Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-02-25
COL A. c .PELTOR's DEEDS
Acting in the Belief That He Held
a Divine Commission to !
Kill Apaches.
Some of His Achievements While
Revsnging his Young Wife's
Supposed Death.
The Lost One Found at Last.

The Lost One Found at Last
San Antonio Cor. Chicago Trlbune.l
Colonel Albert c. Pelton, whose
beautiful twenty thousand acre rancho
is out toward the Rio Grande, near
Loredo, has been the Peter the Her
NIT of the Texans for years. He has
believed that he held a divine COM
mission to kill Apache Indians. Colo
mel Pelton came to Texas in 1874 a
common soldier. By talent and cour
age he rose to the rank of colonel, and
finally, in 1856, commanded Fort
Macrae. That year be fell in love with
a beautiful Spanish girl, at AlbeQuin,
New.Mexico. The admiration of the
young people was mutual, and paren-
tai objections only intensified the affec-
ton Of the lovers. Finally, after two
years Of entreaty and devotion, Colonel
Pelton won the consent of the parents
Of the beautiful Spanish girl, and they
were married.
One day, when the love of the sol.
der and his lovely wife was at its
sweetest, the two, accompanied by the
wife's mother and twenty soldiers,
rode out to the hot springs, six miles
from the fort, to take a bath, While
in the bath, which is near the Rio
Grande, an Indians arrow passed over
their heads. Then
SHOWER OF ARROWS
fell around them, and a band of wild
Apache Indians rushed down upon
them, whooping and yelling like a band
of demons. Several of the soldiers fell
dead, pierced with poisoned arrows,
This frightened the others, who fed.
Another shower of arrows and the
beautiful bride and her mother drop
ped into the water, pierced by the
cruel weapons of the Apaches. With
his wife dying before his eyes, Colonel
Pelton leaped up the bank, grasped
his rifle and killed the leader of the
savage fends. But the Apaches were
too much for the Colonel. Pierced
with two poisoned arrows he swan the
river and made his way back to Fort
Macrae. Here his wounds were dressed
and he finally recovered, but only to
live a blasted life-without love, with.
out hope-with a vision Of his beauti-
full wife, pierced with poisoned arrows,
dying, perpetually before his eyes.
After the death ofhis wife a change
came to Colonel Pelton. He seemed
to think that he had a sacred mission
from heaven
TO AVENGE HIS YOUNG WIFE'S DEATH.
Be secured the most unerring rifles,
surrounded himself with brave COM
panions and consecrated himself to the
work of revenge. He was always anx-
ious to lead any and all expeditions
against the Apaches. Whenever any
Of the other Indians were at war with
the Apaches, Colonel Peyton would
soon be at the head ofthe former. One
day he would be at the head of his own
soldiers and the next day he would be
at the head of a band of Mexicans.
Once, with a band of the widest des-
peradoes, he penetrated a hundred
miles into the Apache country. The
Apaches never dreamed that anything
but an entire regiment would dare to
follow them to their campin the noun
tains. So when Colonel Pelton
swooped down into their camp with
ten trusty followers, firing their Henry
rifles at the rate OF twenty times a
minute, the Apaches
FLED IN CONSERVATION,
leaving their women and children be.
hind. 1t was then that there darted
out Of a lodge white woman.
Spare the women" she cried, and
then she tainted to the ground.
When the Colonel jumped from his
saddle to lift up the woman he found
she was blind.
How came you here, woman, with
these Apaehes?' he asked.
II was wounded and captured" she
said, ten years ago. Take, oh, take
me back again p
Have you any relative in Texas?'
asked the Colonel.
No. My father lives in Albequin
Ny husband, Colonel Pelton, and m!
mother we're killed by the Indians"
Great God, Bella! Is it you-m!
wife ?"
"Oh, Albert, l knew you woulC
couel" exclaimed the poor wife
blindly reaching her hands to class
her husband.
OF course there was joy in the OLE
rancho when Colonel Pelton got bacl
with his wife. The Apaches had car
ried the wounded woman away will
them. The poisoned arrow caused
inflammation which finally destroyed
her eyesight.
When | saw the Colonel he wa
reading a newspaper to his blind wife
while in her hand she held a bouque
Of fragrant cape jessamines which b
had gathered for her. 1t was a pic
ture of absolute happiness.
!, Never interrupt any conversation