The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-03

ramento in charge of the horses, and TIL
other nine proceeded along slowly toward
Los Angeles, thinking that the men with
the horses would return and Overtake them
before the robbers should be encountered.
Next morning it was reported to Captain
Harry Love that there was smoke arising
from distant point up in the mountains,
the Santa Lucias. l believe, toward which
the party had been travelling Seven OF the
men, including Captain Love, went to the
place Immediately. There they found
party If several Mexicans sitting about q
fire. They had spread out their serapes
and were playing cards and smoking their
cheroots. My father and his chum. Bill
henderson. remained behind, walking
slowly up the slope and leading their horses.
The men who went ahead saw that the
Mexicans were jolly fellows. When Love
asked them what they were doing there they
replied that they had come from Los An
geles. They said they were gamblers and
had been run out of town. They looked
very much like gamblers, being clean. smart
looking fellows, and so the statement passed
unchdllenged.. But as soon as my father
appeared on the scene there YVES great
change in the pacidity of the Mexieans.
joaquin recognized him at once as bis old
time friend.
when father came up he saw Love aud
his men playing cards with the Mexicans.
Joaquin cast a glance toward the new
conner, and at once shouted to the others Of
his party:
THAT'S Byrnes; look out for yourselves!
My father quickly communicated the
fact to Love and his men that the MexlcanS
were the ones for whom they were in
search. The outlaws ran from camp as fast
as they could, scattering III all directions.
Captain Love pursued desperate named
Three fingered Jack and my father and
Henderson started after Joaquin. The
leader Of the outlaw band threw himself on
his horse and fled away, but my father fired
or i'm n nc Ia
near the heart He fell off his horse, but
quickly rose again. He saw my father
standing ready TO fire at him again.
Don't shoot he cried, Pm dead
mani
Then, rs my father came nearer, the
Sesperado said And to think that you
should have killed me-you, Burns, the
only American l ever loved
Then he died.
60. " Meantime Captain Love was chasing
Three Fingered Jack. whom he shot seven
times, finally killing him by shooting him
through the head. The other robbers got
away.
Great was the exultation among Loves
men when it was found that Joaquin
Muretta, the most desperate of all Western
bandits, had been slain. Ny father was not
particularly proud OF the feat of having
killed him. He said very little about it to
strangers, but l have often heard him say
that Immediately after the killing he felt
had laid the outlaw low.
The party had taken along Squantity of
alcohol. in which TO bring back>Q oaQuin's
head, should he be killed. But Ifsw when
they wanted it they found that frequent
libations from the jug had caused the I&uid
TO run very low. 1t had run so very low,su
fact. that none remained. So they were in
predicanent. They did not know how to
pr, serve the heads of the two slain men
until they could get back to Sacramento.
One man hit upon the expedent of placing
them in half filled sack Of -four. which
was found to serve the purpose very well
for time. The party then made all haste
to Natlvldad, In Monterey County, where
they procured fresh supply Of alcohol, in
which the CHASTITY relics were immersed.
They then returned with the heads. A re-
ward OF $1,000 was protfered to my father,
but he would not accept il and permitted
the others to take it instead.
My father generally had plenty of
money. He made a lucky strike in mining
stocks once, and for time was worth
100000. but it all vanished, as he was
prodigal of his means, and no Que in need
OF money was refused when they asked him
for il,
" He was man of wonderful vitality.
He was in seven different shooting affairs,
and was wounded 80 times, in all. He had
nine bullets extracted frOnxaslis body in a
San Francisco hospital, bearing the torture
Of the operations like the brave man that
he was.
but his wounds were very painful at
times, aud they at last DIR owe b i'm insane. He
died In the Stockton asylum 10 years ago."