Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-21

ing for us. Tho day ana hour OF our
coming must have been known. Tho
alnDullInce stopped to pick her up. and
when we reached the ranch the father
WIS AZ the door TO extend seryile
welcome and declare that the best he
mad was far too poor for us.
~ was Just at sundown that We reach
ca inc ranch. The major at once en-
tered the house and was not seen by ug
hHhln Tor over ain hour. Then he came
out INTO the yard. and his thick tongue
hnn unsteady gait proved that he was
nun drunk The ambulance had been
backed under the open she'd and his
object in coming out was to order the
sue TO be carried into the house for
me night ON this trip It contained
extra money TO pay wuod-cutters and
tfcighlcrs, about $1,000 In all To store
II In tho house, with every probability
mat the major would be holplessiy
drunk before midnight, and the key in
hls pocket, simply meant that every
came.
While aid not refuse TO obey the
order ] made an excuse to gain time.
ana the major soon returned to the
mouse, Seeing the three OF thom at the
table In the dining room / crept into
NE 'front.' room ANA secured the ufllcer's
riile and cartridge belt without creating
any alarm. When he arose from the
table he was too drunk 10 miss II and
the old Mexican was TOO crafty 10 come
out and make any Inquiries Ills policy
was TO conciiiate us and lul suspic-
Ion. lie Invited al hands To come in
aud drink with him, ana whom this
met with refusal he sent Us out sov-
eral bottles nf wine, They were laid
aside untouched
AZ 8 o'clock | entered the house to
nlgNFNn fhN
round him In n drunken sleep on the
couch with pepita caresslng his hand.
was reminded that he had ordered
the safe brought into tho house but
blunty replied that u would remain
whore II was, ! was a good mind 10
nave the major carried out and placed
IN me ambulance aud then drive on
soNerhl nlIes ana mako u now camp,
hut gave up the Idea when / reflected
what his feelings toward me would be
next day. He was drunk and helpless
III the hands OF the enemy. and II thore
was trouble the escort must meet IL
without helm from him.
! was no sooner outdoors than IL woa
reported that a light had been placed
~ west window " the cabin, doubt.
less as signal, aud that mon had
1ren seen skullSing In the darkness,
There was no question but that a gang
was ON the ground to attack us and
secure the money. The opru shed Of
tcrod but poor defense. The country
for several miles around was hat. with
out thicket or ravinc, There was noth-
ing ON hand to maize breastworll. and
" attacked we should be exposed TO a
IRE from thrce directions. After look
ing the ground over | determined to
take possession OF the house, We got
the safe down from the amhulanco and
the irst thing old paridn knew Of our
plan four men staggered In with IT,
followed by the rest OF the troop.
The old rascal must have realized
that we scented danger and were pre-
pared TO meet 1t, but he never changed
countcnance. With open hands and
Bringing shoulders he babe us make
ourselves at home, and pepita at once
set nbout preparing drink for us all
For q few minutes | was half ashamed
Of my action In invading the cabin
and was almost convinced that the
two people Were Innocent of any evil
intent. Then something occurred to
prove that both We're accomplished
hypocrtes. The old man made nm
excuse TO enter one of the bcdrnoms
and was caught by the foot Just as
he was escaping from the window. As
he was drawn back the girl made a
dash for the front door, ana when
seized she displayed such temper and
vlrdictiveness that she had TO he bound
hand ana foot. The father was dashed
to one OF the couchcs, and when he
saw the game was mp he cursed and
rcviled us aud declared that not one
OF us would be left alive by midnight.
| have spoken or the house as adobe,
II was built OF snds, stones, poles aud
sun-drlcd brick There were two win
dows at the back, one ON the north Side
and a window and door on the fronts
e.. IN la. ,....
turned the horses and mules loose and
carried our snddlcs In with Us. For
hnlf an hour after securing the Oh man
and his daughter we We're busy block
ing up doors and windows and making
loopholea to fire through, and we had
not yet finished when n gang number
ing twcnty-siN men surrounded the
house. and we were called upon to
surrender the safe or take the con
sequences. If we would pass out the
safe they would ride away and leave
MS If we refused, not one OF us would
lcnyc the place alive, our shouts OF
defiance had scarcely been uttered
when IRE was opened. While only
twenty-slN men had been counted,
there were thlrly-thrce In the attack
ing force and all were desperate men,
For an hour they fired at the door ANA
wIndowa and la0pholes The first
bullet that entered the cabin killed the
major. who was stlll under the effects
OF iIauor and the second wounded the
girl In the arm,
In the hour we had two men wounded
but none Killed. We returned the fire
20 hotly that our nssallants decided to
try some other plan. The ambulance
was nllcd with hay and set on Ore and
bnckod to the door. We killed two OF
the men engaged In this move mud the
wind blew the flames back from the
house. and only the vehicle was con-
gumed They next tired the shed and
n hnystack near It, but though the
house was filled with smoke nothing
worse happened, Then ten mon APP
preached the door with drift log from
Inc crock as n bnttering ram, but we
shot three and the rest ran away.
After this we were ngam asked to
surrender tho safe. and when de-
Oant answer was returned there was n
general fuslade lasting until daylight
IL was lust dying away when GA
parlda was Killed and the girl fatally
wounded. and at almost inc same mo-
ment two soldiers We're klled ANA one
wounded During the night ne was
nfterward known, we Killed seven nl
inc assnllnuta and wounded SIX, ana,
,iiscouragod over their losses, they
scattered NJ dnyreak and made Tor me
Illls The plan had bcen to get the
major drunk and then fall upon me
eaeort ma wipe out every man ana
carry on the safe. and had the oll
Nexicnn had his wits about MN ana
barred ns out OF the house moot man
Of us would have escaped the siaush-