The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-01
A MAN OF COURAGE.
A Desperate Encounter with Brig.
nnds in Mexico.

AndS IN Mexico.
From the Washington Star.
Speaking Of acts of courageous self.
sacrifice for the public good" remarked a
gentleman who had lived several years in
Mexico, to a Star writer. II knew man
in Mexico who could give pointers TO soma
of those old Romans we read about AZ
the time Of my acquaintance with him he
was Is years old, and was living with
his second wife, by whom he had three
or four children. When he was 30 years
of age he lived on ranch with his wife
and one child a boy of 10, and their home
was in neighborhood infested with brig,
ands, or what passed for brigans, whd
made frequent incursions into the valleys
from their mountain resorts, robbing and
cattle killing and numbering, pretty much
as It pleased them, to which was added
the further diversion of picking up travel
ers and Others, who were worth the money
and holding them for ransom.
So notorious had their depredations be-
come and so helpless were the authorities
in the matter that the entire section bade
fair to become a bowling waste, for traV-
elers stopped coming and the inhabitants
were getting out as fast as they could.
Up to this time Garcia, for that was my
old friends name, had been in better LUCK
than most of his neighbors, due largely TO
the fact that Re was brave man, and had
in his employ on his ranch men who were
as quick to fight as any brigand in tns
mountains. One day, however, the blow
struck Garcia, and when he came home In
the evening he found his wife crazy with
grief and the boy carried off.
He knew it was for ransom. and waited
hn 1.1lf how CHI 70
face for their booty, believing that thd
boy would be well cared for as long as
there was hope of getting money for him.
In a day or two Garcia received note 10
the effect that the boy was safe in the
hands of Capt. Manuel, the leader or ths
gang, and the very soul and spirit OF lts
and that for the sum of 5000 paid to hlm
Manuel, the boy would be restored. The
reply to the note was to be left in GER
tain place dozen miles to the north OF
Garcia's ranch, and from there Manuel
would get it. Garcia made up his mind at
once what to do, and he sent word 70
Manuel that the money would be paid, anu
asked further instructions.
He was duly notified that he was 10
come alone to a distant point in the mouns
tains, and there deliver the money ana
get the boy. That was all, and taking the
chances of treachery, he started out, nav
ing with him dozen of his best menH
These he left as near to the place Of meet-
ing as he dared, and went forward, alones
some miles. In a remote spot he was
met by Manuel, whom he knew, accom-
panied by five men Garcia was heavily
armed and wore under his clothes coat
of chain mail, for his was desperats
purpose. Manuel at once demanded thar
Garcia lay down his arms as sign OF
good faith and hand over the money anu
they would take him to the boy. If he dld
not they would kill him and the boy also.
I'm an instant Garcia replied with
shot that went through ManuePS bralhs
and then before the others could recover
their senses he had killed two of thems
next in command. Then as others caiha
in response to the firing, he started ON
a wild run down the gorge Of the noun
tain with the bullets raining round MN
like hail and some oei them hitting him.
By the miracle that follows men in 1ust
such predicaments. h p got away with MS
life, thanks to his chain mail, but ne
was badly wounded, and when he reache1
his own men he fell i'm a dead faint, anu
didn't know anything for two weeks.
when he recovered his senses 1t was
to find that his wife had died in a hys-
terical fit and that the boy had beeh
killed by the brigantls, or that portion
of them lett after Galscia's force had mn
ished with them and drove them Dach
into the mountains. That ended th5
brigand business in that vicinity for goou
and all, but Garcia himself went ANU
for a long time so sad and broken
hearted that all that his grateful fellow
citizens and the country at large coula
do for him seemed to have but little el.
feet. After ten years the shadow nau
been dispelled somewhat, and he mar
ried again, and though he had me
wife and good Children he could not Ior-
get the others, and fDr rorty-five years
no man had ever seen him smile, az
though he was always gentle and KIM
and good"