Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-22
AN EXPERIMENT IN THIEVERY.
Ambitious Mexican Robbers Who Tried To
Steal "a Pile-Driver.
Chicago RecordD


The Records recent account Of the life
Of the Apache chief Geronimo. in Mount
Vernon. Ala. reminds mo that at the
time Geronimo was massacreng people
for amusement and stirring things up
generally along the border Of old Mexico
and "the States" J was with a party of
American engineers who were construct
ins branch cf the Mexican Central iall-
road not far from t1e border. AMI IL
rectly in old Geronm1's territory.
Down there the Indians ana the poorer
class Of MeXicans are invcterate tn YES,
and will steal anything they can manage
10 carry away without being detected.
They will steal "A thing totally regardless
OF whether II is OF any earthly use To
them or not.
our party had missed quantity Of
tools, supplies or railroad iron, ties, &c,
and could not imagine how the thieves
would utilize the material unless they
were building a little railroad for their
own amusement Nlght after MINT we
placed guards 10 watch for them, but
il seemed they always knew when the
guards were on the lookout, and refused L,
attempt foray on those nights. - We
concluded that the cUlprits were m"hi-
bcrs of the camp, and knew all that was
going on. After arriving at that conciu-
sion We made IL a practice 10 collect an
portable property into convenient groups
and guard II carefully.
In tn outfit ne had "A large steam pie
driver heavy piece Of machinery dill
cult To transport even under the most
favorable circum Stances-whlch We dll
not deem necessary TO guard, never Tor
moment thinking the thieves would at
tempt TO make away with II. But as SUD-
sequent events showed. We had underrated
Mexican acquiSitiVeness.
II may be we'll To- explain that pile
driver Is y sort Of derrick, varying IN
height from 50 to - feet 1t weighs seVe-
raj tons and is held in an upright posi-
ton by strong guy-ropes. rms plle-drlVeT
was located I'm advance Of the camps and
probably a quarter Of mile from the
nearest.
on, bright moonlight night the camp
was aroused by an uncarthly noise and
n heavy crash. the disturbance seeming
To come from the direction Of our pile
driver. We Immediately surmlseI some
devilnr nj. knowing "a We did that thf
"greaSers'' We're none too friendly 10 los
grngos." as they called the -nericans.
-Four Of US hastily arose. buckiet our re-
VolVers and with Winchester apiece.
moved on the enemy. When we reached
a knoll a few rods from and overlooking
the location OF the disturbance we limb
cred up" our artillery and cautiously peer
ed over the knoll, expecting to see Il
band Of Indians or "greaSers' doing some
sort Of malicious Work, and were fully
determined 10 announce our disapprOval
with "A hot brOadside from the Wnches
ters. What We did see when We viewed
the So ne OF the cOmmOtiOn surprised US
more than would have the whistllng of Il
few bullets around our heads.
The Mexicans had attempted TO steal
our pile-dryer. and had brought a team
Of burros 10 drag II away. They OF course
placed the team in the wrong position.
cut the guy-rOpes. and the pile-driyer fell
squarely across the backs OF the poor
little burrOs MASKING them as Hat as
tOrtillOs pancakes).
After that our pile-drivers were safe
I'm Mexico