Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-03
A BORDER RUFFIAN.
TIE Bloody Career of the Bandit Cortina Along
the Rio Grande.

| -
the Rio Grande.
A representative of the st. Louis Re
public at Galveston, Tex, had CONVEX
sation recently with Capt. Robert Demp-
seq, for many years resident of the Rio
| Grsnde, and who had Just returned from
visit to the City of Mexico. "While
there" he said, ~ saw the notorious Cor
tina, who had been confined in the Belen
| prison for several years, but who has had
the freedom of the capital for some time
and has been using every endeavor to in
duce the authorities TO permit him to re-
| turn to the border, but SO far without
| success, as his well known hatred TO Texas
| gives rise to the fear that should his APP
plication be granted he would again en-
bark in the career of crime which for
many years made him the terror of the
border. juan Nepuoemo Cortiua was
born in Mexico of Spanish blood, on the
side of the Sierra Madre, some sixty-five
years ago. He is about five feet eight
inches in height, weighs 1874 pounds, and
is still powerful and active man. The
expression of his dark face is sinister,
sensual, avariciOus, malignant, and cruel
He is wholly illiterate, being unable to
read or to write anything save a sorawl
| WHICH pdsbos lux ms oiSudburc, having
acquired that much from the necessity of
signing numberless death warrants, pro-
nunciamentoes, and directions for muir
der and plunder while he ruled the Rio
Grande country. At the commencement
! of hostilities between the United States
aud Mexico he entered the army of the
latter country in the capacity of guerrilla,
spy, and assassin. The first act of bar
barIty attributed to him was the murder
| ON the 2lst of April, 1916, of Colonel
Freeman Cross, assistant quartermaster
| general of the United States army. At
the time of the murder Col. Cross was on
his way to see Mexican girl living on a
ranch two miles from Fort Brown. Cor
| tina's second crime was the assassination
of Lieut.. Porter aad three men, and
from that time forth for several years
his record was traced in blood. As spy,
courier, and assassin he made a reputa-
tion in the days of imperative peace fol-
lowing the war that made him a man to
be feared and Stunned.
''Cortina and his mother located on
| ranch on the Mexican side of the river
about eight miles from Brownsville, and
what were termed his peaceful days was
spent in gambling and cockfghting in,
the towns of Matamoras and BrowDville,.
or driving stolen stock into Texas as far
east as Goliad on the San Antonio river.
AS a IancherO he was without an equal,
and his skill with the pistol and his deft-
ness with the lariat were remarkable
while as a horseman he was unexcelled
by anyone-Texau or Mexican-on the
order.
"One suitry day in 1859, CortinR was
! in 80
house in Brownsville and saw the city
marshall man named Speers-shoot
down a Mexican on the plaza, Cortina
advanced to Speers, spoke to him and
then deliberately shot him in the face.
| Mounting his horse, revolver in hand, he
rode out of the city, biddiLg defiance TO
all Americans Daybreak next morning
found him in trout of the Brownsville
jail at the head of thirty we'll armed and
superbly mounted men. The keys were
demanded from the jailer (Johnson) who
stepped forth, holding the key on one of
the fingers of the left hand, remarking:
| Come and take itr
GA Mexican stepped forward to re-
ceive the keys WHEN Johnson shot him
dead in his tracks and wounded two
others, but IN turn was riddleu with bull
let's and so hacked with sabres as to be
unrecognizable. Cortina then released
all the prisoners, murdered q blacksmith
named Morris because he had forged fe5-
tiers for Mexican prisoners, slew several
other persons, plundered a number of
| stores and rode out of town unm oiested."
| This deed threw the state of Texas
| into a faver of excite ment. Corting was
| declared an outlaw and force of regu-
lars and rangers detached to the Rio
Ira m 1 Tn .c+5 hal
made his headquarters at his mo5hers
| ranch, where he issued a pronunoiamen-
to calling upon all Mexicans to rally to
his support and declaring his int ntion
of wrestling all the lands west of the
| Euesas river from Texas. He raised as
many as 500 men, and in a fight near Rio
Grande City was defeated by United
States troops under command of Mai.
Heintzleman and Texas rangers under
Col. John s. Ford, known throughout
Texas as odd Rip
"Cortina remained on his ranch until
che occupation of Mexico by the French
| forces under Marshal Bazane, when he
rallied his forces and declared against
| Macmillan, usurping the governorship
of the state of TamaIi pus for himself. In
1863 he prevailed upon young Mexican
named Adrian Vidal. ca plain of com
pany of confederate troops stationed
near Brownsville, to mutinY, which they
did, and after com hitting ten murders
| and numerous roboeries crossed the
river and Joined forces With Cortina
! The imperialists then captured Mata-
morris and Vidal was taken prisoner, but
COrtina escaped. Gen. Mexia, who was
afterwards shot at Qaeretaro with the
| Emperor Macmillan and Gen. Mlramou,
was in command OF the imper aIist
forces. Strong appeals were made to
| him for Vidal's life but he replied: For
Adrian Vidal no mercy. he dies at sun
rise.' The next morning Vidal was
braught from the prison, blindfOldsd, his
| face turned to the wall, and he was shot
| by file of Austin soldiers.
''Aftsr the expulsion of the i'm perialists
Cortina became a Mexican Brigadier Gen.
and ruled the rOost along the border for
many years, plunderiDg and numbering
with i'm punity. He became SO bad that
{. Mexican government, fearing trouble
with the United States, had him arrested
and sent him to the City of Mexico in
1876, stripping him of all rank, and keep
ing him closely confined for several years.
He is under Indictment for murder in
Texas, and should he be PERMITTED to re-
turn to the border . repetition of his
former acts can be expected, rs his hatred
for the 'gringos' is 30 deeply rooted that
it will never disappear until death. Had
he been awarded his just dues he would
have been extrsdited and HANGED for
murder years ago."