The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-12-17
MOONLIGHT BATTLE FOUGHT
DESPERATE FIGHT NEAR MANOR
BETWEEN MEXICAN OFF,
GERS AND DESPERADOES.
CONSTABLE BUCKETS TWO DEPUTIES
Make a Gallant Observation-Disclosures, a
Noted Character, at the Bottom of 1t.
Story of the Affair as Told by
the Officers.

Constable Jack Pickett of Manor yes
terday brought in Joe and Louis Lopez
two Mexicans bound over by the justice
of the peace at Manor on q charge of as.
saut to murder.
They were his deputies, and on reach.
ing Austin they were carried before
Judge Brooks on habeas corpus, who
upon hearing the testimony, PROMPTLY dis.
charged them.
The facts in the case were given as
follows: Sunday last Constable Pickett
heard that Mexican desperate named
John Mendez, a fugitive from justice,
was in camp near Elgin. He summoned
Joe and Louis Lopez to go with him to
capture the man, he going down on the
train to Elgin and Joe and Louis going
| horseback
From Elgin the party went out to Men
Mexicans, whom Constable Pickett saw
in Manor just before he left, found in
the camp, told the story. They suspect
| ed Constable Puckett's mission, and,
mounting horses, hurried to Mendez'
camp and warned him of danger His
clothes were found in the camp.
| Officer Pickett and his deputies then
returned to Elgin and the constable there
suggested that if they would return to
| the camp about Z O'Clock they might cap
ture their man.
1t was concluded to try the scheme,
and at Z o'clock Officer Pickett again
visited the camp, but Mendez was not
in, nor were his clothing. He had return
ed to the camp and carried them off while
| Constable Pickett was waiting in Elgin
to make the second raid.
He then returned to Elgin to take the
train back to Manor, and Joe and Louis
Lopez started back on their horses.
| When within about two miles and a
half of Manor, riding along chatting in
the moonlight, they were suddenly fired
upon, and turning, they saw Mendez and
the two young men seen in his camp.
They were there for business and
cracked away at Joe and Louis Lopez
at lively rate.
They have the reputation of being
brave men and promptly returned the
fire, and the fight continued for many
minutes. Joe Lopez horse became un,
ruly under fire and one of his stirrur
feathers breaking, he was thrown and his
horse got away.
Louis Lopez had his horse severely
wounded in one of his hind legs. He and
| Joe stood their ground and Mendez and
his gang retreated. The Lopezes thought
| they had killed one of the gang and SO
reported when they reached Manor, but
this proved to be untrue. AT Manor they
told of the fight and supposed killing of
man and surrendered to Constable
Puckett's brother.
| They were permitted to go to the scene
of the fight to see if they could get their
horses, and while there Constable Puck
EFT reached Manor from Elgin, and learn
ing of the fight, he and a Mr.. Darling
ton at once started for the locality to see
! if they could find the dead man and to
assist the I.opezes in recovering their
horses.
| Within a short distance of where the
| fight occurred they saw two men of from
the road short distance, standing on
the Central railroad track. They recog-
nized them as Joe and Louis Lopez. A
moment after the two Mexicans began
running towards Pickett and Darlington
and not far behind them there loomed
up gang of eight or ten Mexicans in
pursuit.
Constable Pickett and Darlington
| jumped from their horses, leaped over q
| fence and went to the assistance of the
Lopezes. Constable Pickett fired his
pistol into the air and ordered the gang
1 W utll, Uul tuSy anu tooh " the
| heels He ordered Joe Lopez to take
after one of the men while he and Oar
| lington started on n dead run for n man
each. After chase of about quarter
of mile Constable Pickett caught his
man. Darlington's escaped, but Joe Lo'
per- after run, he says, of about mile,
overlook his and they had fight They
cinched, he says, and the fellow, getting
one of Joe's fingers in his mouth. would
not turn it loose until Lopez whacked
him over the head with n sixshooter. He
was cut pretty bad, and when turned
over to Constable Pickett was bleeding
| freely.
He and others charged that the
Lopezes had assaulted them with intent
to murder, and the Manor justice bound
them over to appear before the grand
jury for investigation, and they were
brought in yesterday for that purpose.
The grand jury was winding up its
business and could not make the lnvesti-
cation and they had habeas corpus
hearing, us stated, and were discharged.
| Joe Lopez is the Mexican that John
Mendez attempted to assassinate last
June. He shot Mt him five times, three
bullets taking effect, from which ne came
very near dying. Mendez is now fugi-
| tive for this act. 1t is believed that he
and his gang will yet succeed in killing
both Joe and Louis Lopez, and Consta-
BILE Pickett, fearless officer, is by no
means safe from their murderous as
saults.