The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1893-12-11
OUTWITTED THE BANDITS.


Mccoy Shepard's Adventure In a Mountain
Pass Back of 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 # somewhat old fashioned make"
said Mr. j. V. Hawkins of Pueblo, Mex.
leo. Mexico has improved marvellous.
1y in the past 10 years, but bandits are
still too numerous, and | can tell you
how to protect yourself by relating 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. He had
been over it once, and he spoke the Ian.
guage very well. He had little thought
of danger, although holdnps are com.
mon enough on that route, but he went
prepared for business. He put in the
holster of his saddle A 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 he hung the handiest
He was making trap, and it worked.
ut happened that a 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 fol
some reason did not shoot before they
spoke, as not infrequently happens, They
invited Mac to get down, and he did per
force. Then one of them took the big re-
volver from the holster.
"'Good. 1t is big said he.
eyes, said Mac, but it's worthless
thing after all. never want to kill any
one. | 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, will put my hat in
the road, and you may shoot at it with
the pistol. The bullet will not go through
the hat
SAT 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 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 be-
fore they could turn on him.. The third
did no more than turn round before he
caught his dose as well.
Leaving everything 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 good
case before the government officials, and
he 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 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 it with the corroborating
evidence on the ground.
"'You have done well, he said. I
know the rascals well. You have saved
cartridges for my soldiers by killing
them.
Then he stopped. He could not I'M
derstand how the big revolver had failed
to shoot throug.. the hat. He thought
there was some kind of necromancy
about it. So Mac cut bullet from
cartridge and showed that the usual
powder space was for the most part filled
with cork The alcalde turned the cork
over in his hand and then said:
Those WISE Yankees! But they do
by subtlety what we would do by valorr
"Then Mac gathered up his hat and
revolver, mounted his mule and rode on
with the alcalde, leaving the soldiers to
look after the dead bandits. Take my
word for it, and carry good gun out of
sight when travelling in Mexico, and an
other one where all can see it."-New
York Sun.