The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-06-19
TEHUACANA MODOCs DENORAL-
Five OF the Thieves Captured Citizen
Police Successful.

Police successful
We have purposely refrained for several
days past from publishing the progress Of
the citizen police force, for obvious reasons,
but to-day we are justified, and highly
elated, in being enabled to give partially,
perhaps. all the information that we are in
possession Of Suffice it to say, that vigi-
liant police, composed of some of the very
best citizens of this, McLennan, and other
counties, Limestone, Hill and Bosque; ac-
companicd by officers of the law, have been
on the scout, day and night, since the late
Jail delivery, and their labOrs have been re-
warded, fully up to the public expectation.
In the carly part of last week, band of
five horse thieves raided from this county
into the adjoining county of Limestone,
where they succeeded in gathering together a
number of horse stock, with which they made
away into Hill county, and there, on Thurs
day last, they were pursued by force OF
citizens from Limestone. Having learned that
they were on the right track, the Limestone
party were joined by a similar force in Hill,
headed by Judged. H. Dyer, Deputy Sher-
if, and the pursuit rebegun in downright
earnest. The thieves were tracked to the
point where they crossed the Brazos river,
travelling westwarde and from thence in a
on the confines of BosQue and Erath cOun-
ties, near or on the POluzy creek, where, in a
point of timber, reclining under the invit-
ing shade of post oak, the scoundrels were
discovered At this juncture the pursuers
dismOunted and used other stragetic means
to get as near to their game as possible, but
were discovered when in about forty yards
of it. The pursuers instantly demanded an
unconditional surrender. This was re-
sponded to by yOlley from the thieves,
when the fight became general. 1t didn't
last long, however, and the result footed up,
two of the thieves killed, two badly
wounded and one escaped.
One of the killed was recognized as the
notorious outlaw, John Smith, of this
county, who was released from custody in
the Jail delivery. The other man killed is
as yet unknown, as also are the two wounded
men. But the one that escaped in the fight,
has since been arrested on the Tehuacana, in
this county, and named Pink Smith, a
brother to John, mentioned above.
Another band of horse thieves were over
hauled in Hamilton county, near Hyco, and
two of them killed, one of whom was named
Fulcher and a brother of Billy Fulcher,
now confined in our county Jail for muir
der The other mans name has not trans
pired as we write.
Here, in McLennan county, the planning
and operations of the citizen police have
been quite as successful as in the other
counties named, though attended with less
blood letting. Up to the present, the force
have captured five of the Tehuacana Mo
docs. viz: Pink Smith, Marion Sanchez,
Spencer Miller Carabine and "a one-armed
man named --. Against nearly all of
these, indictments have been found by late
grand jury, and some of them are suspected
of having connection directly with the late
Jail delivery. A lot more of this gang of
outlaws are still at large, but they arc
closely watched and the hope is entertained
of their capture soon. The captured are
now lodged in the county Jail under strong
guard, and their career, so far as outlawry
is concerned, may be reasonably stated as at
its close.
To say that the success of the citizen po-
lice has been hailed with JOY, but feebly
expresses the feeling of our long suffering
people, particularly those whose lives were
daily and nightly imperilled, so long as
those desperadoes mentioned were at
liberty.
In closing this account of the days do
ings, we feel called upon to express our
qualification at the results attained, and
make especial mention of those among the
citizen police who contributed so largely to
the present success. Namely, Lewis Moore,
Dr. Riddle, Col. Love, Deputy Sheriff Nc
Gehee, Capt. Tom Killingsworth, Jack Blu
chanan and General Sui Ross. These rem
dered faithful service, as did all who ac-
companied the expedition, but whose names
we are not in possession of.
And it proves that State police force,
or partisan strolling army, is not at all nee
essary to put down lawlessness in Texas,
and that a sheriff in any one of the hum
dred and fifty counties of the State, COM
handing the respect and confidence of the
people, can raise citizen police sufficient to
repel lawlessness internal OF external
Waco Examiner.