The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-01-06

mishj never did men Eight with more bravery
and desperation. In one of these encouu.
tiers Captain Delacroix fell, after killing in
band.to-hand conflict six of his assailants.
His comrades, at midnight, sunk the body
of their leader into the Brazos; and leaving
no sign to mark the place, continued their
flight westward. Their prospects were
gloomy, and their plans had no lc niger the
appearance of praeticabiity. Backward
they could not go; there was a bare posi-.
bility of reaching the Rio Grande, but the
unanimous voice was forward ~
Twenty miles east of San Antonio the
party came suddenly upon large detach
ment of Mexican troops, when bloody
struggle ensued, resulting in the loss of
some forty Mexicans and the complete dis
comfture Of Ellis and his surviving com.
rades Prisoners and plumber were carried
to the then capital Of Texas, where court.
martial was called and all save Ellis con
demned to be shot. Ellis spoke Spanish
pretty auently, and it is possible this fact
may have influenced the tribunal in his case.
At all events, without testimony or justice
the sentence was published, and the next
morning at sunrise he witnessed the exc
cution by musketry Of his friends on the
plaza ofthe town. The booty captured was
confscated by the officers, as he subse.
quenIly learned Soon after this summary
proceeding Ellis was released from confne.
ment and hurried off under strong guard
to Matamoros, where he was allowed to
walk the streets, but was forbidden to pass
the gates. Whether from desire to relieve
the monotouy of his captivity (his diary is
entirely silent upon the subject OF from
necessity, he apprenticed himself to Il sill.
ver'plater, and soon displayed wonderful
ingenuity in the art. In the course Of
year or two he exeelled his employer, upon
which he set up business for himself, and
becoming exceedingly popular amassed a
considerable amount of money. But he
could not reconcile himself to the restraints
Of species Of Imprisonment, and on sew.
eral occasions attempted to escape. Cross.
ing the river for that purpose, he was at once
fairly on his way into Texas, but was pur.
sued, captured and brought back in disgrace.
After this he was closely watched, and sub.
sequently he was notified that he would be
sent to the City Of Mexico. On the next
day he started on foot, guarded BY ten Ian.
GERS. The journey was completed in m
incredibly short time, but be was SO pros.
trated by rapid marches that some days
elapsed before he could summon strength
to appear before the authorities. A week
thereafter be inquired what disposition was
to be made Of him. He demanded the
cause Of his detention and treatment, and |
insisted upon a trial. To his repeated in.
terrogatorles no response was made, aud it |
was evident that his boldness and undis- |
guised indignation rather aggravated than |
improved his position. The Viceregal
government was still in existence; the spirit
ofrevot had not then begun its sweep, and |
absolutism in the administration of law |
was grinding with remorseless indiscrimi
nation an abject race into the dust. The |
city ''set in silver sea- was rich in doub. |
looms and dollars, the eluipages of the
Spaniards and their descendants were
and the court of the Viceroy was
incidentally rich and magnificent. exercis
ing at the time power absolute and osten.
tatious as any potentate of Europe. This
was the status of Mexico when Ellis enter.
ed the beautiful capital; and indeed it was a
type Of the past three centuries.
After years. delay he was one morning
abruptly ordered to prison at Acapulco.
Ten minutes thereafter he was mounted
upon mule, his arms pinioned to his side.
and was placed in the midst of band of
Spanish soldiers. Thus he journeyed west.
ward for days through barrancas and over
bleak hills, down the Pacific slope to the
sea. There he was placed in solitary con.
hnement for three years. For two years
of this time he saw nor conyersed with no
living human being save his guard. He
heard no sound save the monotonous trea d
of tho sentinel on the ramparts of the fort
and the roar of the waves tuning and fret.
ting against the walls of his prison. From
the little window fronting the sea he could
discern the distant sails drifting toward the
harbor, the birds dipping into the waves,
while he, beyond hope of help or rescue,
was denied the freedom of exercise and
pure air. Still he was not wholly alone,
for lizards, eentipedes and spiders ran
boldly about his cell and disputed posses
sion during the weary nights with the lon ely
prisoner. Even this company, Ellis ad.
mits, was some relief from the ceasless
monotony of this horrible existence. There,
with bit of lead, upon the margin of a
Spanish prayer book he wrote M account
of his adventures, wrongs aud Indignation.
In this brief narrative he barely refers to his
early life, and the references to his later
career on the Mississippi are exceedingly
brief.
At the close of the second year priest
was introduced into his cell, and shared
with him for another year the wretched &C.
comodations the prison afforded This ac
cession made life more tolerable, but he
never became thoroughly respondent and
never abandoned the hope of escape. AT
the close of the third year he made an at.
Tempt to free himself and his companion,
but was detected and sharply reprimanded,
while the more unfortunate aud less culpable
priest was tried and shot, He was never
able to account for this barbarous proceed
ing on the part of the commaudant. Sub.
ha mazda nnotbor atror, - -