Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-03-07
A BORN BANDIT.
JUAN coRTINA, WHO DEFIEp
TWO GOVERNMENTS.
His Extraordinary Career of Blood
and Pillage on the Frontier-Just
Released from Prison in Mexico.

heieaseu from Hrlson in Mexico.
A recent despatch from the CITY O.
Mexico announces the release from pris
on of General Cortina. This action o.
the Mexican Government restores Il
conditional freedom one of the mos
noted characters of the Rio Grande Dor
der, and recalls story of guerilla war.
fare equal IN interest to that of any from.
tier on earth.
Juan Nepomiceno Cortina, who fol
years held the Texas frontier in TIGHT
embrace of wasting warfare, was born
III 1924, of respectable parents, ON the
Texas side of the Rio Grande. As a youth
he led hurrah life in an environment
that subordinated patriotism to sedition,
stratagem and spoils. He followed the
occupation of a stock dealer, business
then attended ON the frontier with con-
siderable friction. About 1S49 he was
indicted for murder, as the result OF
which he was only seen at rare intervals
until 1854, when he returned to San
Jose, his mothers ranch, near Browns
vile. He then protected himself with
armed men, became a power in politics,
and no attempt was made to arrest him
until 1859, when he was indicted for the
more heinous crime of horse stealing.
About this time one of his relatives
was killed by an American, near friend
was shot down by another American,
and his nephew, mozo to a coffee
house keeper in Brownsville, complained
to Cortina that his employer had dis
charged him to avoid paying him a
years wages. Cortina rode into Browns
vile, rescued his nephew, who had been
arrested for abusing the coffec-housc
keeper, and in effeeting the rescue
wounded the City Marshal.
Cortina then swore vengeance on his
enemies, and before daylight, Sept.
%, 1859, entered Brownsville at the
head of about sixty mounted men, who,
as they rode through the street, yelled !;
viva Cortina Muera los Gringos
Viva Mexico /" Making the deserted
garrison of Fort Brown his headquarters,
he issued orders to kill Americans, but
not modest foreigners or Mexicans, and
detailed detachments of men to execute
these orders. For the first time in the
history of the United States one of its
cities, having population of 5000, was
in the hands of bandits. Escape from
the city was impossible, as Cortina had
stationed parties of foot in the suburbs,
and the Americans, about forty in all,
being unprepared for organized resist
ance, could only hide. The bandits
broke open the Jail, killing Jailer John
son, and, having unclaimed the prison
ers, were joined by the latter for offensive
purposes. In rapid succession Constable
George Morris, William Neale, and two
Mexicans were killed, and several others
wounded. Day was now dawning, and
Cortina, with the evident purpose of
firing the town, rode up to a store,
knocked at the door, and demanded to
be furnished spirits of turpentine. At
this critical iuncture Gen. Carvejal, Don
Manuel Trevino, the Mexican Consul,
and Don Miguel Treyino influenced
Cortina to desist from further outrage,
and he and his band galloped out of
own, discharging firearms and yelling.
Further friction was developed ON the
18th of October by the arrest of Thomas
Cabrera, Cortina's second in command
at the assault on Brownville. Learning
of that event, Cortina openly made the
threat that if Cabrera was not released
he would reduce Brownsville TO ashes
His request was refused, and Cortina,
N the same night, with forty men,
crossed over the river and took up his
old quarters at his mother ranch, where
he collected men and arms, and from
which he sent forth his eagles, as he
called them, to hover around Browns
vile at night, and raid every opening.
Having been reinforced by about seventy
five men and piece of artillery of the
Guardia Nacional of Matamoros, under
the command of Col. Loranco, the cit
liens of Brownsville undertook an expe-
dition against Cortina. The expedition
met the enemy nine miles from town ON
Oct. "a. and drove him into a dense
chapparal, from which he, unseen, kept
ND steady fire. In trying to shell the
chaparral the Mexican gun stuck IN the
mud. became dismounted ut the second
discharge, and was then abandoned;
another gun belonging to the expedit-
ion was abandoned with discrimination.
The advance then fell back, and before
nigh both the abandoned guns We're IN
Cortinn's camp. As the result Of this
melee four of the Mexican troops were
wounded, and two of Cortlnas men
killed.
Cortina, now emboldened by success,
recruited his ranks by giving tandangos
and pressing the rancheros for beef, corn
and arms, for which, in many instances,
he gave receipts. He intercepted the
mails, cut open the bags, and had letters
read to him, by which means he knew
when the rangers under Capt Torbln
we're expected, and so made arrangements
to intercept them. On the loth OF
November he received the rangers with
a shower of grape, and then reiterated;
On the same day Cabrera was found
hanging from a tree in the suburbs.
Eight days later Lieut.. Littleton, with
thirty men. was ambuscaded by Cortina
ON Palo Alto battle field, and lost three
killed, one wounded, and prisoner.
The dead, of whom the prisoner was
made one. we're on the following day
found horribly mutilated, and another
,,-,s.,5;t;on was then hurriedly fitted up