The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-19
q. -.
WAS
A FIGHTER
Anecdotes Of the Noted
Rough Rider
KILLED AT SANTIAGO.
Defended the Army's Nam: and
Saved Woman and Children.
HOW HE cOwEDAcOwB0Y BULLY

dav was very well known I'm San Fran
cisco. says the Examiner OF that city.
The captain was a thorough soldier.and
a fighter who descended from family |
of fighters. Capron stood feet III |
inches, weighed 100 pounds, and was
an excellent boxer. While he was out
at the Preside he defeated every man
who made any pretensions OF being
boxer.
when we were up In Coveio In
Round Valley a few years ago i saw
Capron take the fire out Of a fresh
cowboy In a style that was positively
artistic" said Corporal Batchford OF
Troop c, Of the Fourth Cavalry, at the
Preside. Ratchford was In Troop -
when Capron was non n-commissioheu
officer in that command, and was
bosom friend of the Santiago hero dur
ing the early part of their military ser
vice.
"It happened this way. Capron and
I went into O'Reilly's hotel In Covelo
| and ordered a drink at the bar. A num-
| ber of George Whites vaqueros were
| i'm the place and one OF them mace
| guess that he had a chance for enter
| tainment at the expense OF Capron. IL
| was the custom up there whenever a
| stranger showed himself In saloon 10
| ask him to dance with the alternative
of stopping the contents Oh siN-
| shooter.
| Get out there and let's see you
dance, a half drunken cowboy shouted
| TO Capron, rather complacently twiri-
| ing a six-shooter on his finger.
A COWBOY COWED.
"Capron turned, saw the cowboy and
his gun and then resumed the CONVEX
sation with me. The COWBOY oiuh
like this and he shouted again. TINS
time lending IA little emphasis TO ths
command by clicking the hammer OF
the revolver. Capron heard the click
and evidently thought 1t was time 10
do something. He took off his belt ana
his campaign hat and laid them on the
bar. Then he walked quietly over TO
| the vaquero and without a woro
snatched the pistol and tossed IL over
hut AZ didn't. Caprop waited until ne
heard one or two epithets and then he
sailed into that cowboy. FOR lew
minutes it looked as II there would
surely be an increase In the mortaIty
Of CoveIo The last saw OF the Fellow
was when Capron lifted him from ,,aI,, tns
floor. raised him in the air and actualiy
pitched him through the SWINGING
doors. The cowboy came back after
awhile. pretty much damaged. he
shook hands with Capron and apollo
gized.
"T thought broncho was pretty
tough. he said, but some tnings al,
tougher.' and he looked regretfully a.
capron. 'Barkeep, gimme some whis
key and surgeon :,
Private Fisher, of Troop y, who Il
| now at the Presidio. was with Captall
) Capron in Mendicino county, IN iSSl
+ during the troubles between the In
, dians and cattle men. Fisner mao Ell
listed with Capron at Fort Myer. va
r n couple of years before. and the tw
: were warm friends.
y "Capron was a quiet. gentlemanl
!, sort of fellow ordinarily, Flshe
; said. but ne was worse than pack
4 age of cyclones when his anger rose.
r saw n good sample OF II I'm Mendicint
and the incident shows also how littl
Capron cared about danger. He SCENE
i. to have been born without fear, an
many OF his actions In the quiet pos
: routine showed long ago that he ma
: the making OF hero In him.
e A CATTLEMAN THRAsHED.
II zone day as we were lcunging ou'
a side of our tents burly cattlema
walked up near the place where Capro
q was sitting. He had a pistol In his be
e and enough liquor aboard to make hi
IS An the mood TO use It, Capron, WI
:, was sergeant at that time. was in n
= shirt sleeves and was unarmed. III
cattleman began to abuse every OIL
within hearing, denounced the arm
~ and took special pains TO Insult Capro
" He was invited to move on, out
"A | refused. Capron rose from his sto
:. and the cattleman Immediately DIRE
10 his six shooter, cooked IL and aimed
l. at the sergeant. Most men Wouiu ma
d been a bit nervous, but. even unarm'
" as he was. II didn' seem TO poth
"A | Capron in the least. He started iowa
J" the man, and we expected every insta
he to see the flash of that revolver. {
De nron's boldness must have taken all e
no nerve out of the cattleman, for Capr'
:, managed to get close enough 10 snat
III the weapon. Then he mixed with ]
would-be murderer, and no one ev
had a higher regard for the pugins'
re prowess OF United states soldier TN
,y that unfortunate cattieman wheh
= staggered off to Covelo TO count up
injuries
n INCIDENT ON THE PREsIDIo.
Army officers and national guard
10 men have not forgotten notable IN
RS dent on the Presidio grounds In I
nd early part OF 1898, when the coura
n. and superb horsemanship OF CaprI
saved the lives of woman and J
two children. IL was on morn, MORN
viii when the First Troop OF Califorl
i've cavalry, then under the command
40 Captain Blumenberg. was at drill
10 the large parade ground. Serge'
ion Capron was Interested In the drill
the troopers and sat on his horse
the main road watching the evolutic
hat A light carriage drawn by two spiri
rho horses entered at the Lombard z
- and proceeded In the direction OF
'rn' most buildings. In the vehicle were
In elderly woman and two little girls
OF carriage passed Capron and when 40
n, a hundred yards west OF his post
something scared the horses and I
nan bolted along the drive az terrific y.
nan turning into side road and rncing
rds io,,sly on broken half grade.
-, capron kicked the spurs into
Phs horse in an instant and dashed arc
Ints the slope 10 intercept the team. w
was he reached the road again the team
, IN approaching on mad gallon. The of
saw no time could be lost II the live
nat the woman and children were e
ght saved. At the risk of his own lifs
Rht trotted into the centre OF the soad
two waited for the collision with the te
The two carriage horses eontir