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Show SHERIFF AHD0IIS SEARCHFOH LOPEZ BELIEVES BANDIT IS STILL IN MINE. BUT FURTHER SEARCH WOULD BE USELESS. Every Precaution Will be Taken to Keep Mexican Murderer In the Apex Worklnge In an Endeavor to Starve Him to Death. Iiumham, Utah. Further search of tV workings of the Apex mine for Rafael Lopez, the Mexican desperado, desper-ado, who has taken a toll of six lives, has practically beeu abundoned. This was the announcement of Sheriff Andrew Smith. Jr., Monday night, following a conference with Utah Apex- officials. While admitting that a continuance of the search of the mine will probably prob-ably fall to accomplish the desired end, Sheriff Smlia does not admit tLtt Lopez I'.ks escaped from the mine. If the Mexican is not dead in the mine, he Is tt!iil In there, alive. Sheriff Smith s.is he believes, and his opinion is shared by the mine olTcialH and the Blughum citleni who have taken a prominent part In the hunt for the fugitive. Hut while search or the mine Itself will le abandoned, every precaution will be taken to keep Ixipez within he workings and starve him to death, allowing for the posblblllty that be has not escaped from the mine, but baa escaped deuth by asphyxiation. When the mine was reopened on December D, after having been sealed seal-ed in an effort to smother tbe Mcx ksn, three posses went into the mine. They searched all day for the desperado, but without avail. On Saturday tbe search waa resumed, but without success; they were back In the mine again Sunday morning. All this time guards were kept at tbe different entrances, In case Lopez should still be alive and make a dash for liberty. The Apex Is full of every kind of a bole, stope, tunnel, raise, Incline and shaft Imaginable. Places were found where It Is evident that the smudge could never have reached, as the air was absolutely fresh and un-contamlnated. un-contamlnated. For this reason it Is believed that Lopez, If he is in the mine, may very possibly be alive. The searchers crawl through tbe mine with revolvers constantly ready for instant use. Belongings of the bandit were di covered near the point where Hulse. and Manderlch wore shot to death, It appearing to the searchers that they aad been hastily abandoned. I The question of whether Lopez was able te get out of the mine, get to the home of some friend, change clothes and slip out of the mining camp without being apprehended. Is still being diacuseed. The belief that this might have happened has frown since O. B. Radtke, an employee of the Highland Boy mine, reported thTt be bad seen a man fitting tbe description de-scription of Lopez skulking down tbe road on the night of December 1. . Radtke said that he was returning to bis home near the Highland Hoy about midnight Monday when be saw a man walking down tbe road. He said the description as to size fitted Lopez and that the suspicious actions of the man caused him to step closer to get a better look at the fine that was hidden under a cap and ptili-d down low over the eyes. He said the man moved rapidly away. |