The Latter-day Saint colonists had been counseled from the beginning of the revolution to remain neutral and offer no resistance to marauders, rather than retaliate and thus invite a terrible vengeance. The non-Mormon ranchers, however, were much less willing to stand for mistreatment without putting up a fight. One of these was P. H. Carlin, who operated the ranch at San Jose, 4 miles southwest of Colonia Dublan.  (In early August 1912, when the men and boys of Dublan escaped to the United States during the first exodus from Mexico, Carlin had quickly saddled his horse and left with them as they passed by his ranch on their way to the mountains.)  The Deseret Evening News told what happened when half a dozen Red Flaggers attempted to extort money from Mr. Carlin:

Six bandits appeared late Saturday night [December 27, 1913] at the home of P. N. Skousen a “Mormon” farmer living in Casas Grandes, and demanded money. As Skousen had no money he gave provisions instead. After loading up with the provisions the bandits took one of the Skousen boys as a guide and left for the home of Carlin not too far distant.

Reaching the Carlin home, the six Mexicans battered the door down and covered Carlin with their guns, demanding the payment of $500 as a ransom for his freedom. Refusing to comply with their demand, and calling them thieves and cowards, Carlin was led from the house to a grove in the neighborhood, and stood in front of a tree preparatory to being shot.

After having been searched at his house, however, and before leaving for the grove, Carlin managed to conceal a revolver under his arm in such a way that the bandits were unaware that he had it.  As the chief of the outlaws ordered the others to take aim, five gunbarrels were leveled at his breast, and the count, “Uno, dos,” was given when, during a momentary pause after the second count, and just as the leader seemed ready to pronounce the “tres,” Carlin seized the revolver and fired on his assailants, killing two before they hardly realized what was occurring.  The others took flight, but he succeeded in winging two of them. The others escaped after he had chased them a considerable distance.

Elder Anthony W. Ivins, who had known P. H. Carlin for many years, commented that he was “he was of a fearless nature” and that the bandits “got hold of the wrong man.”

Anson Bowen Call Bishop of Colonia Dublan by William G. Hartley and Lorna Call Alder pages 340-341