The New York herald., 1869-04-21
TRAGEDY IN TEXAS.
Killing of Two Notorious Despcradocs.

From the Waco Texas) Register, April 81
Tho following IL q well authenticated account %
the shooting and tragic death OF the notorious deSs
pcrado, Bickerstan and his accOmplice, Thoinps0n,
which took place at Avarado, Johnson county, on
some time last fall Bickersan first made his ap.
pearance IN Johnson county stranger, and gave
his name as Thomas. lie gave out That he was o
refugee and had been ubJustly prosecuted by tho
military somewhere. IL was not until January or
February that leaked out tnat he was really Bick
erstan But the people stood ia such terror OF ITO
name and character tnat but little was said of him
MS movements were involved IN more or less mys-
terry. sometimes he appeared Ia company with
Thompson and always went heavily armed Mean.
plantations were visited in the aDsence Of
threatened and roDoed OF arms, clothing, &c.
In TINS way tn wnole negro element hai become
frightened ana demoralizeI, could win dilliculty
DC kept their places and useless laborers.
The people we're well convinced as TO the ea1ns
demonstration Bckerstalr had become, IN train,
terror TO the people, Last week the District Court
ea IN nc re 70 feel f M so"Es OF 5
perate men by whom they were surrounded.
ae Law S could not ,or Dc so aamns!ersl I'M
were intimdated and went nome with their work
unfinished. Judge Norton, AFRAID OF his life slipped
citizens of Alvarado now resolved TO proceed 10 ex-
trenltles ana armed themselves accordingly. About
aforesaid, Bckerstair and Thompson, on horses
back, rode into town. The desperadoes rode
10 ~ COIucr vi Ic PUBIC square aud
stopped, but before they had tine TO d,.x
mount several shots were lred at them. Thompson
ieeI dead from ms horse Bickerstan fell with SIX,
SMOOTHER In hand, bur so far recovered as 10 return
several shots, but wounded no one. The citizens
again ilred, making, 1t Is estimated, some fifteen
shots In all, and BckcrstaH lay weterna in
nus bl0Cd. lie survived two or three hours.
ine next day an inquest was held, and
lhc Jury returned verdict In suOstanco
.nat deceased came TO their death iron, the
nahus oi cltizens, who were acting IN de.ence Of
tler lives a1d property and under tho authority VI
To-
ceased. Ihe dead men were put In collins aud
buried.
so ENDS the career of q man who will occupy a
bad eminence In the annals of crime In this state
lie has spread terror In his pathway IN wnac
ever direction he has travelled. He seeul-
Ell TO nave accepted the position OF outlaw
aid 10 live highwaymau, and had repeated de.
CARED that he would not DC taken alive. # MOI N
confederate he was the equal OF Cullen BaFer
Bcxersta1 was man about thirty years OF n 10 Of
slight build, In height about dve feet ten ilcIes
wegn. ABOUT l30 pounds with light hair and
fair SKIN. He was rdlsed Texan from ynuIn
nnd ma father now lives where ba has
nve1 Ior tue past twenty years at Gray Rock Itiu1
county. one VI the most daring deeds OF the Je-
cease' BcNerstaif wassns attack at the head of bis
Dand ana capture OF tile United states Dom alissarv
tram last summer, while on its way from Austin ia
sulphur springs, Hopkins county. soon after he
khici Two united states soldiers, and next attacked
another train, wnica lie did not capture
The Stockbridge Indians, In Wisconsin are rap-
latl.A