The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-01-23
COWBOY MEMBRANES.
THEY HANG HORSE THIEVES IN A
SORT OF RELIGIOUS FERvoR.

Three "strays" Steal Mustang Each and
Are Pursued--One Is Captured and
Hanged, the Others Die from ExIlaus-
-Emba1meti In Red Pepper.
w. G. Alexander, who for many years
lived at Bryan, Tex, told at the Palace
hotel the other night OF the fate of three
horse thieves.
IA horse" said he, was considered of
more value in the Lone Star state some years
ago than man. The desperate who killed
companion or who put out tho light Of
tenderfoot took high place In society, but
II hestole horse-well, he was jerked higher.
Sometimes in the speedy administration OF
justice the wrong man was strung up;
sometimes man was hoisted for taking his
own horse, but as the victims Of the mistake
never complained, little was said about the
errors. You know, the cowboys in Texas
had saying that IL was better that 100 In
nocens men should be hanged than thnt one
horse thief should go unpublished. Among
the more cultivated and reyerent that was
believed to be culled from the Ten Com
mandments, and the cowboys pinned IL to
the pommels of their saddles.
HIS TOES CRIsS-CRosSED.
ION one occasion we were driving herd
through New Mexico, and had not horse to
spare Every animal was in use, and we were
very careful of them, as we had long ride.
The trail was dotted with 'strays,' fellows
who had no headquarters and whose business
was that of horse stealing. One morning we
awoke to find three of our best mustangs
gone, with saddle, bride, lariat--run clean
off. Half dozen started In pursuit of the
thieves, who were not more than FIVE hours
ahead We knew they darent leave the trail,
and it was only question of endurance on
the part of the horses. All day we rode, but
never got sight Of them. It was agreed that
we should ride for q couple of hours after
dark, and, saving the time Of cooking, make
SO much ON the thieves. The chase began
again carly In the morning, and the ride was
hard and fatiguing. In the afternoon we saw
q horseman leave the trail and strike away
for the hills. We gave yell. One Of the
thieves had 'petered' out and had been left
behind. We spurred on and saw that he In
tended TO mako the chase a long one. To In
tercept him we had to make wide detour
and we knew darkness must be on US before
we captured him. Our mustangs showed
signs Of fatigue, but cowboy would rather
lose half dozen animals legitimateIy than
see one carried Off by q pirate. So we piled
rope and spur and In q couple of hours we
got in bullet range of one man. We began
popping at him, more to draw his fire than
anything else, as we cared neither to kill him
nor cripple the horse. He couldn't hit q barn
and his gun was soon useless. Then we dashed
up and one of the boys dragged him from the
saddle. We asked him no questions
you've lost the others, y he said
Vegetation was scant there, but we took
the highest we could find and dragged him
up until his head was within two inches OF
the limb and his toes criss-crossed the ground
as he swayed. He struggled frightfully and
wriggled one Of his boots Off. Tho buttons
on his clothes gave way, and when we left
him he was almost as naked as when he was
BORN
SOMETHING DEAD IN FRONT.
I'VE struck the trail again and halted for
rest, The horse we had recovered was al
most played out, and the others were in a
xsry haA eonAAtA0n1 Tho purEuir was over
for q good mary hours, and needed the
thought Of one man caught and hanged to
buoy us up. All the next day we followed,
and when we took supper we began to think
we had done the best we could. Some were
for giving up the chase, but It was decided to
spend another day on the trail.
SIN the morning tho air was loaded with
the faint of vultures We could see tho car
rion eaters like specks against the white
clouds
They're going to pay their respects TO
the man behind us said one of the party.
He's finished long ago. was the reply.
Boys theirs somethin' dead In 'front.'
1--WE mounted again, and as we rode the
vultures became thicker. We followed their
fight, and by midday we saw hundreds Of
headstone like birds OFF on the plains The
trail Of tho horse thieves was at an end. The
vultures arose and hung over us as we rode
up to the place Of tho feast. By the side Of
the brown skinned man lay pile Of bones,
wet yet but feshless. The bones Of the
horse thief were as clean as II hs had been
boiled.
"They haven't started on this one, said
one Of the boys, kicking the body that had
not been devoured.
Nor they WON'T said the man who told
us 'somethin'' was dead in front Hes a
Spaniard, am SO full Of red pepper that
vulture won't touch him. had heard the
boys say that before, and did not believe Il.
But there the man lay, perfect as when he
dropped from his horse through fatigue, and
by his side lay the clean bones Of man who
had fallen with him. And there he would
lie for months, and at the end of that time
would give no signs Of decomposition, but
every day the elements would steal from him
something of his humanity, and at last he
would become as the dust Of the plains We
took up the trail very leisurely, and got to
the herd without trouble. n--San Francisco
Chronicle.