The herald., 1893-12-24
OUTWlTTED THE BANDITS.
Mccoy Shepard's Adventure in h Mountain
Pass Back of Acapulco.

Mccoy Shepard's Adventure in n Mountain
Pass Back of Acapulco.
''If yen are going to travel alone in
this country you must carry two revolv-
ers, but one of them may be worthless.
In fact, it may be better to have one of
them of somewhat old fashioned make"
said Mr.. j. V. Hawkins of Pueblo, Mex
ico.a Mexico has improved marvellous
ly in the past 10 years, but bandits are
still too numerous, and | can tell you
how to protect yourself by relating the
experience of a friend Of mine. His name
was Mccoy Shepard. and he was on his
way alone from Acapulco to the capital.
It is an easily followed trail. He had
been over it once, and he spoke the Ian
guage very well. He had little thought
of danger, although holdups are COM
mon enough on that route, but he went
prepared for business. He put in the
holster of his saddle a Al caliber revolver
loaded with cartridges that barely had
enough powder in them to blow the bull
lets out of the muzzle, and then in the
small of his back ho hung the handiest
SS caliber he could find when in Frisco.
He was making trap, and it worked.
"It happened that as he was coming
down out of the main range three road
agents stepped from the rocks beside the
road and had him corpered before he
could whistle. They were armed with
shotguns as well as machetes, but for
some reason did not shoot before they
spoke, as not infrequently happens. They
invited Mac to get down, and he did per-
foro. Then one of them took the big re-
volt or from the holster.
"'Good. 1t is big said he.
eyes said Mac, but it's a worthless
thing after all. never want to kill any
one. l only carry it because must
make people think am armed
"The bandits laughed at that. 1t was
incredible that such a pistol should be
worthless, and they said SO.
But, gentlemen, l will put my hat in
the road, and you may shoot at it with
the pistol. The bullet will not go through
the hat
Eat that he took off his hat, gor-
geous Mexican affair that cost $50 in
Acapulco, and put it on rock not 10
feet away, and stepped back toward, but
about five feet at one'side of, the bandits.
They were interested at once. The idea
was novel to them. The man with the
pistol aimed deliberately and fred at the
hat. Then the three ran to look at the
effect of the shot. Macs turn to shoot
had come. Whipping out the unnoticed
revolver, he shot two of them down be-
fore they could turn on him. The third
did no more than turn round before he
caught his doA as well.
Leaving everything as it lay-bodies,
guns, hat and all-Mac sat down in the
shade of rock and waited for some one
to como along. He did not even reload
his revolver. He had to make out good |
case before the government officials, and
no knew just how to do it,
AFTER an hour or SO native planter
with his servant came riding along.
Have the goodness to inform the al
calde that an American gentleman has
had trouble hero with bandits,' said he |
to the native, and the native did as re-
quested of course. Three or four hours
later came the alca1de Of the next place
with half dozen soldiers. Mac todd
his story briefly, and the alcalde noted |
each poiF Of it with the corrpborating
sx1aenns tn fhs ground.