Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-08-08

from the untCrhruSl beside the road and
showed the muzzlos of their rifles through
the stage door on either side.
Taken by surprise, not a weapon was
drawn by the guards. The strong boz
was lifted from the boat, the men inside
were disarmed while the robbers rifles
stared them in the eyes, and then the
merry company with many jokes about
the dresses they would buy for their
senOrtas, mounted the horses that were
led out of the woods and rode away, he
on the white steed humming bit of
some old Spanish love song to the time
of his horses step.
1t was a dreamy August afternoon in
southern California when the mayor Of
Los Angeles and fellow official were
driving along the old sand road through
the Arroyo Seco toward the town. Over
the brow of hill half mile in front of
them group of horsemen appeared at
gallop. They swept down the hill and
met the buggy of the mayor. The gal
Looping horses were yanked back upon
their launches, and a swarthy Mexican
upon a white horse showed pistol in the
mayors face and said, with show of his
teeth in a smile, "Y our money, senior, "
The mayor thought it was joke, and
laughed.
"Quick, quick" said the horseman, as
his weapon clicked. Il am Vasquez.
The mayor laughed again.
"Eef you don't belief me, senior, look.
He pointed back to the hill, and there
appeared another group of horsemen rid
ing at full tilt from the town.
"Quick," said Vasquez. 81 am no
fool.
The mayor looked down the pistol bar
rel at the pair OF black, glittering eyes
that lined the sights, and put up his
hands. He was lic htened of his chamois
bag Of gold, as was his friend, and the
bold robbers wheeled and We're off at a
run, the posse from the town riding up
five minutes too late to catch them or to
save the mayors coin. The band es-
capped into the chapparal.
Nasquez made history in this way for
five years and then was caught like rat
in trap in 'dobe house near the scene
of the robbery of the mayor, and was
shot down by newspaper correspondent
detailed to accompany the search party.
lie survived his wounds, was taken to
San Jose, where one of his earliest and
most atrociOuS murders had been COM
mitted, and there met his fate on the
scatfold.
And now for the horse. Every time
the robbers appeared one of them, the
leader, would be mounted upon white
horse. That he had a world of speed was
shown in the way that he would gallop
away from the rest of the gang when
they were pursued. The horse was
hitched behind the house when Nasque2
was shot. One of the capturing party
tried to take him and was severely bitten
for his cupidity. The horse broke away,
went careering off toward the canyon
where Vasquez had had his rendezvous
and was lost to sight Most people say
he died in the mountains, of starvation,
but the Mexicans say no. They saw hin
again.
The night after Nasquez was hanged
white horse galloped up the street to the
| jail, stood moment at the door, and
gave neigh. The Mexicans heard in it
no answer to the horses challenge and
he wheeled about and went as suddenly
as he came. Then he turned bandit and
| followed Vasquez' old trails. Once in
while a man would be found on the road
with his body frightfully mutilated and
his flesh bearing the marks of hoofs.
| Sometimes in the night a white horse
would appear at the door of a Mexican
cabin in some lonely spot and neigh. If
no answer came he would be off like the
wind, but if any man dared show him.
self the horse would attack him with
hoof and teeth and it was seldom that
victim escaped.
Time and again he was shot at, and one
Mexican buck was foolhardy enough to
try to rope him and met a horrible death.
| The horse bore charmed life. He be-
came almost as great a terror to the Mex
leans as Vasquez had been to the rich
Americans. If by chance a Mexican's
pony got out of the corral and wandered
off in search of grass the white horse
would find him and enlist him. First he
had one follower, then two, then half a
dozen. No man could kill them and no
man dared to attempt to capture them.
With no loads upon their backs they were
fleet as the wind and could outstrip the
best horse with a rider. The Mexicans
named the leader the "White Devil, and
said that Vasquez lived again in his
horse.
AS the years went by and Vasquez be-
came a memory, and his exploits the
theme for children's stories, the White
Devil lost his companions. His visits to
the vicinity of the little towns became
less and less frequent and then ceased al
together. AT long intervals a Mexican
J would ride in with report that he had
seen the White Devil in some canyon
among the hills. Even these reports
ceased, and few Americans of the latter
days in California had heard of him until
the freight train killed the white horse.
The MeXicans came for miles to look at
him. All of them knew him, at least
they said so, and they respected him suf-
ficiently to look at his dead body from a
distance.
When he was dragged from beneath
the engine by the trainmen a horse doctor
looked at him. He was a magnificent
animal even in death, and the veterinary
said that he had been stone blind for
years.
Vasquez deeds are history; the story
of the White Devil is Mexican super.
stition.
I i L.