The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-06-23
WI ,.-i.ST.
How a Guerrilla Met the Fate That He De-
served.

L dIAAA G III l lIiS bttS W "a (
on the banks of a fork of the San Saba
river when his horse, which was grazing
not over 80 feet away, suddenly SAM
down in a heap as dead as Il stone. He
was head on, and the corporal saw the
blood fly from the center of his forehead
before he heard the report Of a gun AS
he sprang up and looked to the north he
saw a horse and rider bearing down upon
him. They were on the opposite bank, on
perfectly level ground, and the strangers
winchester still smoked in his hands. His
dress and outfit and the lonely locality
proved him to be one of those rowing after
the war gucrrillas who infested southern
Texas for several years II robbed friend
and foe alike. There was some little delay
before the corporal got hold of his carbinc,
and when ready to open fire from behind
his tree he discovered that something had
halted his enemy. The outlaw was look
ing down and around him in an excited
way, and presently he flung his rifle far
from him, dug in the spurs and shouted
encouragingly to the horse. The strug-
giles of the poor animal soon gave the sol
der an inkling of the situation. In dash
ing at him the guerrilla had pushed overa
piece of ground which rescmbled dried
mud. Under tho trcacherous crust was
prairie quicksand, and the feet Of his horse
broke through at about the third jump.
Horse and rider were not over 200 feet
from the stream. AS the soldier watched
them the man flung away his two pistols
and cartridge belt and Is seconds later his
saddle. He was seeking to Tighten his
horse. The corporal stepped from his shell
ter, crossed the creek and then saw the ac-
tual situation of affairs. Horse and rider
were in the center of what looked like a
IL 49,
40 feet in every direction to solid ground.
The hard baked crust over the deadly
quicksand was thin and brittle and soon
broke up and dissolved as the horse floun-
dered about. The animal was down to his
belly as the soldier am opposite and halt
ed, and a dozen horses pulling at the END
of a lariat could not nave drawn him clear.
His rider drew up his feet and knelt down
on the back of the horse and held on by
the name. Looking the corporal defiantly
in the eyes, he ~inpudCntly Qucricd:
well, is it your urn to laugh?"
"Serves YOU right!' replied the corporal.
"Likely it does, though l didn't mean
to shoot your horse. l fired to brighten
him off a bit.
And then you were going to hold me
up?"
"Of course wanted your outfit for a
friend of mine.
And you'd have killed me to get it,"
"Of course. You can chalk this dow
as your lucky day"
And YOU"
"Oh, l may como out ali right yet"
The corporal went back and saddlcd his
horse n led him up. Then he picked
Up the weapons the outlaw had thrown
away and made them fast to the saddle.
While the soldier was absent the quick
sands pulled the poor beast down at least
a foot. Trooper Fraync sat down on the
turf opposite, lighted his pipe, and after a
few whiffs he inquired:
AREN'T you the chap who calls himself
COncho joe"
you bet"
You murdered two soldiers Up at Camp
JohnsOn?"
Yes. l killed a couple of bluecoats up
there who tried to walk OF me-"
You murdered the mail carrier between
Fort Mckavett and Junction City"
II wanted his horse, and he wouldn't
give it up"
You murdered and robbie a canister
just outside of Fort Tcrret?"
Yes. l expect they laid that to NE"
Il have heard it said, " continued the
corporal, that you have killed from 10 to
20 men since the war, and that every kill
ing was a murder"
We Won quarrel about that" laugh
ed the outlaw. when the number reaches
10, you may as well call it 90"
His horse was now down till the man
had to stand on its back. He surveyed
the situation from every point, and there
was a grim smile on his face as he realized