Milford chronicle., 1889-03-01
COWBOY VENGEANCE.
THEY HANG HORSE THIEVES IN A
SORT OF RELIGIOUS FERVoR.

Three 'strays" Steal a Mustang Each and
Are Pursued-One Is Captured and
Hanged, the Others Die from Exhaus.
tion- -Embalned I'm Red Pepper.
W. G. Alexander, who for many years
lived at Bryan, Tex, told at the Palace
hotel tho other night of the fate of three
horse thieves.
"a horse" said he, was considered of
more value in the Lone Star state some years
ago than a man. The desperate who killed
a companion or who put out the light Of a
tenderfoot took high place in society, but
| if hestolea 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 it was better that 100 in
nocent men should be hanged than that one
horse thief should 60 unpunished Among
the more cultivated and reverent that was
believed to be culled from the Ten Com
mandments, and the cowboys pinned it to
the pommels Of their saddles
HIS TOES CRIss-CRossED.
~
through New Mexico, and had not a horse to
spare. Every animal was in use, and we were
very careful Of them, as we had a 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
OF. Half dozen started In pursuit Of the
thieves, who were not more than five hours
ahead. We knew they daren't leave the trail.
and 1t was only question of endurance on
the part Of the horses. All day we rode. but
never got a sight of them. 1t was agreed that
we should ride for a couple Of hours after
dark, and, saving the time Of cooking. make
so much on the thieves The chase bepan
again early in the morning, and the ride was
hard and fatiguing. In the afternoon we saw
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 I
tended TO make the chase a long one. To in /
tercept him we had to make a wide detour.
and we knew darkness must be on us before |
we captured him. Our mustangs showed .
signs of fatigue, but a cowboy would rather
lose half dozen animals legitimately than
see one carried Off by pirate. So we piled
4 Ups anu spur anu III 4 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 tho horse. He couldn't hit 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, 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. The buttons
on his clothes gave way, and when we left
him be was almost as naked as when he was
born"
SOMETHING DEAD IN FRONT.
We struck the trail again and halted for
. rest, The horse we had recovered was al
most played out, and the others were in n
very bad condition. The pursuit was over
-or good many hours, and we needed the
thought Of one man caught and hanged to
buoy US up All the next day we followed.
md when we took supper we began to think 6
We had done the best we could. Some were
or giving up the chase, but It was decided to
pend another day ON the trail.
I'm the morning the air was loaded with
he taint Of vultures. We could SEQ the car
Ion eaters like specks against the white +