El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-26

OF Eagle F66S, bQou COD IdluluS b pup
ulation of 1 500, not counting q small
army post, Fort Duncan, which stood
mile south of 1t. Three miles west
of Fishers house the main country
road forked. One prong ran by his
front door; the other ran two miles
| to the rear of his home, making con-
siderable detour. They Joined again
| three miles further on. At the fork
Fisher nailed board Oh tree bear
road. The other ia King Fishers
road" For two years he actually
forced every man in Uvalde and DIM
mitt counties who travelled that route
to go two miles out of his way. Violation
of the order meant shooting and prob
ably death, nor was there any one Of
this hardy frontier population bold
was. Fishers amusement to ride oEagle
Pass, arrive there at midday, firing q
six-shooter with each hand and yelling:
"Close up, damn you, close up" All
over town doors and window blinds
could be heard banging to as mer-
chants, saloon keepers and peaceful
housholders hurried to obey the man
date. In fifteen minutes after the des-
pert ruffian's arrival the town would be
as silent as the tomb and apparently
tenantless. Then Fisher would COM
mand some barnan to open, drink to
his fill, issue permission for the re-
sumption of business, and either ride
away or stay to gamble. This he did
twenty times and was never scratched.
One night in an Eagle Pass monte
room his luck had gone against him
some remark rejecting upon the
honesty of the dealer. Sitting next to
him was Mexican named Manuel Es-
trada, who came from Piedras Negras.
Without q word Manuel arose. drew q
dsggerpressed the point Of it against
the apple in Fishers throat, fret tilt
ing back his chin with his: hand, fore
the door to the sidewalk, dfsarmed
him, ordered him to mount his horse
and leave town, and SO that he did 1t.
All of the time he 'saw pouring upon
Fisher every objurgation and form OF
abuse of which the Spanish language
is capable, nor did the desperate utter
q word of protest. He cringed instead
like Z beaten hound. His nerve
seemed to melt, turn to water
said afterward picturesquely that there
wasn't anything inside of him except
wind. and that was cold. He never
again attempted to close up Eagle
Pass at midday. He never fred shot
in anger at another man. He was
changed utterly, from his $50 boots to
his $3.50 hat. He became q reformed
proved singularly efficient in hunting
down criminals, and was killed along
his companions, and WAS killed along
with Ben Thompson in Jack Harris
theatre sat San Antonio, in 1864, not
because he was drunk or dangerous,
but because he was in bad COM
pany.
Manuel Estrada, forsaking monte for
the more profitable pursuit of cattle
ers and established his headquarters ON
the Mexican side of the river twenty
miles below old Fort Ewell, Tex. Here
for time he lived . merry life and
cleared money. It was his custom to
come into Texas, gather fifty head of
COWS, run them across the river, sell
them at half price, leaving to the pur-|
chasers the task of altering the brands,
and come back again. Often he made
. trip . week, and the American stock
men would have given . good deal for
his scalp. To him came one Pabline
Coy, apparently q Mexican rustler out |
of work really detective employed by |
the State of Texas and q member of |
the rangers. Coy WAS with Manuel for |
. month, and learned all that he cared |
to know of the methods Of the bandit. |
l.
ing expedition to this state, left him |
camped one night near the Altita pen,
rode to the rendezvous of the rang
ers thirty miles away, reported pro-
gress and started to rejoin Manuel next |
day at noon. he had with him two |
other Mexican rangers named Quirino |
and Victor. Their purpose was to cap
lure or kill the freebooter that night.
Near sunset they were riding in chap
1aoo
On either. hand of them. A goat
trail ran through it. They were 10
single file with Coy in front. They were
going at the slow fox trot Of the 'front.'
tier horse, which does much travelling.
They came to place whore q mes
quite tree had blown down across the
patch. The goats had made a way
they started around it they were met
by Manuel coming at a hrnd gallop.
The meeting was utterly unexpected.
The rustler caught glimpse of Quiri-
no and Victor behind Coy, aud knew in
the thousandth part of second
that he had been betrayed
aud the game was up. His jaw
dropped, he turned a sickly pallor IN
Ter his yellow skin. and his hand fell
toward the butt end of the
carbine under his right
knee. He did not have even the pres
snce of mind to throw up his arms.
For the fret and only time in his life
} wave of cowardice swept over him
and submerged him. He said only in a
zone of reproach: sob, Pablino, ca
goat!" which in Mexican is very bit
ter opprobrium, indeed. Then Coy shot
him in the breast, and Quirino and
Victor, in order to take q hand and be
able to report good work to their
captain, shot him also, The question
low lie: Of whom is Coy afraid and
when will he meet him?
All OF which goes to prove, as Hank