The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-12-02
OUTWITTED THE BANDITS.
In "A Mountain Pass Back or
Acapulco.


'If you 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,
Mexico. Mexico has improved mar
vellously in the past ten years, but ban
dts are still too numerous, and l can
tell you how to protect yourself by reat-
ing the experience of friend of mine.
His name was Mccoy Shepard, and he
was on his way alone from Acapulco to
the capital. 1t is an easily followed
trail; lie had been over it once, and he
spoke the language very well. He had
little thought of danger, although hold
ups are common enough on that route,
but he went prepared for business. He
put in the holster of his saddle a A
calibre revolver loaded with cartridges
that barely had enough powder in them
to blow the bullets out of the muZzle,
and then in the small of his back he
hung the handiest 3S calibre he
could find when in Frisco. He was
making trap, and it worked.
''lt 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 cornered 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 infrequeptly happens.
They invited Mac to get down, and he
did perforce. Then one of them took
the big revolver from the holster.
Good. 1t is big said he.
Yes said Mac, but it's worth
less thing after all never want to kill
any one. l only carry it because l must
make people think am armed
"The bandits laughed at that. 1t was
incredible that such pistol should be
worthless, and they said so.
But. gentlemen, will put my hat
in the road and you may shoot at it with
the pistol. The bullet will not go
through the hat
AT that he took off his hat, gor-
geous Mexican affair that cost $50 in
Acapulco, and put it on rock, not ten
feet away, and stepped back toward but
about five feet at one side of the bandits.
llty WtIt lUlCICSltN ~ OuCC.
was novel TO them. The man with the
pistol aimed deliberately and fired 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 before
they could turn on him. The third did nc
more than turn round before he caught
his dose as well.
Leaving every thing as it lay-bodies,
guns, hat, and all, Mac sat down in the
shade of a rock and waited for some one
TO come along. He did not even reload
his revolver. He had TO make out q
good case before the Government Off
cials, and he knew just how to do it,
After an hour or so native planter
With his servant came riding along.
"'llavc the goodness To inform the
Alcalde that an American gentleman has
had trouble here with bandits said he
TO the native, and the native did as re-
quested, of course. Three or four hours
later came the Alcalde of the next place
with half dozen soldiers. Mac told his
story briefly, and the Alcalde noted each
point of il with the corroborating evi-
dence on the ground.
"'You have done we'll, he said Il
know the rascals we'll You have saved
cartridges for my soldiers by killing
them
"Then ne stopped. lie could not un.
derstand how the big revolver had failed
to shoot through the hat lie thought
there was some kind OF necromancy
about it, So Mac cut a bullet from q
cartridge and showed that the usua
powder space was fnr the most par,
filled with cork. The Alcslde turned
the cork in his hand and then said:
"'Those wise Yankees But they dc
by subtlety what we would do by valor !,
Then Mac gathered up his hat and
revolver. mounted his mule, aud rode on
with the Alcslde, leaving the soldiers tC
look after the dead bandits. Take my
word for it, and carry good gun out oI
sight when travelling in Mexico, and
another where oil can see it."--I New
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