Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-22
TWELVE AGAINST THREE
A Lively Fracas Recently at
Old San Jacinto.
How Three Constables Captured and
Jailed Eight Prisoners.
Twelve Mexicans Attempt to Intimiaate
the Town-Three Oficers Object,
and Donnybrook Fair
Time Follows.

A HERALD reporter learned the par
ticulars yesterday of row that was a
row. 1t happened last Thursday night
about s o'clock at San Jacinto, in San
Diego county, and it is wonder that
somebody was not killed.
There has been some bad blood in
that section for some time past. and at
the time mentioned about dozen
Mexicans, all mounted, rode up to ]. ].
Widner's saloon. They had been drink
ing and were in state OF belligerency.
There were several people in and around
the saloon, and the arrival of the horse
men created considerable of stir.
It did not need much talk
to arouse them to the fighting pitch, and
pretty soon they began to make re-
marks not calculated to cause white
winged peace to settle down in that
particular neighborhood. They seemed
to have some grudge against an Ameri-
can or Americans, and it was but
minute or 80 before such expressions as
t'Gringos'' and the like hoated around
through the evening atmosphere. These
remarks soon became too mild, and one
heated Mexican shouted out that they
could whip all sslos Americanos."
Pistols and knives were drawn and some
of the horsemen dismounted.
In the meantime, nothing much had
been said by the men who had been
around the saloon before the little band
arrived. They were too much SUR
prised to know exactly what to do. 1t
was just dusk, and night was approach
ing with rapidity, but not with as much
celebrity as the row eliminated.
When the stage arrived at which
weapons were drawn, drunken
Mexican rushed into the saloon, and
begged for q knife. He offered $40 to
the barkeeper for one, but he wisely de-
clined to comply with the request, and
the Mexican rushed out and engaged in
q wordy row with one of the men on
horseback. By this time the air was
lurid with a torrent of abuse, poured
out by the fighters. They simply asked
for the blood of ''los Americanos," and
fourished their weapons in an alarming
style. Men began to get out of the way,
feeling sure that fusilade of bullets
would follow.
Three men, who had been quietly
sitting by, Jumped up at this juncture.
They were constables. Two Of them
are at present the constables of San
Jacinto, and the third was an ex-con-
stable, and he was called upon by the
officers to help them.
Without saying word, they rushed
upon the shouting Mexicans, and began
to get into the fight in great shape. Ac-
cording to the reporters informant, an
eye witness of the scene, it was melee
that beggars description. With their
revolyers clubbed, they simply
went for the bloodthirsty boys.
In less time than it takes TO tell it,
they had five of them stretched out on
the ground, senseless from blows over
the head. One or two of these were
struck from their horses. The Mexicans
were too much astonished at the sudden
turn of affairs to do more than sit on
their horses, those who were not hors
de combat, with weapons drawn and
mouths open. Then they scattered to
get out of the way OF the fighting con-
stables.
In about two minutes peace had re-
turned to the little town, and five
doughty fellows were lying side by side
on the ground in front of the saloon.
The blows of the officers came quick
and true as lightning, and some of the
men we're several minutes in recover
ing their senses. Several ugly gashes
on the heads of the prisoners told of the
severity with which the majesty Of the
law had been enforced. The officers had
not been assisted by any one except Mr..
Widner, who reinforced them with an
ice cutter in hand.
Ae soon as the excitement had some
what subsidized, the next question was
the disposition of the prisoners. There
is no jail at San Jacinto, and the near
est one-a little bit of a structure-was
at New San Jacinto, mile away. TO
the jailp r. was the cry, and wagon was
pressed into the service. Some of the
worst hurt were bundled into it, and
the others, guarded by the officers with
drawn revolvers, trudged along behind
on foot. The party was also accompa-
MED by two or three citizens.
1t was not thought that there would
be any difficulty in landing the captured
men in Jail, but the routed horsemen
screwed up their courage 10 sticking
point, and about half way to their des-
tination, four or five men on horseback
appeared in the road, directly in front of
the party. They were evidently bent
on q rescue, and began firing
their guns. 1t ia not thought that they
fired with any intention of doing execu-
ton, because they were just as apt to
hit their companions as the officers.
Still the bullets whistled in unpleasant
proximity to the little party.
Nothing daunted, the officers ad-
yanced on the rescuers with drawn re-
v0lvers, and with such quickness that
they captured some Of them, while the
others disappeared in the distance.
With the whole number of prisoners,
now numbering eight, the march to the
Jail was resumed, and with their bellig-
erency much in need of reinforcement,
they were crowded into the little Gala
boose for the night.
During the whole row no one was
shot or knitted, and the only wounded
ones received their hurts from the con-
stables in the melee at the saloon. The
affair has been the talk Of San Jacinto
ever since.