News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-02-28
A BORN BANDIT.
JUAN CORTINA, WHO DEFIED
TWO GOVERNMENTS.

JUAN CoRTINA, WHO DEFIED
TWO GOVERNMENTS.
His Extraordinary Career of Blood
and Pillage on the Frontier-Just
Released from Prison in Mexico.
A recent despatch from the City of
Mexico announces the release from pris-
on of General Cortina. This action of
the Mexican Government restores to
conditional freedom one of the most
noted characters of the Rio Grande bor-
der, and recalls story of guerilla war
fare equal in interest to that of any from
tier on earth.
/ Juan Nepomiceno Cortina, who for
years held the Texas frontier in tight
embrace of wasting warfare, was born
in 1924, of respectable parents, ON the
Texas side of the Rio Grande. As youth
he led a hurrah life in an environment
that subordinated patriotism to sedition,
stratagem and spoils. He followed the
occupation of stock dealer, business
then attended on the frontier with con-
siderable friction. About 1849 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 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, a mozo to coffee
| house keeper in Brownsville, complained
to Cortina that his employer had dis
charged him to avoid paying him
years wages. Cortina rode into Browns
vile, rescued his nephew, who had been
arrested for abusing the coffee house
keeper, and in effecting 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 molest 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 a 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 store,
| knocked at the door, and demanded to
be furnished spirits of turpentine. At
| this critical juncture Gen. CarveJal, Don
Manuel Trevino, the Mexican Consul,
and Don Miguel Trevino influenced
Cortinn to desist from further outrage,
| and he and his band gaffoped out Of
own, discllarging firearms and yelling.
/ Further friction was developed on the
| 18th of October by the arrest of Thomas
Cabrera, Cortina' S second i'll command
at the assault on Brownville. Learning
of that event, Cortina openly made the
he would reduce Brownsville to ashes.
His request was refused, and Cortina,
on the same night, with forty men,
crossed over the river and took up his
old quarters at his mothers 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.
II 4
five men and piece Of artillery of the
Glardia 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 q dense
chapparal, from which he, unseen, kept
up a 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 its ammunition.
The advance then fell back, and before
nigh both the abandoned guns We're III
Cortina's camp. AS the result of this
melcc four of the Mexican troops were
wounded, and two of Cortina's men
killed.
Cortina, now emboldened by success,
recruited his ranks by giving fandangos
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. Torbin
were expected, and so made arrangements
to intercept them. On the 10th of
November he received the rangers with
a shower of grape, and then retreated
On the same day Cabrera was found
hanging from II 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 Il prisoner.
The dead, of whom the prisoner was
made one, were on the following day
found horribly mutilatcd, and another
expedition was then hIlrriedly fittcd mp
against Cortina, but it merely reconnoi-
tered his camp, and increased his con-
fidence The streets of Brownsville
were now barricaded with wagon beds,
bales of goods, etc, and cry reached
the capitals of Texas and of the United
States far the eXtcrmination of COrtina.
The frontier was bowling like a pack
of wolves, and on the 22d OF November
n third expedition, intending to be the
eXterminating one, emerged from
Brownsville with band and Il banner.
1t consisted of $50 rangers under com
mand of Capt. Tobin, the citizens OF
Brownsville, commanded by Capt
Miffin Kennedy, then a steamboat cap
tain, now the cattle king of Texas, and
at all times II splendid fellow, and the
Indianola company with a 24-pound
howitzer in charge of Lieutenant Lang
don of the United States Artillery. At
Santa Rita, seven miles above Browns
vile, Capt. Tobin left the howitzer and
sixty men in reserve, and proceeded
with the remainder of the force to recon
noiter. The advance, when nearing
Cortina' S entertainments, were fired upon
with cannon and small arms, and after
returning the fire were ordered to fall
back. Cortina was now II great man,
the Mexican flag was waving over his
tent, and he was rapidly receiving rein
forcements.
T. Affairs remained in this state until the
arrival, on the 18th of December, of
Major S. 2. Heintzelman of the First
Infantry, with five officers and III men,
artillery, cavalry and infantry. These,
with 150s rangers, drove COrtina from
his stronghold, killing two of his men.
A ranger was killed and two artillery
men were wounded. Cortina retreated
L ID I l. L !.