Parents: Juan Rey Abeita and Josefita Lucero.
Husband of Marie Jiron.
WWI Civilian Draft Registrations.
Name: Abeita, Louis
Birth Date: 2 Apr 1880
City/County: Bernalillo[Late
State: NM
Ethnicity: I.
U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
Name: Louis Abeita
County: Pueblo Indian Agency
State: New Mexico
Birth Date: 2 Apr 1880
Race: Indian (Native American).
(From the internet)
Louis Abieta served as a Valencia County Sheriff and worked security for the Santa Fe Railroad. He was the Chief of Indian Police for the Southern Pueblos from approximately 1919-1921. He was appointed by the Southern Pueblo superintendant, Leo Crane. He was shot and killed in the line of duty on January 12, 1921 at the the Isleta Railroad Station by an African-American escaped convict accused of multiple murders. Louis died at the Albuquerque Hospital. Luis was either 40 or 45 at the time of his death conflicting reports). His funeral was paid for by the superintentendant Crane with Federal Agency money.
He married Maria in 1904 (s/b 1903) and had his first son Diego in 1905 (s/b 1904). He had five children.
Louis helped solve many crimes including the murder of Santiago Felipe at the Acoma Pueblo on October 2, 1920.
New Mexico, Deaths, 1889-1945
Name: Louis Abeita
Event Date: 12 Jan 1921
Event Place: Albuquerque, Bernalillo, New Mexico
Gender: Male
Race (Original): Indian; Race: Indian
Age: 39
Birth Date: 04 Apr 1881 (s/b Apr 02, 1880)
Birthplace: Isleta, N. M.
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Marie Abeita
Father's Name: Juan Rey Abeita
Father's Birthplace: Isleta, N. M.
Mother's Name: Josepita Lucero
Mother's Birthplace: Isleta, N. M.
Occupation: U.S.Chief Of Indian Police
Address: St. Joseph Sanatorium
Residence Place: Isleta, N. M.
Burial Place: Isleta, N. M.; Burial Date: 13 Jan 1921.
The Albuquerque Morning Journal, Thursday, 1/13/1921.
POLICE SQUAD TO BE ABEITA ESCORT TODAY - BODY OF INDIAN PEACE OFFICER WILL BE TAKEN TO ISLETA FOR BURIAL: WAS HIGHLY VALUED OFFICIAL - After lying in state at Strong Brothers' chapel this morning until 10:30 o'clock, the body of Louis Abeita, Indian police officer, will be escorted to the depot by a squad of city police in uniform and will be sent to Isleta, his home, for burial. Abeita died yesterday at 11:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Hospital from wounds inflicted by James Williams, a negro, last Friday. Appearing to surrender himself to Abeita, Williams gave him one gun and as the Indian officer was reaching for handcuffs, drew a second and shot him twice, one bullet entering his right forearm and the second his right side, passing through the liver and lodging in his back. Williams was wanted on the charge of shooting Lawrence B. Mackey here last Thursday. Funeral services will be held for Abeita from the Isleta Pueblo Catholic Church, Rev. Father Docher officiating. Burial will be in the Isleta Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Maria Abeita, two sons attending the Indian school here and three smaller children, a boy (s/b 2) and two (s/b one) girls at their home in Isleta. Abeita was born April 4, 1881 (s/b April 2, 1880), and was educated at the Albuquerque Indian School. He had been chief of Indian police of his pueblo for five years, special officer for the Santa Fe Railroad, deputy sheriff and was considered one of the county's most valuable peace officers. Attending physicians were doubtful of Abeita's chances for recovery from the first, but grew hopeful Monday when it appeared that his condition had improved. Yesterday when it was evident that his strength was failing, relatives were summoned to his bedside. Pablo Abeita and Leo Crane, Superintendent of Indian pueblos, were with him at his death.
The Albuquerque Morning Journal, Friday, 1/14/1921.
BODY OF ABEITA TO ISLETA FOR BURIAL - After hundreds of friends, acquaintances and citizens who wished to pay respects to the memory of a faithful officer had viewed the body of Louis Abeita at Strong Brothers Funeral Chapel yesterday morning, the body of the Isleta Indian policeman and Bernalillo County deputy sheriff was escorted to the Santa Fe station by a platoon of Albuquerque police and then taken to Isleta where funeral services will be held in the Catholic Church at 10:30 this morning. Then the body will be taken by the Indians of the Isleta Pueblo and buried with the ceremonies of the tribe.
The Albuquerque Tribune, Thursday, May 6, 1954; Page 11.
OFF the BEATEN PATH by Howard Bryan ... One of the most efficient and best known Indian police officers in New Mexico history was Louis Abeita of Isleta Pueblo. Mr. Abeita served about 35 years ago as chief of the Pueblo Indian police. He also served as a special officer for the Santa Fe Railway, and as a deputy sheriff. Abeita was a small and harmless looking man, but anyone who thought he could put something over on him had another think coming. The Indian policeman was a dead shot. Some outlaws found this out too late. Leo Crane, former United Pueblos Agency superintendent here, devotes a chapter to Louis Abeita in his book "Desert Drums" which was published in 1928. Crane tells about the time that Abeita was sent to Grants during prohibition days to find a bootlegger who was selling whisky to Navajo workers on the railroad. In true Sherlock Holmes fashion, Abeita disguised himself as a sheepherder and climbed off the train in Grants one evening wearing ragged clothes and needing a shave. He carried a bed roll under one arm. Abeita wandered around town for a short while and disappeared in the darkness. A short while later, Grants police officers were told there was a disturbance in a shack near the edge of town, and went to investigate. Entering the door, the policeman found two Navajos prone on the floor with Abeita sitting on them. The Indian policeman explained that he had found them buying whisky from a bootlegger. Asked about the bootlegger, Abeita pointed to a bedroom door. The officers went in the bedroom and found the bootlegger handcuffed to a bed post . Abeita had solved the mystery in short order. Louis Abeita died in 1921 of gunshot wounds he received while arresting a murderer on the railroad tracks at Isleta. The murderer, a youthful bootblack in Albuquerque, had shot and killed another youth at the local depot the night before and had escaped down the tracks toward Isleta. Abeita arrested him at Isleta and disarmed him. While Abeita was reaching for his handcuffs, the bootblack drew another gun from his coat pocket and shot him. Abeita died a few days later in an Albuquerque Hospital. Residents of Isleta trapped the murderer in the woods just north of the pueblo and sent for Albuquerque police officers, who shot down the youth after a brisk gun battle.
Husband of Marie Jiron.
WWI Civilian Draft Registrations.
Name: Abeita, Louis
Birth Date: 2 Apr 1880
City/County: Bernalillo[Late
State: NM
Ethnicity: I.
U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
Name: Louis Abeita
County: Pueblo Indian Agency
State: New Mexico
Birth Date: 2 Apr 1880
Race: Indian (Native American).
(From the internet)
Louis Abieta served as a Valencia County Sheriff and worked security for the Santa Fe Railroad. He was the Chief of Indian Police for the Southern Pueblos from approximately 1919-1921. He was appointed by the Southern Pueblo superintendant, Leo Crane. He was shot and killed in the line of duty on January 12, 1921 at the the Isleta Railroad Station by an African-American escaped convict accused of multiple murders. Louis died at the Albuquerque Hospital. Luis was either 40 or 45 at the time of his death conflicting reports). His funeral was paid for by the superintentendant Crane with Federal Agency money.
He married Maria in 1904 (s/b 1903) and had his first son Diego in 1905 (s/b 1904). He had five children.
Louis helped solve many crimes including the murder of Santiago Felipe at the Acoma Pueblo on October 2, 1920.
New Mexico, Deaths, 1889-1945
Name: Louis Abeita
Event Date: 12 Jan 1921
Event Place: Albuquerque, Bernalillo, New Mexico
Gender: Male
Race (Original): Indian; Race: Indian
Age: 39
Birth Date: 04 Apr 1881 (s/b Apr 02, 1880)
Birthplace: Isleta, N. M.
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Marie Abeita
Father's Name: Juan Rey Abeita
Father's Birthplace: Isleta, N. M.
Mother's Name: Josepita Lucero
Mother's Birthplace: Isleta, N. M.
Occupation: U.S.Chief Of Indian Police
Address: St. Joseph Sanatorium
Residence Place: Isleta, N. M.
Burial Place: Isleta, N. M.; Burial Date: 13 Jan 1921.
The Albuquerque Morning Journal, Thursday, 1/13/1921.
POLICE SQUAD TO BE ABEITA ESCORT TODAY - BODY OF INDIAN PEACE OFFICER WILL BE TAKEN TO ISLETA FOR BURIAL: WAS HIGHLY VALUED OFFICIAL - After lying in state at Strong Brothers' chapel this morning until 10:30 o'clock, the body of Louis Abeita, Indian police officer, will be escorted to the depot by a squad of city police in uniform and will be sent to Isleta, his home, for burial. Abeita died yesterday at 11:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Hospital from wounds inflicted by James Williams, a negro, last Friday. Appearing to surrender himself to Abeita, Williams gave him one gun and as the Indian officer was reaching for handcuffs, drew a second and shot him twice, one bullet entering his right forearm and the second his right side, passing through the liver and lodging in his back. Williams was wanted on the charge of shooting Lawrence B. Mackey here last Thursday. Funeral services will be held for Abeita from the Isleta Pueblo Catholic Church, Rev. Father Docher officiating. Burial will be in the Isleta Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Maria Abeita, two sons attending the Indian school here and three smaller children, a boy (s/b 2) and two (s/b one) girls at their home in Isleta. Abeita was born April 4, 1881 (s/b April 2, 1880), and was educated at the Albuquerque Indian School. He had been chief of Indian police of his pueblo for five years, special officer for the Santa Fe Railroad, deputy sheriff and was considered one of the county's most valuable peace officers. Attending physicians were doubtful of Abeita's chances for recovery from the first, but grew hopeful Monday when it appeared that his condition had improved. Yesterday when it was evident that his strength was failing, relatives were summoned to his bedside. Pablo Abeita and Leo Crane, Superintendent of Indian pueblos, were with him at his death.
The Albuquerque Morning Journal, Friday, 1/14/1921.
BODY OF ABEITA TO ISLETA FOR BURIAL - After hundreds of friends, acquaintances and citizens who wished to pay respects to the memory of a faithful officer had viewed the body of Louis Abeita at Strong Brothers Funeral Chapel yesterday morning, the body of the Isleta Indian policeman and Bernalillo County deputy sheriff was escorted to the Santa Fe station by a platoon of Albuquerque police and then taken to Isleta where funeral services will be held in the Catholic Church at 10:30 this morning. Then the body will be taken by the Indians of the Isleta Pueblo and buried with the ceremonies of the tribe.
The Albuquerque Tribune, Thursday, May 6, 1954; Page 11.
OFF the BEATEN PATH by Howard Bryan ... One of the most efficient and best known Indian police officers in New Mexico history was Louis Abeita of Isleta Pueblo. Mr. Abeita served about 35 years ago as chief of the Pueblo Indian police. He also served as a special officer for the Santa Fe Railway, and as a deputy sheriff. Abeita was a small and harmless looking man, but anyone who thought he could put something over on him had another think coming. The Indian policeman was a dead shot. Some outlaws found this out too late. Leo Crane, former United Pueblos Agency superintendent here, devotes a chapter to Louis Abeita in his book "Desert Drums" which was published in 1928. Crane tells about the time that Abeita was sent to Grants during prohibition days to find a bootlegger who was selling whisky to Navajo workers on the railroad. In true Sherlock Holmes fashion, Abeita disguised himself as a sheepherder and climbed off the train in Grants one evening wearing ragged clothes and needing a shave. He carried a bed roll under one arm. Abeita wandered around town for a short while and disappeared in the darkness. A short while later, Grants police officers were told there was a disturbance in a shack near the edge of town, and went to investigate. Entering the door, the policeman found two Navajos prone on the floor with Abeita sitting on them. The Indian policeman explained that he had found them buying whisky from a bootlegger. Asked about the bootlegger, Abeita pointed to a bedroom door. The officers went in the bedroom and found the bootlegger handcuffed to a bed post . Abeita had solved the mystery in short order. Louis Abeita died in 1921 of gunshot wounds he received while arresting a murderer on the railroad tracks at Isleta. The murderer, a youthful bootblack in Albuquerque, had shot and killed another youth at the local depot the night before and had escaped down the tracks toward Isleta. Abeita arrested him at Isleta and disarmed him. While Abeita was reaching for his handcuffs, the bootblack drew another gun from his coat pocket and shot him. Abeita died a few days later in an Albuquerque Hospital. Residents of Isleta trapped the murderer in the woods just north of the pueblo and sent for Albuquerque police officers, who shot down the youth after a brisk gun battle.
Parents: Juan Rey Abeita and Josefita Lucero.
Husband of Marie Jiron.
WWI Civilian Draft Registrations.
Name: Abeita, Louis
Birth Date: 2 Apr 1880
City/County: Bernalillo[Late
State: NM
Ethnicity: I.
U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
Name: Louis Abeita
County: Pueblo Indian Agency
State: New Mexico
Birth Date: 2 Apr 1880
Race: Indian (Native American).
(From the internet)
Louis Abieta served as a Valencia County Sheriff and worked security for the Santa Fe Railroad. He was the Chief of Indian Police for the Southern Pueblos from approximately 1919-1921. He was appointed by the Southern Pueblo superintendant, Leo Crane. He was shot and killed in the line of duty on January 12, 1921 at the the Isleta Railroad Station by an African-American escaped convict accused of multiple murders. Louis died at the Albuquerque Hospital. Luis was either 40 or 45 at the time of his death conflicting reports). His funeral was paid for by the superintentendant Crane with Federal Agency money.
He married Maria in 1904 (s/b 1903) and had his first son Diego in 1905 (s/b 1904). He had five children.
Louis helped solve many crimes including the murder of Santiago Felipe at the Acoma Pueblo on October 2, 1920.
New Mexico, Deaths, 1889-1945
Name: Louis Abeita
Event Date: 12 Jan 1921
Event Place: Albuquerque, Bernalillo, New Mexico
Gender: Male
Race (Original): Indian; Race: Indian
Age: 39
Birth Date: 04 Apr 1881 (s/b Apr 02, 1880)
Birthplace: Isleta, N. M.
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Marie Abeita
Father's Name: Juan Rey Abeita
Father's Birthplace: Isleta, N. M.
Mother's Name: Josepita Lucero
Mother's Birthplace: Isleta, N. M.
Occupation: U.S.Chief Of Indian Police
Address: St. Joseph Sanatorium
Residence Place: Isleta, N. M.
Burial Place: Isleta, N. M.; Burial Date: 13 Jan 1921.
The Albuquerque Morning Journal, Thursday, 1/13/1921.
POLICE SQUAD TO BE ABEITA ESCORT TODAY - BODY OF INDIAN PEACE OFFICER WILL BE TAKEN TO ISLETA FOR BURIAL: WAS HIGHLY VALUED OFFICIAL - After lying in state at Strong Brothers' chapel this morning until 10:30 o'clock, the body of Louis Abeita, Indian police officer, will be escorted to the depot by a squad of city police in uniform and will be sent to Isleta, his home, for burial. Abeita died yesterday at 11:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Hospital from wounds inflicted by James Williams, a negro, last Friday. Appearing to surrender himself to Abeita, Williams gave him one gun and as the Indian officer was reaching for handcuffs, drew a second and shot him twice, one bullet entering his right forearm and the second his right side, passing through the liver and lodging in his back. Williams was wanted on the charge of shooting Lawrence B. Mackey here last Thursday. Funeral services will be held for Abeita from the Isleta Pueblo Catholic Church, Rev. Father Docher officiating. Burial will be in the Isleta Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Maria Abeita, two sons attending the Indian school here and three smaller children, a boy (s/b 2) and two (s/b one) girls at their home in Isleta. Abeita was born April 4, 1881 (s/b April 2, 1880), and was educated at the Albuquerque Indian School. He had been chief of Indian police of his pueblo for five years, special officer for the Santa Fe Railroad, deputy sheriff and was considered one of the county's most valuable peace officers. Attending physicians were doubtful of Abeita's chances for recovery from the first, but grew hopeful Monday when it appeared that his condition had improved. Yesterday when it was evident that his strength was failing, relatives were summoned to his bedside. Pablo Abeita and Leo Crane, Superintendent of Indian pueblos, were with him at his death.
The Albuquerque Morning Journal, Friday, 1/14/1921.
BODY OF ABEITA TO ISLETA FOR BURIAL - After hundreds of friends, acquaintances and citizens who wished to pay respects to the memory of a faithful officer had viewed the body of Louis Abeita at Strong Brothers Funeral Chapel yesterday morning, the body of the Isleta Indian policeman and Bernalillo County deputy sheriff was escorted to the Santa Fe station by a platoon of Albuquerque police and then taken to Isleta where funeral services will be held in the Catholic Church at 10:30 this morning. Then the body will be taken by the Indians of the Isleta Pueblo and buried with the ceremonies of the tribe.
The Albuquerque Tribune, Thursday, May 6, 1954; Page 11.
OFF the BEATEN PATH by Howard Bryan ... One of the most efficient and best known Indian police officers in New Mexico history was Louis Abeita of Isleta Pueblo. Mr. Abeita served about 35 years ago as chief of the Pueblo Indian police. He also served as a special officer for the Santa Fe Railway, and as a deputy sheriff. Abeita was a small and harmless looking man, but anyone who thought he could put something over on him had another think coming. The Indian policeman was a dead shot. Some outlaws found this out too late. Leo Crane, former United Pueblos Agency superintendent here, devotes a chapter to Louis Abeita in his book "Desert Drums" which was published in 1928. Crane tells about the time that Abeita was sent to Grants during prohibition days to find a bootlegger who was selling whisky to Navajo workers on the railroad. In true Sherlock Holmes fashion, Abeita disguised himself as a sheepherder and climbed off the train in Grants one evening wearing ragged clothes and needing a shave. He carried a bed roll under one arm. Abeita wandered around town for a short while and disappeared in the darkness. A short while later, Grants police officers were told there was a disturbance in a shack near the edge of town, and went to investigate. Entering the door, the policeman found two Navajos prone on the floor with Abeita sitting on them. The Indian policeman explained that he had found them buying whisky from a bootlegger. Asked about the bootlegger, Abeita pointed to a bedroom door. The officers went in the bedroom and found the bootlegger handcuffed to a bed post . Abeita had solved the mystery in short order. Louis Abeita died in 1921 of gunshot wounds he received while arresting a murderer on the railroad tracks at Isleta. The murderer, a youthful bootblack in Albuquerque, had shot and killed another youth at the local depot the night before and had escaped down the tracks toward Isleta. Abeita arrested him at Isleta and disarmed him. While Abeita was reaching for his handcuffs, the bootblack drew another gun from his coat pocket and shot him. Abeita died a few days later in an Albuquerque Hospital. Residents of Isleta trapped the murderer in the woods just north of the pueblo and sent for Albuquerque police officers, who shot down the youth after a brisk gun battle.
Husband of Marie Jiron.
WWI Civilian Draft Registrations.
Name: Abeita, Louis
Birth Date: 2 Apr 1880
City/County: Bernalillo[Late
State: NM
Ethnicity: I.
U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
Name: Louis Abeita
County: Pueblo Indian Agency
State: New Mexico
Birth Date: 2 Apr 1880
Race: Indian (Native American).
(From the internet)
Louis Abieta served as a Valencia County Sheriff and worked security for the Santa Fe Railroad. He was the Chief of Indian Police for the Southern Pueblos from approximately 1919-1921. He was appointed by the Southern Pueblo superintendant, Leo Crane. He was shot and killed in the line of duty on January 12, 1921 at the the Isleta Railroad Station by an African-American escaped convict accused of multiple murders. Louis died at the Albuquerque Hospital. Luis was either 40 or 45 at the time of his death conflicting reports). His funeral was paid for by the superintentendant Crane with Federal Agency money.
He married Maria in 1904 (s/b 1903) and had his first son Diego in 1905 (s/b 1904). He had five children.
Louis helped solve many crimes including the murder of Santiago Felipe at the Acoma Pueblo on October 2, 1920.
New Mexico, Deaths, 1889-1945
Name: Louis Abeita
Event Date: 12 Jan 1921
Event Place: Albuquerque, Bernalillo, New Mexico
Gender: Male
Race (Original): Indian; Race: Indian
Age: 39
Birth Date: 04 Apr 1881 (s/b Apr 02, 1880)
Birthplace: Isleta, N. M.
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Marie Abeita
Father's Name: Juan Rey Abeita
Father's Birthplace: Isleta, N. M.
Mother's Name: Josepita Lucero
Mother's Birthplace: Isleta, N. M.
Occupation: U.S.Chief Of Indian Police
Address: St. Joseph Sanatorium
Residence Place: Isleta, N. M.
Burial Place: Isleta, N. M.; Burial Date: 13 Jan 1921.
The Albuquerque Morning Journal, Thursday, 1/13/1921.
POLICE SQUAD TO BE ABEITA ESCORT TODAY - BODY OF INDIAN PEACE OFFICER WILL BE TAKEN TO ISLETA FOR BURIAL: WAS HIGHLY VALUED OFFICIAL - After lying in state at Strong Brothers' chapel this morning until 10:30 o'clock, the body of Louis Abeita, Indian police officer, will be escorted to the depot by a squad of city police in uniform and will be sent to Isleta, his home, for burial. Abeita died yesterday at 11:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Hospital from wounds inflicted by James Williams, a negro, last Friday. Appearing to surrender himself to Abeita, Williams gave him one gun and as the Indian officer was reaching for handcuffs, drew a second and shot him twice, one bullet entering his right forearm and the second his right side, passing through the liver and lodging in his back. Williams was wanted on the charge of shooting Lawrence B. Mackey here last Thursday. Funeral services will be held for Abeita from the Isleta Pueblo Catholic Church, Rev. Father Docher officiating. Burial will be in the Isleta Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Maria Abeita, two sons attending the Indian school here and three smaller children, a boy (s/b 2) and two (s/b one) girls at their home in Isleta. Abeita was born April 4, 1881 (s/b April 2, 1880), and was educated at the Albuquerque Indian School. He had been chief of Indian police of his pueblo for five years, special officer for the Santa Fe Railroad, deputy sheriff and was considered one of the county's most valuable peace officers. Attending physicians were doubtful of Abeita's chances for recovery from the first, but grew hopeful Monday when it appeared that his condition had improved. Yesterday when it was evident that his strength was failing, relatives were summoned to his bedside. Pablo Abeita and Leo Crane, Superintendent of Indian pueblos, were with him at his death.
The Albuquerque Morning Journal, Friday, 1/14/1921.
BODY OF ABEITA TO ISLETA FOR BURIAL - After hundreds of friends, acquaintances and citizens who wished to pay respects to the memory of a faithful officer had viewed the body of Louis Abeita at Strong Brothers Funeral Chapel yesterday morning, the body of the Isleta Indian policeman and Bernalillo County deputy sheriff was escorted to the Santa Fe station by a platoon of Albuquerque police and then taken to Isleta where funeral services will be held in the Catholic Church at 10:30 this morning. Then the body will be taken by the Indians of the Isleta Pueblo and buried with the ceremonies of the tribe.
The Albuquerque Tribune, Thursday, May 6, 1954; Page 11.
OFF the BEATEN PATH by Howard Bryan ... One of the most efficient and best known Indian police officers in New Mexico history was Louis Abeita of Isleta Pueblo. Mr. Abeita served about 35 years ago as chief of the Pueblo Indian police. He also served as a special officer for the Santa Fe Railway, and as a deputy sheriff. Abeita was a small and harmless looking man, but anyone who thought he could put something over on him had another think coming. The Indian policeman was a dead shot. Some outlaws found this out too late. Leo Crane, former United Pueblos Agency superintendent here, devotes a chapter to Louis Abeita in his book "Desert Drums" which was published in 1928. Crane tells about the time that Abeita was sent to Grants during prohibition days to find a bootlegger who was selling whisky to Navajo workers on the railroad. In true Sherlock Holmes fashion, Abeita disguised himself as a sheepherder and climbed off the train in Grants one evening wearing ragged clothes and needing a shave. He carried a bed roll under one arm. Abeita wandered around town for a short while and disappeared in the darkness. A short while later, Grants police officers were told there was a disturbance in a shack near the edge of town, and went to investigate. Entering the door, the policeman found two Navajos prone on the floor with Abeita sitting on them. The Indian policeman explained that he had found them buying whisky from a bootlegger. Asked about the bootlegger, Abeita pointed to a bedroom door. The officers went in the bedroom and found the bootlegger handcuffed to a bed post . Abeita had solved the mystery in short order. Louis Abeita died in 1921 of gunshot wounds he received while arresting a murderer on the railroad tracks at Isleta. The murderer, a youthful bootblack in Albuquerque, had shot and killed another youth at the local depot the night before and had escaped down the tracks toward Isleta. Abeita arrested him at Isleta and disarmed him. While Abeita was reaching for his handcuffs, the bootblack drew another gun from his coat pocket and shot him. Abeita died a few days later in an Albuquerque Hospital. Residents of Isleta trapped the murderer in the woods just north of the pueblo and sent for Albuquerque police officers, who shot down the youth after a brisk gun battle.
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