The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1894-02-08
FOOLED THE BANDITS.
An Americans shrewdnsss Was Useful
In y Mox:c IA Mountain Pass.

In a Mox.c N Mountain Pass.
'.If you are going to travel alone
In this country you must carry two
revolvers, but one of them may be
worthless; in fact, it may be better to
fashioned make" said Mr.. j. V.
Hawkins, of Pueblo. Mexico. to the
New York Sun. Mexico has i'm
proved marvelously in the past ten
years, but bandits are still too numcr-
ous, and l can tell you how to pro-
tect yourself by relating the expert
ence of a 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 hal been over it once, and
he spoke the language very we'll he
had little thought of danger, al
though holdups are common enough
ON that route, but he went prepared
for business. He put in the holster
of his saddle a 44-caliber 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
find when in Frisco. He was max
ing a trap and it worked.
''lt happened that as he was com
ing 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 shctguns as
well as machetes, but for some rea-
son did not shoot before they spoke,
as not infrequently happens. They
invited Mac to'get down. and he did
perforce. Then one of them took
the big revolver from the holster.
a. Good 1t Is big said he.
YES said Mac, but it is {
worthless thing, after all l never
want to kill any one. ] only carry
it because ] must make people
think ! am armed
1.-The bandits laughed at that.
was incredible that such a pisto
should be worthless. and they said so
"a But, gentlemen, l will put m!
hat in the road and you may shoe
at it with the pistol The bulle
will not go through the hat
''At that he took Off his hat, gor
geous Mexican affair that cost $2J II
Acapulco. and put it on a rock no
ten feet away, and stepped bacl
toward. but about five feet at on
side of. the bandits. They were in
terested at once. The idea was mo- e
to them. The man with the pisto
aimed deliberately and fired at tn
hat. Then the three ran to look a
the effect of the shot Macs turn +
shoot had come. WhiT ping out tn
unnoticed revolver, he shot two O
them down before they could turn o
him. The third did no more tha
turn around before he caught hi
dose as we'll.
Leaving everything as it lay
bodies, guns, hat and ail-Mac sa
down in the shade of rock an
waited for some one to como along
He did not even reload his revolver
lie had to make out good case be
fore the government officials, and h
knew Just how to do it.
''After an hour or so a nat V
planter with his servant came ridin
along.
Have the goodness to inform tn
alcalde that an Amerit an Gentlema
has had trouble here with bandits
said he to the native. and the natiV
did as requested. of course. Thre
or four hours later came the alcalC
of tho next place with half &c
soldiers Mac told his story brieG
and the alcalde noted each point
il with the corroDorating evidenC
on the ground.
"'Ycu have done well,' he said.
know the rascals we'll You hay
saved cartridges for my soldiers |
killing them
Then he stopped. He could nj
understand how the big revolver hs
failed to shoot through the hat. II
thought there was some kind of ne
romancy about it. So Mac cut
bullet from a cartridge and shove
that the usual powder space was fC
the most part filed with cork. II
alcalde turned the cork over in b
hand and then sad:
Those wise Yankees! But the
do by subtlety what we would do
valOr!"
Then Mac gathered up his h
and revolver. mounted his mule, al
rOde on with the alcalde, leaving t
soldiers to look after the de-
bandits, Take my word for it. al
carry good gun out of sight VIII
travelling in Mexico, and another o
where all can sec it
Astrological Predictions.