The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-09-12
A HerGsman's Life Saved by Hill
.ss,s7ee syffcssa aEssttcrs from NOME.


In recent case In the Recorders Court
Attorney J. w. Donovan told the follow
ing story. 1t halls from Texas:
On hot day in July, 1850. q herdsman
was moving his cattle to a new ranch fur
ther north, near Helena, Texas, and passing
down the banks OF a stream his herd be-
came mixed with other cattle that were
grazing in the valley and some OF them fail
ed to be separated. The Eext day abo Mt
noon band OF about dozen mounted
Texan rangers overlook the, herdsman and
demanded their cattle, which they said were
stolen. ....,
1t was before the day of law and court
houses in Texas, and one bad better kill
five men than steal mule worth S., and
the herdsman knew it. He tried to explain,
but they told him to cut it short. lie offer
ed to turn over all the cattle not his own,
but they laughed at the proposition and
hinted that they usually confscated the
whole herd and left the thief hanging on
tree as a warning to others in like cases.
The poor fellow was completely over
come. They consulted apart for few mo-
ments and then told him il he had any
explanation to make or business to do they
would allow him ten minutes to do so and
defend himself.
He turned to the rough faces and COM
menced: How many OF you have wives"
Two or three nodded. .How many of
you have children?" They. nodded again.
"Then know whom you are talking to
and you'll hear me-" and he continued: 81
never stole any cattle; have lived in these
parts over three years. / came from New
Hampshire; failed in the fall OF 1857, du-
ring the panic; / have been saving; have
no home here; my family remain East, f'r
I go from place to place; these clothes l
wear are rough and l am hard-lookr E
customer; but this is a hard country days
seem like months to me, and months like
years; married men, you know that but for
the letters from home-(here be pulled out
q handful Of well-worn envelopes and let
ters from his wife) should get discouraged.
I have paid part of my debts. Hereare the
receipts, and he unfoIded the letters OF ac-
acknowledgements. I expect. TO sell out and
20 home IN November. Here is the ltesta-
ment my good old mother gave me; here, is
my little girPs PICTURE" and he kissed it
tenderly and continued: "Now, men, if
you have decided to kill me for what am
innocent Of send these home, and send as
much as you can from the cattle when I'm
dead. Can't you send half the value? My
family will need it." -. .t-.
! t'Hold on, now; stop right thar !" said
q rough ranger. "Now, ] say, boys" he
continued. 1'sI say, let him 60. Give us
your hand, old boy; that picture and them
letters did the business. You can go free,
but you're lucky, mind ye."
"We'll do more than that" said man
with big heart, in Texan garb and carry
ing the customary brace OF pistols in his
belt; "let's buy his cattle here and let him
co." -..-.i. -.
They did, and when the money was paid
over and the man about to start he was too
weak to stand. The long strain OF hopes
and fears. being away from home under
such trying circumstances. the sudden
deliverance from death, had combined tU
render him helpless as child. He sank to
the ground completely overcome An
| hour later, however, he left on horseback
for the nearest staging route, and, as they
shook hands and bade him good-by, they
looked the happiest band Of men | ever saw.
| AN EAGLE KILLED BY NOMAN.-A
farmer named UT, who lives near one OF
| the lakes in Preston township, Pa, has
| two.year-old gamecock that was presented
| to his wife, and she has taken liking Ia
| the fowl. Tuesday last, while her husband
was absent in Deposit, Mrs. Ua heard a
commoton among the chickens in the barn
yard, and, on running out, found her game
rooster gallantly lighting with what she sup
posed was very large hawk, which was
trying to fasten its taions in the chicken.
The birds were 80 deeply engaged In the
combat that Mrs. Utt's shouts did not drive
the enemy. away. She picked up a stick
and ran into the barnyard, and struck the
intruder. This did not apparently alarm it..
Then she seized 1t by the neck with both
hands, and for the first time saw that it was
an eagle. The powerful bird buried its
claws deep in Mrs. UtPs arm.' She did NOT
dare let 60 her hold, although the eagle
was tearing her flesh dreadfully. She
frightened her grasp on its throat and then
threw herself heavily to the ground upon
it. In this way she kept it down and
choked it to death. The flesh on Mrs. Utt'.
arm was torn to the bone in places. The
eagle measured nearly five feet from tip tt
tip.