The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-12-07
AUSTIN, TEXAS, December /, 1876.


Gen Vim. Steele, Adjutsnt-General State of Texas:
the following report of the proceedings
of Company G, Frontier Battalion:
On the twelfth day of October l was in
formed by the sheriff of Llano county that
he had been notified to inspect a herd Of
cattle at the residence of Mr.. Neil Cain,
ten miles northwest from Llano town, ON
following day. Being aware that several
parties charged with cattle-stealIng were
in thai vicinity, deemed it advisable to
go the point myself, taking q sufficient
number of men TO make any arrest that
might consider necessary and satisfy NY
self that no unlawful act was being perpe-
trated. On my arrival at Mr.. Gains
rancho, l found the sheriff, who had al
ready inspected the cattle, and expressed
.imself satisfied with the title presented by
the parties having the herd in charge. On
the following Monday, the sixteenth, l de-
tailed Sergeant Robinson to proceed to
Loyal Valley in Mason county and ascer
tain, if possible, the whereabouts of Messrs.
G adden, RinGo, Thompson and others, for
dire ction taken by herd of cattle In
cn.rGe of Ed. Stewart, which / had been
informed had passed down the west side of
the Colorado rsScr. toward Austin.
Sergeant RcINGsoI. on his return, re-
ported that emy information was cor
rect, whereppon l detailed nine men, with
whom l started in pursuit of the cattle.
GA the hight of Wednesday, the twenty
fifth, arrived in Austin. On the follow
ing lay | was informed by Deputy Sheriff
Darlington, of Travis county, that small
herd of cattle was grazing about thirteen
miles northeast of Austin. / Immediately
started for the point indicated, and found
the herd which had been inspected 10
Llano county on the thirteenth, accom-
panied by another herd numbering eighty
five head, which latter herd had been
stolen from the counties of Mason, Llauo,
Gillespie and Blanco, in charge of Neil
Can, Eth. Stewart and Frank Enox. ar
rested Eb. Stewart and WA. Thompson
(who was also with the herdsl and brought
the prisoners and cattle to Austin, where
lodged the prisoners in Jail. instructed
Sergeant Leverett to sell twenty head of
the cattle (the owners of which he rep
resented as AGENT and to turn the balance
over to the inspector of Travis county,
which instructions were complied with.
The cattle turned over to the inspector of
Travis county were advertised ten days, a.
the law directs, and sold at public auction,
and the proceeds now remain subject to the
order of any person proving ownership of
the brands.
I On the morning of the twenty-seventh
| photographed TO the sheriff of Ellsworth
county, inquiring il warrant was still in
force for Billy Thompson, for the murder
of former sheriff of that county. The
answer was, that there was q warrant, and
that re9usition would be sent if desired.
telegraphed back to send requisition at
once. In the meantime Sheriff Corwin, Of
Travis county, had been served with q writ
of hGbeds corpus, and on the morning of
the twenty-eIghth he appeared before
JUICE Smith of the county court, and
answered that he held the prisoner only be-
cause had placed him in his custody with
instructions to hold him. The Judgment
of the court was that these grounds were
not sufficient for his detention, whereupon
Sheriff Corwin released him. re-arrested
HIM at once. on a warrant which had Just
been sworn out IN Travis county for theft
of cattle, and again placed him in the Ira
Wis county jail-and on the same day he
wss brought before Justice Tegener Of Aus
tin, to answer said charge, and was dis
charged. | sgain arrested m on 9 war
rant ls~Ued 10y Judge Turner of the district
courf, alleging that he was a fugitive from
/ started the prisoner to Jail in custody Of
four men, but on their arrival at the Jail
the sheriff informed Thompson that, - the
sheriff of Travis county, he had no control
over him. The prisoner started of, aad
the men, being 10th to conflict in au-
thority with the sheriff, permitted him
10 escape. On reaching the Jail, . few
minutes later, in company with Ser
geant Leverett / started In pursuit.
and succeeded in capturing Thompson in
the eastern part of the city, just a. be
was in the act Of mounting Q horse given
aim by James Burditt, of Austin. he was
then returned to jail by virtue Of legiti-
mate process, where be remained until the
arrival of the requisition from Kansas.
On November ., Governor Coke issued
a warrant commanding the execution Of
the rCqnisition from Kansas. Upon pre-
sentatlon OF this order for the body Of
Thompson, Sheriff Corwin refused 70 deliver
him. on the ground that he then held him
by virtue OF . warrant telegraphed from
AransAs county, charging Thompson with
murder in said county. Corwin then con-
suited with Attorney General Boone, and
subsequently, informed ne by letter that