The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-09-12
BRONCHO BERTHE.
The Rangers Adopted Child and
Her Tragic Death.

From 1876 until after the Victoria
raid in 1880 Northwestern Texas and |
Southern New Mexico were overrun by
well-organized bands of desperadoes and
''rustlers," and the State Rangers were
kept busy night and day hunting them
down.
In Preside County, Tex, there was a
particularly desperate and determined
band of outlaws under command of
Dave Anderson, who was ably assisted
by his two brothers, Fred and Bob
They robbed the ranchman right and
left, plundered stage coaches and pri-
vate ambulances, and even attacked
stores at some of the small villages.
In the spring of 70 the Rangers began
a determined war on the desperate out
law organization, and during the spring
and summer had many battles with
them. Several were killed, others were
captured, and the gang finally broken up
and driven from the State. The chief
outlaw alone remained behind, and
finding a hiding place in one of the deep
canyons of the Prison Mountains he
managed for several months to so effec.
tually conceal himself that we finally be-
gan to believe that he, too, had fled the
country.
One day, however, late in the fall,
Ranger discovered his camp in an almost
inaccessible canyon on the head waters
of Lone Cottonwood Greek, and at once
hurried to camp and gave information.
The commander of the E Company,
Capt. Charles L. Neiull, at once ordered
out scout of twelve men under COM
mand of Corporal d. M. Goosley, with
orders to either capture or kill the out
law chief. Two days after leaving camp
we reached the nighborhood of the
bandits stronghold, and three men were
sent forward on foot to reconnoiter We
had high mountain to climb, on the
other side of which Dave had his camp.
1t had rough and rocky sides, but was a
level mesa on top. We were walking
across this plain when shot rang out
on the clear air, and the man on my
right fell to the ground wounded
through the left leg. The shot came
from the direction of loose pile of
boulders on our right, and looking up
quickly we saw the man we were search
ing for spring from behind the shelter
with his Winchester in his hand. He
raised it to his shoulder to shoot, but
before his finger pressed the trigger
Private Julius Nj. Bird, who was a
little behind me and on my left side dis
charged his own weapon and the outlaw
reeled and fell. We walked toward him
and discovered that he was stone dead,
Birds bullet having penetrated his heart.
The shooting had alarmed the rest OF
the party, and as we returned to our
wounded companion they came pouring
over the side of the mesa to assist us.
The corporal was leading and | briefly
informed him what had taken place. He
sent two men back with the wounded
Ranger to the place where we had left
our horses, and the rest of us crossed
the mesa and began the descent of the
mountain on the other side. at the foo
of which the dead man had his camp
1t was very cleverly concealed, anC
we were within one hundred yards of tn,
spot before we saw the little tent and tn,
two canvas-covered wagons, which com
prised his equipment. At the head o
the narrow pass down which we wer
marching was rude cow-pen, and whel
we passed it we heard childish voic
singing a quaint rhyme. The who'll
party halted, and the man in advanc
peered around huge boulder which nat
urally fenced one side of the pen.
Its only baby" he said, and wen
forward.
We followed him in single file. Unde
rough brush shelter was seated tn
singer, rocking herself to and fro in
homemade chair, and busily engage
in dressing a dilapidated doll. She look
ed up as we approached, and we sa'
that her face was round and pretty,
up by two great brown eyes that locke
into ours unabashed. She was as brow
as berry, and tangled mass of We
low curls fell down over her shoulder
'Howdy!" she cried, and .clutche
her doll tightly.
"Howdy, little one?" said the co
poral. whats your name?"
"My prop'rest name is Annie Rol
erta Anderson, she answered, ''but DAY
calls me BronchO BERTHE, cause I'm
wild"
"And who's DaveP" queried the co
poral.