The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-11-19
,DISOBEYING ORDERS

How Certain Confederate Soldiers Dis
posed OF a Mexican Thief and Murderer.
During the Summer OF 1861. Brovns-
vile. near the mouth of the Rio Grande.
was the only place In the Confedarocv
where cotton could be sold and supplies
purchased, owing to the proximity OF
Mexico
Several gangs of Mexican cutthroats
infested this region. They murdered
and robbed the unsuspecting Americans.
with a HbeI ality and success peculiarly
mexican. Hardly day passed without
some horrible crime hing committed.
Duff's regiment of Confederate cavalry
was camped at Resaca, the Iagoou near
which the celebrated battle OF ReSaca de
Ia 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, a 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 ariss between the two COVER
ments hence he Informed Sergeant Reed
that he would be held to a strict re-
sponsib!lity for the killing OF any Mexi-
cans.
Tie delegation retired, but in less than
half an hour, four as daring mon as evrr
lived, well mounted and armed to the
teeth, could have been seen emerging
from The rrgimcutal quarters.
"Discipl ne" remarked their leader
is a very good thing in its place, but
blood Is thicker than wator. l reckon
we will make some few Mrxicans quit
murderin' white women n d children be-
foie we get through, Colonel Duff or no
Colonel Duff"
The scOuters had not proceeded more
than thre; miles, when they discovered a
wagon near water hole in tn, prairie
No human being was in sight.
They rode up and horrible sight met
their vtew-a man and a woman riddled
with bullets, with their throat cut from
ear to car. Sitting on the ground In the
hot blistcring sun was - little boy cry
ing, and calling on his father and mother
to wake up.
Trunks had been broken open, and
such of the contents rs the robbers had
no use FOR were scattered on the round.
The crime had just been committed. In
fact the cutthroats had fed on tho ap-
proach of the Texans, and were con
cealed from sight by a 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 n num-
Der Of dark speckS on the horizon of the
prair.e. a moment later the four Texans
were galloping at a breakneck speed In
the direction of the robb,rs.
Although there were six OF the robbers
they made no stand to defend them
selves. Buing better mounted the
Texans soon Overhauled them and
tumbled them out of their saddles one
after another.
The leader of the Mexicans, who was
mono OF er than Pedro ndoval better
none as FL Coyote, or the Wolf, being
better mountc J. was the last one to be
overtakcn. He turned in his saddle and
fired several Intellectual shots ut his pur-
sueTs.
Sergeant Reed, who was n Arrest to the
Co o;c, thr,ist his smoking pistol luck
into tho scdbbard, and de.uChing his
lassoo from his saddle, swang it over
his head. The moose fell over til" head
and shoulders Of the Mexican. He was
dragged from his saddle a Il a moment
later was lying helpless on the prairie
bound hand and foot.
He was taken back to the scene Of the
murder and identified by tho little boy.
Frank Travis wanted to hang him In the
spot where the murder was committed.
mo" said Sergeant Reed, I've got a
better idea than tAat. We Will bury
these poor people the best we can. AS
soon as 1t is dark we will return to camp
and take Mr.. Wolf with US, and tonight
we will quietly hang him on a mesquite
tree right In front OF Col. DufTs tent,
Just TO convince him that we obcyed his
orders not to modest any OF the Mexican
cutthroats"
This programme was faithfully carried
out, and next morning when Col. Duf
emerged from his tent to inspect the
landscape, the first object that met his
eye was the swinging body of FL Coyote.
The little boy was cared for by his res
cuers, and is to-day a prosperous stock
raiser in Frio County Adapted from
Texas Siftings.