The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-09
TERROR TO BANDITS s
INCIDENTS IN THE CAREER OF CAP
TAIN JONATHAN FlTzWATERS.

He Siurdcred Man In Pennsylynnia and
Fled to Mexico, Where He Became a
stage Driver-Achioved Fame as a Slayer
OF Bandits.
Captain John Ferris, the veteran
, stage driver, who hauled passengers and
mail Oh the overland route in tho carly
I hftles, was i'll another reminiscent mood
the other day and related some of the
interesting incidents connected with tho
lie OF Captain Jonathan Fitzwaters,
VINO was noted character In New
Mexico and Arizona i'll tho curly days
After leaving the overland route Cap
tain Ferris drove tho stage between San
tn Fe and Albuquerque and Ell Paso and
was intimately associated with Captain
Fltzwaters for several years.
Although Captain Fitzwaters was
ono OF the toughest and bravest men on
the frontier, said Captain Ferris, che
was brought up in refinement and had
al education as good rs college pro-
lessor. He came of ono of the best fam
lilies i'll tho state of Pennsylvania, but
after reaching manhood became reckless,
and i'll tho year 1910 he murdered n
man. He left tho States before tho Off
GERS could capture him and made his
way to old Mexico, where he foil In
with u tough lot of men He soon 40
quircd q reputation in the City of Mex
leo us man of nerve. His bravery and
fine bearing attracted the attention of
government officials, and he was ap-
pointed to drive tho stage between tho
City of Mexico and Vera Cruz That
route was at that timo ono of tho most
dangerous i'll all of Mexico. In fact,
there We're but very few safe sections in
Mexico i'll those days. Every mountain
pass was infested with bandits, who
did not hesitate to murder and rob overy
wayfarer that fell into their hands
ION the first trip which Captain Fitz-
waters made to Vera Cruz his stage was
held up by Il band of brigands. Tho out
laws met with Il warm reception from
the captain, who succeeded after des-
pcratc battle i'll driving them off, kill
ing three Of the bandits. On tho suo-
ceeding trip another band of tho ban
ditti attacked the stage and wero again
unsuccessful i'll committing a robbery.
Captain Fitzwaters killed five members
OF the desperate gang, and us there had
been some doubt expressed among the
government officials as to the truth of
his story of tho killing of three bandits
on his former trip he decided to take
along evidence of his bloody work, SO
that his story could not DO disputed. He
thereupon proceeded to cut the cars off
of each of tho bandits whom he had
killed, and he took tho horrible trophies
with him to Vera Cruz and thence back
to the City of Mexico.
This daring deed mado the captain
famous throughout that part of Mexico.
He was the lion Of tho hour, and the
stage company who operated the limo for
tho government had built expressly for
him an elegant stage and provided him
with eight horses, which were driven to
the stage four abreast The fame Of the
captain was quick to reach the noun
tains, and in very short time tho
bands Of brigands throughout that Sec
ton knew the namo and quality of the
man with whom they had to deal, and
they made their arrangements to get rid
of him accordingly.
''Soon after being provided with his
now stage Captain Fitzwaters started
on one of his long trips to Vera Cruz.
\ The journey was without unusual Incl
dent until the mountains i'll the state of
Puebla We're reached, when he was am
pushed by party of brigands and shot
h off the coach. Tho outlaws thought
/ they had completed their bloody work
l by shooting out the captain S right eye,
breaking his left arm and shooting him
again through the leg. They then rob
bed the coach and left, supposing that
/ their enemy was completely dono for
/ In. this the bandits were mistaken. Cap
h tain Fitzwaters had faithful friend
/ named Pedro Salazar, who was riding
h in the coach and was not injured He
\ picked up the apparently lifcless body
u of the captain and removed it to a place
II of safety.
N ''The wounded man was given every
care and attention, and, strange to say,
N he eventually recovered. although he
n was badly disfgured. He remained in
N Mexico until the close of the Mexican
H war. When General Scott landed at
III Vera Cruz, almost the first man he met
n was Captain Fitzwaters, who rendered
n the United States army his services as
n guide. He accompanied tho army on its
n march into the interior and gave Gen
n eral Scott much valuable information
u ns to the topography of the country and
h the class of people TO be met at the diff
H ferent points along the line of march
u He remained with the general until the
\ close of the war, and then, in recogni-
X ton of his valuable services, he was