all of my people smile at the gringos running to get out of the way of the Mexican Army they represent. It takes about half an hour for us to make our way to the Bank of Santa Fe at a slow walk and pull up outside it. I smile at the look on Mr Harrison when he watches our strange parade head down the street toward him where he stands on the side-walk outside of his bank.

When we stop the Marshal sets his men out to block access from the side streets while Jesus has his men form up around the wagon. Alice moves to the street side and sits there with a shotgun in her lap. Jesus and Steve get in the wagon to start dragging the strong boxes out to place them on the wagon seat, Harry and Tom lift them from the seat to the side-walk, a line of Saul’s people grab them to carry them inside. I stand there cradling a rifle while I watch everything within a few hundred yards. It takes just on an hour to get all of the strong boxes into the bank as they’re very heavy. I toss one of the saddlebags over my shoulder and I grab another with my left hand then I nod at Steve, Alice, and Jesus.

They issue some orders which has the group reforming with a smile and a difference. My two Mexican bodyguards and Harry peel off to join me, Jesus gets on one of the horses, Tom takes over the wagon, and the rest of the foot team get into the back of the wagon. With a wide circle of his hand Jesus orders the column around. The wagon turns around, and they head to the stables at a much faster pace with two of the Marshal’s deputies running to keep up. The Marshal smiles and follows us in.

Inside the bank we see a number of Saul’s people standing around with shotguns, the cash boxes are piled in the vault with one on a table, and Saul sitting at the table. I walk over to hand him the keys to the padlocks on the boxes. He opens the first one and he starts to count as the man beside him checks random coins for fake ones. About forty-five minutes later he has them all piled on the table and he says, “Twenty-five hundred ten dollar gold coins and all the correct assay. Twenty-five thousand dollars per box, forty boxes, that’s one million dollars as said, once I finish counting them all.” We all laugh when the Marshal’s eyes almost pop out.

The Marshal takes a breath, and says, “One million dollars, what do you intend to do, buy up the whole territory?”