The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-15


matter, I'll burn the town before morn
ing.
A little before daylight Of the next
day joaquin visited a gambling estab-
lishment in the town. The game of monte
was the fashionable amusement in those
days, and the bandit learning that there
was about $4,000 backing the bank. COM
menced to bet against the cards. He con
manner, losing considerable money. None
or the gamblers recognized him, for he
was in one of his numerous DISCUSSES, and
when he rose to leave they urged him to
return. He told them he would soon come
back and If he had luck, would break the
bank. Joaquin returned in l1s3s than half
an hour with some of his band, and walk
ing up TO the man who was dealing. said
to him: Now your bank is broker and
shot him dead. Two men who were sitting
near the table shot at Joaquin. aiming
carefully at his heart. but as he always
wore chain armor under his clothing,
the balls had no effect. The band then
killed three of the gamblers, the others
making their escape. The leader ordered
his men to gather all the money they could
find, and they left the town in a hurry.
Residents of the place who were up early,
saw party of horsemen fleeing from the
town In great haste. but had no idea that
they were the gang of Joaquin until
Morgan appeared and told them how clev-
erly the bandit had gotten a thou
sand dollars from him the evening be-
fore.
Murietta and his band next made their
about a hundred miles from Calaveras.
They surprised it in the night, robbed the
astonished Cinnamon of all their gold dust
and other valuables, making a rich haul.
In 1854, Joaquin made a famous tour
through California by night in which he
raided stores, robbed banks, and murder
ed dozens of innocent Americans on the
roads and the mountain trails. At last
the authorities were compelled to offer
a reward Of 5000 for his body, dead or
alive. Shortly after the proclamation offer
ing the reward a company OF twenty-five
men under a Mr.. ByFnes, a splendid shot
with the rife. and Mr.. Love, organized
for the capture of Joaquin. The party
followed the bandits for several months
but the villains had fortified themselves
so strongly and securely in the mountains
that 1t appeared impossible to discover
their rendezvous, from which they con-
tinued to make raids upon the freight
caravans, stages and towns; always be-
ing able to return with their plumber to
their retreat. After a long and unsuc-
cessful search, Byrnes and his party one
day met Mexican boy, who had been
herding sheep on mountain, and who
had come down into the settlement for a
fresh supply of provisions.
Byrnes inquired of him whether he
knew of any party secreted in the hills
where his f1ocks grazed. The boy told him
that he had noticed number of men and
horses IN a little valley near where he
watched his sheep; he had often seen
smoke curling up from the timber, but
he had no idea who camped there The
young Mexican was Immediately hired to
guide Byrnes and his men to the place
Upon his arriving at his sheep pasture he
pointed to sequestered place between
two lofty mountains, and with his glass
Byrnes distinctly observed twenty-five or
thirty horses feeding. All of the scout
ing party were well armed with both
rifles and reVolVers. Byrnes feeling sure
of capturing the bandits, he took the lead
and marched down the steep trail toward
the hidden camp. After cautiously pro-
ceeding for some distance they could
plainly see the robbers in the brush, some
smoking, some attending to their horses
and others lying idly around on the grass,
little suspecting that their end was so
near. Everything seemed to favor the al
lacking party. The gang of desperadoes
had just returned from a Successful raid
and by the time Byrnes and his men ar
rived within close range, were all seated
around a rude table, celebrating their
good fortune in drinking. The signal for
the attack was the firing of Byrnes' rife;
he gave it by taking good aim at Joa-
quins head, putting ball in the bandit
chiefs skull near the left eye, which kill
The remainder Of the bandits. twelve in
number, were all Killed at the first vol
ley, with the exception of Three fingered
Jack" who jumped on horse and at
tempted to escape, but was oyertaken.
He turned upon his pursuers, firing sew
eral shots at them from his revolver,
wounding one man in the side He was
then called upon to surrender His reply
was that he preferred to be shot rather
than hung and he would not surrender
He was accordingly shot dead from his
horse They cut off the hand that had
but three fingers upon it, eS an evidence
of his death, and, taking it with them,
returned to where Joaquin was killed, cut
off his head. and carries their trophies
to San Francisco. f.s
Their arrival in San Francisco created
great excitement, but many doubts were
expressed whether the head they had
brought had really belonged to the shout
ders of the Infamous joaquin. Finally,
to remove all doubt and to enable the
captors to obtain the reward the wife
of the bandit chief was sent for. She
was residing with some friends not far
away, and on her arrival said that If it
was the head of her husband, they would
nation revealed the scar as she had de-
scribed it, When the head was afterward
brought into her presence, she pronounc-
ed it her husbands. The reward was
then paid.