San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-08-07
THE MONDRAGONS.
HOW THE MURDERER OF RASURES
KILLED CHARLIE SCHEIHAGEN

dents ofSan Antonio.
About the time that this continent
was rent with the difficulties that Gull
minated in the civil war between the
north ard south, young man named
Epistacia Mondragon, come to san An
tonic from chihuahua. No one knew
anything OF his antecedents, nor why he
came here, but he was an educated Mex
loan, spoke English and had q gentle
manly bearing that made him somewhat
popular and afterwards gave him con-
siderable influence. He came here
prospecting for location, and he evil
IDENTIFY was satisfied for he located here
and soon afterwards sent for his two
Younger brothers. Francisco, 1.-THE man
who so wantonly murdered Rasures),
and Jesus. Like their brothers, the two
new arrivals had traits that were well
calculated to make them popular. AS
far as can be ascertained, the boys were
at first good citizens, but they were very
| gallant lovers of women and addicted to
| the then prevalent vice ofgambling, but
subsequently, the conduct OF all
THE THREE BROTHERS
was such as to give them an unenviable
place in the history OF our city.
Epistacia, the elder brother, made a
record for dishonesty and figured as
prominent county defaulter. When the
federals got control of matters here just
after the war, Gen. Reynolds appointed
Calixto NuneZ to be tax collector for the
county. NuneZ naturally appointed his
brother-in-law, Epistacia Mondragon,
as deputy collector, and, as he could not
speak English, gave him charge OF the
office. Mr.. +. K. Potshiusky, who had
been deposed by General Reynolds from
his office of justice OF the peace, was
then made deputy collector. Although
things went on satisfactorily for time,
it was found some time after that there
was a great deficiency In the county tax
| collectors account. The exact amount
| of that deficiency cannot now be
ascertained; some say it was $4,000,
others S3S, 900, and third statement is
made that nearly 100000 was missing.
| Epistacia, on discovery Of the defalca-
| ton, escaped to Mexico, and as Collec-
tor NuneZ laid the blame upon him he
was generally
ACCREDITED WITH THE CRIME.
The matter was then arranged as best it
could be. Many years after Epistacia
returned to the state. Collector NuneZ
was then silent and dead, and he laid
the blame upon him for the de-
falcation. An attempt was made to prose-
cute him, but being barred by the
| statute of Limitation he escaped the
punishment that Ii was then said he
richly deserved. EpistaciO's crime, how
ever, brought its own punishment here,
| for by it he lost caste and influence
among his people. He attempted few
| years since to run Mexican paper in
| this city known as FL Hogan, but ignom-
| inously failed, and he then fled to Mex
| leo, where he now resides. He married,
whilst residing here, a Mexican belle
named Tarin, the daughter of then
well-known citizen.
The second brother, Francisco, who
| holds an infamous place in Texas his
| tory as the wanton and tyrannical
| butcher of Rasures, too, has made his
mark. Even whilst here, 20 years ago,
his hands were wantonly imbued With
| human blood. In March, 1886, on the
| site of the place where Jack Harris
erected his Vaudeville theatre, was a
prominent saloon, gambling hell and bill.
| lard room. This was owned by John
Earl, but run by his brother .in-law,
| Pat SChOfield a man named
Wells having subCharge of the
billiard room. Francisco was a
frequent visitor to the gambling room
and the billiard rooms and was reputed
to be an expert gambler. One night in
March 1866, Francisco was playing bill
lizards with a friend, and by some mis-
chance he made ridiculously bad shot.
| Among the bystanders who were watch
| ing the game, was q popular San An
| tonic boy named Charlie Scheihagen,
| half. brother of City Msrshal Shardein,
and brother to MIR. Scheihagen, who
now manages the NuneZ Transfer COM
| pany. The bad shot made Charlie
| laugh and the bystanders followed. The
| laughter so irritated Francisco that he
could not play worth cent, and he lost
| the game and the money that was placed
upon it. This maddened Francisco still
| further, he turned pale with vindictiye
rage, and gripping his cue by the small
end he brought the thick end of it down
| WITH TERRIFIC FORCE
upon the uncovered head OF Scheihagen,
who fell senseless to the floor. He
was picked up and conveyed to his
| home, and then Ii was found that
he had sustained a fatal fracture of the
scull. By morning the spirit of the IN
fortunate Scheihsgen had winged Its
flight to the eternal regions. When
Schiehagen fell and all the players and
visitors were attending him, Francisco
slipped from the room and disappeared.
At night the city was excited and search
was made for Francisco, but the party
failed to trace him. 1t was fortunate for
him that they did not, for the murder
was regarded as dastardly and cow
ardly one, and there were friends of
Scbeihsgen who would not have hesi-
tated to have given Francisco summary
Justice by hanging him to the nearest
tree, thus preventing the other atrocities
with which he is charged. When the
excitement, consequent upon
sCHEIHAGEN's MURDER.
had died away 1t was found that Fran
cisco had fled to Mexico and had Joined
the army. Subsequently he was in BUSH
ness at Piedras Negras, and for some
time clerked for his brother-in-law, Fred
Burchardt, who at one time had store
at Eagle Pass. Anow he passed into
the army and has since held several i'm
portant official positions under the
Mexican government. He is reported
to have done the DiaZ party much valu-
able service, and is strong friend of
President DiaZ.
During the time Francisco resided
here, he was married to Miss Burchardt,
the daughter of a German. who married
| Mexican lady, and he and his wife re-
sided in a Mexican house still standing
almost fronting DR.. Cupples' homestead
on Soledad street. He was very gallant
and even while here, he was engaged in
MANY INTRIGUEs
and amours. His lust was baneful, and
Is the groundwork of his murderous con-
duct In the Rasures case. He had sew
eral times visited here Of late years,
nd In ehA al