Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-11-27
A TERRIBLE FATE.
The Death of Jack Powers, the Mo-
torious Texas Outlaw.
Dragged ana Pounded Over Cacti and
Pointed Rocks Until Death Relieved
His Sufrsrings-1he Tragedy of
San Juan CapistranO.
lsan Francisco Altal

1t was late in tn fall OF 1913 that Jack
Powers, original from New York, ds :
termined on exte ldiny the circle of his
uepredasions. He, therefore, in company
with several kindred spirits, pad a visit
70 California, the recent discovery OF gold
Hd ling ssst to his prospective adven :
thres. He arr we'd in California a early IN
the spring of 1S4). and during his resi =
dence in San Francisco he became the
bright particular star Of the criminal ele-
ment His familiarity with hs revolveE
however, again proved his bete NOR. Que
morning min was found lying dead
on the Sidewalk opposite q notorious
Washington street gambling IN. CIR
cumstances pointed directly t. the com =
plicity of Power. He was proscrIb bed
and compelled to fes for his life. Tue
Southern portion OF the State then pre-
sentel a fascinating field for the adven-
turous bandit. After LEAVING trail of
blood throu h Mon eroy County, Powers
even ually arrived in San Luis Obispo
where, for sCme months, he support ed
himself by levyi1g tribute upon the vari-
Gus gamblers. 1t was hers that Powers
gathered around him those kindr,d spir =
its who for several years Ike 1t tue local
government in state of an.
archy and the fore!gn residents
In constant trepda,ion Among
the most sanguinary confreres werS Ra-
fael Herrada aud P.o l. mares The Tor
mer was from Los Angeles and had been
imported ly Powers as a second in his
great race against time in San Francisco.
The latter was a native of San Lis and
to the manor born. His father was a rob-
Der and murderer b5.ore b IN so his das-
tardiy qualities were honestly obtained.
THIS trio, with the addition of two crini-
nails OF lesser note, constituted the Five
Joaquins," for the determination Of whom
the act of 1858, authorizing the raising of
Harry Loves company OF rangers, was
passed.
The citizsns OF San Luis Ob:spo wers
aware of the existence of this gan bu5 ,
were restrained from moles ting them
through fear of ASSASSINATION. A large
portion or the natv1 POI ulation of San
Luis were known to be in sympathy with
the band its, ani the few foreigners then
resident of that community were power
less 10 extirpa, the scourge. The tragedy
OF San Juan Capistrano however, called
for immediate aud summary ACTON This
ever chronicled in the criminal annals of
California. The wealthy French gentle-
men, residents o. o .klaud, had purch ased
a portion OF The rancho San Juan
Ca istrano. They had bs-n upon
taer newly-acqlired property but
ten days VIII N the lamsntable
LHair occurred. Lite Cns evening the
door of the.r residence was approached
by sevea v2qu ros, led by th- redoubta ble,
Powers. The spokesman llicited enter
tainment for the night. 1t was cheer
ia ly given then, and after slipper and
friendly conversation they retired. Early
on the following morning the horsemen
CONT iued their jour ney south ward. About
noon one Of the gang returned and stat
ing that his horse had givel out re-
qucsted permission to remain at the ranch
house until the return of b 8 companions.
it was granted. Late in the afternoon.
while Mr.. Borsl, one OF the Frenchmen.
was engaged in some occupation several
Hundred yards from the house, be was
approa ch ID by his guest, who, without
any warniny vhqtever, drew a revolver
aud sh 1t hIm dead. At this moment the
ranchlhouse, cont Iinin the other Fren CHI
man, Mr.. Baratie, AMI his WIFE was sur
rounded by the remainder of the gang
Powers dismounted, and by placing a re-
volver at Baratie's head, forced b m to
reveal the spot where his money was con-
cealed. Under these circumstances the
Frenchman had no alternative but to
stand and deliver. Twenty seven hum
dred dollars were then divided among
the miscceants. Whom the money had
been Appropriated by the ban lat, Mr.. Ba-
ratie and his wife were taken some dis
tance rom the house. Here the French
man was most brutality muir dered in the
presence of his agonIzei wife The lady
was then compelled TO follow one of the
bandits to his place OF coucealment She
eventually made her escape and returned
to her home in Oakland. Whether or lot
she is still a res:d mt of that city is un-
known.
This murder, as may be readily imag.
ined, forced the law abiding citizens of
San Luis Obs po to immediate action.
A vigilance committee was organized.
and in few weeks parties of rangers
were travers ing the country In search OF
the red -handed outlaws. The most emil
nent pioneer residents of that country
were prominent members OF the reyula-
tors. Among them were the late Sena-
tor Graves Judge Walter Murray, POST
master SIMMER, s. A. Pollard, who
was then Postmaster, AMI w. L. Beebee.
These brave and hardy pioneers soon sue
ceeded in apprehendinz the mai Ir DR..
tion Of the bandits Rafael Herrada,
Pho Linares and Jose Antonio Garcia
yielded up their lives to offended iIs-
tice, but Powers, the leading SD rit
OF the gang, made his escape. Several
years elapsed before the curtain was raised
upon the last act in this pioneer drama.
and then the scene was shifted to Sonora.
MSxico, and Powers played a lone hand.
After the tragedy of San Juan Capstrano
and the organization Of the vigilance
committee, Powers fed south W ard, and
after numerous adventures entered the
State Of Sonora, en- gaging in mining en-
ter prises and was quite success nj in his
ventures. He beca "e the proprietor of
wealthy hacienda in the vicinity of Aris ,e
His disposition and character, however,
experienced no change from his change oil
fortune. He was universally execrated by
his employees. One day. after a heated al.
tercation with several Yaquis in his EN-.
ploy, he was surrounded by a number OF
the infuriated Indians. His feet were
bound and riatas attached to his arms In
this manner he was dragged over tn ok
patch of choyas, one OF the most murder
Gus of the cactus family. He was then
dragged and pounded over the cacsi and
pointed rocks until death relieved his suf.
fering. Thus ended the career of fiend
incarnate-a fearful but just re ribu.iou
for his numerous crimes.