This article followed a Hard Copy TV story on how the small
Mojave Desert community of Newberry Springs is about to resort to vigilante justice.
I assume that most of you have noticed the increased presence of the County Sheriffs
Deputies patrolling Newberry recently. That along with the drive to man the Citizens on
Patrol (COP) vehicle, are the results of a proud and active community that takes action.
It is hard for me to agree with those who continue to claim that the publicity we have had
recently was bad publicity for Newberry. Look around you at the results. Think about it,
would you rather live in a community where everyone lives in fear, demanding that someone
take care of them like in the big city, or would you rather live in a community that just
won't stand for lawlessness and is willing to do whatever it takes to see that it is
curtailed. I believe the only ones opposing community involvement against crime now are
the lawless among us.
Now that the deputies are here let's let them know they are welcome. Give them a wave
on the road. Let them know they are appreciated. It is hoped that the more they become
familiar with us and the community the more they will become attuned to what is really
going on in Newberry.
In the 1950's we had a lawman that worked for Judge Shope in Yermo. His beat was Yermo,
Daggett and Newberry. He was constable Joe Holland. Us kids and many of the adults called
him Cactus Joe. Cactus Joe drove a bronze colored Hudson sedan with twin spot lights. He
may have driven a car but when you saw Cactus Joe on foot you would swear he had just
gotten off his horse. His broad brimmed western hat shaded a craggy, wind eroded face. A
big silver star was pinned to his Levi jacket. A long barreled .44 revolver in tooled
leather holster was attached to a bullet laden belt, worn low slung on narrow Levi clad
hips. A leather thong kept the bottom of the holster tight against the leg. Another
leather thong loop fit over the hammer of the 44. Well worn boots were evidence of a man
who walked the desert as much as he drove it.
Cactus Joe knew everyone and would always stop and talk. He made a special point to
know all of us teenagers and would stand real close so we had to bend our heads to look up
to him when we talked. Joe talked to the teens as adults, in his amiable way he would ask
questions and get answers without our realizing it was anything more than a conversation
with a friend of mutual respect, genuinely concerned and interested in our lives. Needless
to say Joe had a way with people and it was the one attribute that made him so successful
in his job. If something was going on in his territory, Cactus Joe was aware of it, many
times even before it happened.
An example:
It was in the early spring of the year. Large herds of sheep had been trucked from the
Bridgeport area to graze the vast fields of wild flowers South of highway 66 between
Newberry and Daggett. Our normally monotonous daily school bus trips to and from Barstow
became almost bearable at the sight of the sheep. The girls on the bus would squeal with
delight at the sight of the many soft cuddly lambs. Many exclaimed that they would just
love to have one for a pet.
It was an evening not long after this happened that Roger Zink and I were sitting on
the cement curb with our backs up against the general store just drinking Cokes and
watching the cars and trucks go by on Highway 66, when a bronze Hudson pulled up. Out
stepped Cactus Joe. He said hi on his way past and shortly returned with 3 more Cokes, sat
down on the curb beside us, handed Roger and I each a coke and started making small talk.
He said that with the weather warming up that the frog hunting down at Rogers' place in
the river should be getting better. He mentioned that the other day he had stopped on his
way across the river at Harvard road and walked up river to the ponds and that not only
were there many frogs but some baby lambs in a makeshift pen. He then told Roger that he
would give him 3 days to get those sheep back to the herd as quietly as he got them in the
first place. Roger made the remark, " Now Joe you know me, I wouldn't steal
sheep." Joe just said, " Am I to believe that you just made love to them and
they followed you home." With that, Cactus Joe got up, got into his Hudson and drove
off towards Daggett.
Copyright 1995, William E. Smith, All Rights Reserved
Newberry Springs Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 116
Newberry Springs, CA 92365
Phone: (760) 257-1072
