The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-27
THE INN WASADEATHT TRAP
sWTFT DEALING WITH BANDITS BIZ
A MEXICAN OFFICER

the ndfs or an Auericau Traveller VINE hn-
sistea Upou vanturipG late n nest or Res-
er,-Ths Hate or the Bandits sees Settled.
"A Mexican army officer did a goodsturn
for me very cleverly once, and It cured
mo. Of the idea that n military commander OF
bisfaoo cannot do his duty except with declama-
ton and pronunciumentos,'' said L. M. Pos
ton or Zacatccas, who Is visiting friends In this
city. 81 am not likely to forget tho circum'
stance. for without doubt IL saved me from
having my throat cut. II wns in Zacatecas
some twenty years ago that. dining with the
comanddntc, Col. Enrique Duran, i mon
toned that l should start on horseback for San
Rafael noxt morning.
az suppose, senior, you are aware that the
route YOU arc TO take has n bad nnmo for brig.
andaRo.' he said. Shall I provide you with
an escortf
81 had hoard Of the bandits that infested the
San Rafael trail, and Of at least a dozen rob-
berries with murder that had been committe
by them since I had come TO Zacatecas. two
years before. But I had a reason for going to
San Rafael as privately as possible. There was
a scheme on foot. backed by an English syndi-
cate, to buy the Flores group OF mines. was
to examine them as soon as 1 could. and IL my
report was favorable the deal would go through
Mt once. Until q decision was made 1t was
desirable that everything should be kept quiet.
So told the connandonfe that / thought 1
could get there all right without the escort.
"'Thc trip is too long to be made In a day.
You will stop Mt Fonda do la Venadita for the
night. he said. 'sohor, can 1 not persuade you
to postpone your journey for n day or two2 1
speak with reasons
There was something anxious and warming
In his tone, and when he advised me again to
remain at Zacatecas l half promised not to start
on the morrow. The bandit chief, Estefano
Cafhargo, who had been hunted from the San
Rafael Mountains the year before by the Fed
erai cavalry. had returned to his old haunts
w VAIN Ih tTa Rasa and 4 t Mss . faaa' on and tho SI trails iH0t that
led through the range; and one OF these trails
in the mine was worth the risk, and made my
start before ,daybreak next morning. A milo
or SO beyond tho outskirts of the city 1 met o
Government courier galloping into town; His
horse was tired and tho man was covered with
bringing to Col, Duran l should, have taken
thdtoiicer,s advice about staying in Zacatecas
after my ride came to Vcnadita' at nightfail;
great h onse and corral. The house, Of one story.
built about n court, had once, been Q ranch house
5o%aa ai or inn. The Fho landlord aneh rIA a sWar ri s s%iie !.
looking Mexican. met me at the gate Of the
courtyard, and one OF his men, as III looking as
lowed the MAJ to make sure, my horse was
rubbed down and got his feed OF barley and
oAiu p"th NV ooSN ~" e"O Jus "
Willie / was eating M. tGrtnl,ps and beans
me on the road arrived md Joined me at the
table, He was a stalwart, Renewed Mexican.
bowed. after the fashion of people who meet at
a Mexican hotel table, and a@d, ! noticed tks Il that I'll, he
served us stepped from the room a. minute the
Mexican passsd:a,note to me under the table. sig.
. nsllinF H HIth his f Sgsi dat ny w .apP nGt 70 s FSoa i
back to my room and opened, the note. 1t was
P9rdoe, is sent by me. You can trust him
ut occurred to me that while the Mexican
after my horse. When i left him in tho corral
there had been only two other animals there
no sound OF people arriving, yet now there were
a dozen, more horses there. all freshly unsad-
/ came back into the Courtyard j saw through
the ts,; open t6 doors fsh that 4, the fhps ee aPn;S Of the lnol house use Were we're
t tSs9p up tnf biz isn meal n in an the e'RRiitn eahe eo0'" r Ssi ia nd.
lord was standing ncsT the gate talking with q
aap eeSoIseFs a and a fn hes at his; b Sho h TSe q stF Psnr
mis- voice as passed. I went onto my room.
his guest go into the dining room. AS 1 stood
IN the doorway of my room the Mexican. who
's ss s'Sp When up | st roll back S.S9f Follow eS S me-. 70 This I'll;
camsreo and his band tonight. They have
not eaten yet; Our lives are not worth a me-
" uluI VIC urC mere an nOur IrOm now.
.aThi was interesting news. I waited while
Manuel Pardo stole softly down the courtyard
room. v" The HdS door Wsa "a sia are and 1Spf I c 90 Lhf be CANINE thss
sound of voices and laughter from where 1
stood. and could tell that there was a consider
took my Mexican friend a dangerously long
time to satisfy his curiosity at the door, but at
'na 3, 81 t IN &sa, end p y the court 2 ladder stood
fiat roof. pulled the ladder up after us, carried
It across the roof; and lowered IT SO ns to climb
a Against the the o% MsIl w waH Started hspv aW.y it t stsnd Ing
house on the run. Two hundred yards from
the house there, came q sharp order to halt
from a Federal c~ayalryman. and looking to
ieft.and right ! could see a line Of Others max
ing q Gordon about the house. Wo were hus-
recognized Manuel Pardo, who told him what
he had seen and guided twentE.tyo dismounted
1T was ono Of the most complete and sue.
cessful Of surprises; The soldiers all got into
work of tho bandits in the dining room. Eleven
of them were bagged-thrce Of them killed and
mos Of Of The he Others. woGTndedmbesides the land.
70 30 shot Of zaeatocss three months later. It
resort for bandits, and, what was worse, a place
where travellers eEHd Gr were murdered for their val.
were shot on n different day from the bandits
as not being worthy to die in their company.
or, camargo's band next day that no tried to
hold me back from starting for San Rafael,
son. The, courier that / had met coming into
Zacatecas brought the information that Cam.
S cS. Duran gas using on l enrn q tbs as z b rs1d sfCr3Ss
despatched Manuel Pardo to overtake and stop,
me II he could before I got to yenadita; other.
finding out all he could meantime. Two com.
panies Of cavalry had been sont to Venadita
was dark enough for them to approach the
house unobseryed."