Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-11-11
Buck Cantrlll.
fvictorioSpring Tex, Letter in Philadelphia
TimeS1

This is not much Of q place and never will
be. A tiny creek flows from the spring and
its waters are utilized for irrigating purposes
About two miles from the spring the creek
loses itself in the sandy alhali soil, and here
the farm ends. The proprietor of Victoria
Spring raises corn, potatoes, kershaws and
barley, and sells all that his place produces at
a good price. His farm comprises about one
hundred acres, but that is a big tract to work
on the frontier, where agricultural labor is
crude and unframed and the implements of
agriculture are of the rudest possible descrip-
ton. The spring is On the government road
which leads from Fort Davis to Toyah and
being a halfway water-hole, is favorite
stopping place for the United States teams
ters. Therc is not much grass in the neigh
borhood Q. he spring. but the water Is ex-
cellent, and I; hough thousands have camped
here there is Il an abundance of mesquite
roots to be foUld for fire-wood. [ used to
stop here years ago, when there was no ranch
and 10 iIrigating bitches. Its only visitors
were predatory Indian bands and parties OF
scouts and hunters.
After the VictOrio raid in 1880 this section
of the country began to settle up a little A
few cow1nen came in and located ranches,
and at the principal springs and water holes
dug. The hacienda at Victorio was the first
one built. Immediately following the arrival
of the honest emigrants there was a consider
able influx of desperadoes and rustleis and
we were kept toleIably busy rounding them
up. There is a small trading store here and
/ am writing this letter at table on the
porch. l can look ever wide field to thick
matte Of willows ard c0ttorwoods. Under the
spreading branches Of one of the largest of
the last named trees IS n grave, the history of
which ! propose to tel. it was unmarked
until few months ago, when twas enclosed
by neat railing and stone was set up at
its head. Flowers have been planted on the
grave and the dark-cyed machaoo who &C
companied me to the spot when l visited it a
few minutes since explained the reason Of the
change. The headstoBe is a plain shalt Of
white marble and bears this inscription:
BUCKNER CANTRILL,
DIED OCTOBER Is, 1880,
AGED Is YEARS.
He WAS A GOOD Son.
knew Puck Cantrill well I7a- one OF
the party that rounded his outfit up and
stood beside him when ne died from the
wounds received during his last fight. Buck
was brave man and he died game. he was
typical Texas bad mana gambler and
robber, and possessed of such daring that
no danger daunted him. He first distinguished
himself in Menard and Mason counties, where
be punched cows for u living. Becoming
embroied III one of the many cow wars,
which for several years ragged fiercely in
these counties, he killed a man, saved himself
from the penitentiary through powerful infil-
ence and became q l1lstler. He was on the
fugitive list for several years, and although
rounded up many times by tie civil officers
and the state troops always managed to cs-
cape. He came up into Preside i'll tie sum
mer of 1850, and at first operated in com
pany with Jesse Evans, who was "Billy the
Kid's- partner prior 20 the breaking out of
the Lincoln county, New Mexico, COW war
Buck found it Impossible to get along with
Evans, and after making one or two raids
with that celebrated desperate, he branched
out for himself, and being joined by several
men desperate himself, became their
leader. The outfit had a camp in the Prison
mountains, and for several months they were
q terror to ranchmeu and the overland trav-
eleis. We got on their trail in the early part
Of September, 1880, and pushed them so
closely that they We're obliged to break their
camp and seek a more secluded hiding place
in the 3iountains of Death.
1t was while they were in this new camp
that Buck started TO IHy a visit 10 81 Ptiao
for TIE purpose Of purchasing some necessary
supplies. IKE vent ty way Of Cariza PASS
and u"e.td alone. On the night OF the lIth
OF September ha cAupcL at a littlo water
hole ahCrt twelve miles southwest Of Ante
loY" sp~nE and roHv the head Of Arache
PISS His Journey that day had been over
high mountains and through rough and
rocSy canyons, and he was very tired After
pickctnS his horse ne ate supper and then
rolled himself in his blanket to get the sleep
he stood SO much in need of His eyes were
hardly closed when he heard the trarnp of
horses coming up the pass Hastily spring
Ing to his feet he kicked ASIDE the shoulder
ing remains of his camp fire and Saddled his
horse. He was Just on the point Of mounting
when the on-comiug outfit galloped up to the
identical water-hoe at which he was camped
and he found his retreat cut off 1t was n party
OF rangers returning from n scout afterIndians
In the Sierra Diablo, and when Buck at
tempted to lead his horSse by them he was
discovered and sternly courirasited TO halt
Instead of oheving this mandate he spsarsz
upon the hack of his Ser.e and dashed down
the canyon. Tho rangers dsecharged elssir
six%hoo~eT> at the fleeing Srlon snd several Of
them started III pursuit. HIS horse hssi been
badly wounded and he only rod him few
hundred yards when che animal fell dead.
Buck was wounded also through the righs
ShorScsr, but he disonesSed hiInseh from tie
dead horse and broke for the chssppossI lust
as tho rangers dashed up. We heet tho
mesquite brush pretty th6xo,sghly in poarch
of hin, but, the night being dark, we were
unable IL find him and We retur1lsGl to til,
wateF-hole, carrying his horse tsaprsa-s and
Winchester. Ii WAS from some ps.exs Sccui
in the saddle pockets thas we yVCzs SHE 10
establish the identity Of the ulnn r.sd ti.s
next morning we made further sesiYSh Cor
his tslIl. After a Gsslt deal OF dfffcnlsv is
was found, hut we couH only follow it a
short distance, on scoOunt OF the YocEy
nature Of the ground
Buck sScended the nsCuusain ON the left Of
theNatcr-hols, and finding some wa.ez- among
the rocks on top dressed his rcuD5 ssyd took
down THE ridge toward Victoria He had lost
considerable blood and felt weak All night
be vsal6ed and the sun WAS several hours
high when he reached point opposite the
spring. BE was now completely broke down
and hunger aided 10 his misery. In his fight
he iiSd dropped his six-shooser and although
there vSlS an abundance of small game about
him Ise was unable to XIII any. He deter
mined TO so down to the spring and beg for