The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-23
cAraoN,s Aors or HEnoIs,1.
Anecdotes of the Famous Rough
Rider killed mt santiago.


Capt. Allyn Capron Of Roosevelt 3
Rough Riders, who was killed in the bat
tie of La Quasina in Cuba the other day,
was very well known in San Francisco.
The captain was through soldier, and
fighter who descended from family Of
fighters. Capron stood . feet Il inches,
weighed 1870 pounds, and was an excellent
boxer. While he was out at the Preside
he defeated every man who made any pre-
tensions of being a boxer.
"Wben we were up I'm Covelo in Round
VALLEY a few years ago I saw Capr0u lake
the fire out of a fresh cowboy an "a style
that was positively artistic said Corpl.
Ratchford of Troop c, Of the Fourth Cav
airy at the Preside. Ratchford was In
Troop B when CaprOn was non-com-
missioned officer in that command and
was a bosom friend of the Santiago hero
during the early part of their military
service
1T happened this way Capron and
went into O'Reilly's hotel in Covolo and
ordered a drink at the bar. A number of
George Whites Vaqueros were I'm the
place and one OF them made a guess that
he had a chance for entertainment ~ the
expense of Capron. 1t was the custom up
there whenever a stranger showed him
self in a saloon to ask him to dance with
the alternative of stopping the contents
of a six-shooter.
'"Get out there and let's see you dance"
a half-drunken cowboy shouted TO Capron,
rather complacenuy twlrling six-shoot7
er on his finger.
"Capron turned saw the cowboy and his
gun and then resumed the conversation
with me. The cowboy didn't like this and
he shouted again, this time lending a
little emphasis to the command by click
tno hsar, s,ff r.1Kr
heard the click ana evidently thought II
was time to do something. He took off
his belt and his campaign hat ana laid
them on the bar. Then he walked quietly
over to the vaquero and without a word
| snatched the pistol and tossed il over to
me. | thought that might end ii. but IL
! dtdn t. CeprOn waited until he heard ono
or two epithets and then he sailed into
! that cowboy. For a few minutes it look
/ ed as If there would surely be an increase
In the mortality of Covelo. The last
saw of the fellow was when Capron lifted
| him from the floor, raised him in the air
and actually pitched him through the
| after a while, pretty much damaged He
! shook hands with Capron and apologizcd.
I thought a broncho was pretty tough
! he said, but some things are tougher
/ and he looked regretfully al Cap~on.
! 'Barkeep, gimme some whisky ana a sur
! geon. "
! Private Fisher of Troop B. who is now
/ at the Preside, was with Capt, Capron
| I'm Nendicino county, in 1892 during the
| troubles between The Indians ana cattle
! men. Fisher had enlisted with Capron at
| Fort Myer Va, a couple of years before,
/ and the two We're warm friends
| "Capron was a quiet, gentlemanly sort
of fellow ordinarily,' Fisher said, but
he was worse than a package of cyclones
! when his anger rose. ! saw a good sam
! pie of it i'm Mendioino, and the incident
/ shows also how little Capron cared about
/ danger He seemed to have been born
! without fear, and many of his actions in
! the quiet post routine showed long ago
! that he had the making of hero in him
/ "One day as We We're loungiug outside Of
| our tents a burly caiteman walked up
/ near the place where Capron was sitting
/ lie had a pistol in his belt and enough
! liquor aboard to make him in the mood 10
! use it, Capron, who was a sergeant at
! that time, was in his shirt sleeves and was
unarmed. The cattleman began to abuse
/ every one within hearing. depouhced the
army, and took special pains to insult Ca
prom.
"He was invited to move on but he re-
! fused Capron rose from his STOOL and the
! cattleman Immediately drew his six
shooter, cooked it and aimed it at The ser
! geant. Most men would have been a bit
! nervous, but even unarmed as he was, il
! didn't seem to bother Carron in the least.
| He started toward The man. and we ex-
! pected every instant to see the flash of that
! revolver. Caprons boldness must have
taken all the nerve out of the catteman,
/ for Capron managed to get close enough
| TO snatch the weapon. Then he mixed with
| his would-be murderer and no one eyer
! had higher regard for the pugilistic
! prowess of a United States solder than
that unfortunate catueman when he stag
] frs4F of 10 70 lat
| jures."
| Army officers and national guardsmen
! nave not forgotten notable incident on
| the Preside grounds in The early part of
/ 1893, when the courage and superb horse
| manship of Capron saved the lives OF a
woman and her two chi dren. 1t was on a
morning when the First Troop of CaHGor-
MIA Cavalry, then under the command of
Capt. Blumenberg, was a. drill on he large
parade ground. Sergt Capron was inter
ested in the drill Of the troopers ansS sat
on his horse on the main road watching
the evolutions. A light carriage drawn by
two spirited horses entered at the Lom-
bard gate. and proceeded In the direction
of the post buildings. in the vehicle We're
an elderly woman and two little girls.
The carriage passed CaprOn and when
about 100 yards west of his position some
thing scared the horses and they boted
along the drive at terrific pace turning
fiitO q sue IodN ana Idtltl5 luTl0QsLY on a
broken half grade.
Capron kicked the spurs Into his horse
in an instant and dashed around the slope
10 intercept the team. When he reached
| the road again the team was approaching
on a mad gailop. The officer saw no time
| could be LOST If the lives of the woman
and children We're to be saved. Al the risk
of his own life he trotted into the center
Of the road and waited for the collision
with the team. The two carriage horses
continued their wild run, and in a few mo-
ments had crashed against the troop horse
of Capron. He dropped his own reins, and
! leaning over his horses head caught both
! runaways by the bride. The three horses
reared and fought. Capron was lifted out
OF the saddle, but he held the bride reins
and compelled The infuriated animals 70
stop. The carriage was badly damaged,
but the occupants escaped without a
scratch.
FLEXIBLE ARMOR.