Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-07-21
,DISOBEYING ORDERS.

How Certain Confederate Soldiers Dis
pose d of q Mexican Thief and Murderer.
During the Summer of 1863, Browns
vile, near the mouth Of the Rio Grande
was the only Place in the Confederacy
where cotton could be sold and supplies
purchased, owing to the proximity o.
Mexico.
Several gangs of Mexican cutthroats
infested this region. They murdered
and robbed the unsuspecting Americans,
with liberality and success peculiarly
Mexican. Hardly day passed without
some horrible crime being committed.
Duffs regiment OF Confederate cavalry
was camped at Resaca, the lagoon neal
which the celebrated battle OF Resaca de
la Palma was fought.
The men became indignant at these
continual outrages, and Sergeant Reed
and Frank Travis, and several others
called on the Colonel of the regiment for
permission to hunt down the Mexican
banditti.
Col Duff, rigid disciplinarian, refused
to allow the men to scout for the thieves
1t was Indispensable to the welfare OF
the Confederacy that no complications
should arise between the two COVER
ments; heace he informed Sergeant Reed
that he would be held to a strict re-
sponsiblity for the killing Of any Next
cans.
TIE de egation retired, but in less than
half an hour, four as daring men as ever
lived. well mounted and armed to the
teeth, could have been seen emerging
from the regimeGtal quarters.
"Discirl line" remarked their leader,
a in Mo Er,t
blood is thicker than water. l reckon
we will make some few Mexicans quit
murderin' white women and children be-
fore we get through, Colonel Duff or no
Colonel Duff"
The scouters had not proceeded more
than three miles, when they discovered a
wagon near water hole in the prairie
No human being was in sight.
They rode up and a horrible sight met
their view-a man and woman riddled
with bullets, with their throat cut from
ear to ear. Sitting on the ground in the
hot blIstering sun was a little boy cry
ing, and calling on his father and mother
to wake up.
Trunks had been broken open, and
such OF the contents as the robbers had
no use for were scattered on the ground.
The crime had just been committed. In
fact the cutthrOats had fed on the ap-
proach OF the Texans, and were con-
cealed from sight by depression in the
prairie. The little boy pointed out the
direction they had taken
Standing up in his saddle to get bet
ter view, Frank Travis perceived num-
Der of dark specks on the horizon of the
prairie. A moment later the four Texans
were galloping at breakneck speed in
the direction of the robbers.
Although there were six of the robbers
they made no stand to defend them
selves. Being better mounted the
Texans soon Overhauled them and
tumbled them out of their saddles one
after another.
The leader of the Mexicans, who was
none other than Pedro S ndoval, better
none as Ell Coyote, or the Wolf, being
better mounted, was the last one to be
overtaken. He turned in his saddle and
fired several Intellectual shots at his pur-
SuerS.
Sergeant Reed, who was nearest to the
Coyote, thrust his smoking pistol back
into the scabbard, and detaching his
lassoo from his saddle, swung it over
his head. The moose fell over the head
and shoulders of the Mexican He was
dragged from his saddle and moment
later was lying helpless on the prairie
bound hand and foot.
He was taken back to the scene of the
murder and identified 10y the little boy
Frank Travis wanted to hang him in the
spot where the murder was committed.
''No," said Sergeant Reed, Give got
better idea than that. We will bury
these poor people the best we can. AS
soon as it is dark we will return to camp
and take Mr.. Wolf with us, and tonight
we will quietly hang him on mesquite
tree right in front of Col Duffs tent,
just to convince him that we obeyed his
orders not to modest any of the Mexican
cutthroats."
This programme was faithfully carried
out, and next morning when Col. Duff
emerged from his tent to inspect the
landscape, the first object that met his
eye was the swinging body of Ell Coyote.
The little boy was cared for by his res
cuers, and is to-day pr sperous stock
raiser in Frio County, Adapted from
Texas Siftings.