The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-12
the OUTLAW TEXAS STEER.
Twelve Cowboys Were Required to Rope
Old Geronimo,

AUSTIN, Tex. Nov. 4 George W. Sanders
has an outlaw steer on his ranch in Fro county.
southwest Of here The animal is known To
nearly every cowboy in southwest Texas lie
was named Geronimo more than twelve years ago,
and he has lived up TO his name in every respect
Geronimo is a tytical long horn Texas steer.
He now weighs nearly two thousand pounds and
has always been master of tho herds with which
he ran He was born sixteen years ago on a ranch
In Uvalde county and when mere calf II took
three cowboys TO rope and hold him while the
branding iron was put TO his left shoulder lie
grew rapidly and soon became tie leader in the
Franks played by the cattle on the ranch. lie
was the leader Of all stampedcs. and many long
and weary chase did he cause the cowboya When
he was two years old his owner included him In the
sale Of lot OF other cattle, and force Of cowboys
started in to round them up and drive them to tho
railroad shipping pens. Geronimo seemed to
know the object Of the roundup and bolted the
herd before the pasture fence was reached and
took dozen other cows with him The cow
boys chased the boilers many miles and finally
got all Of them except Geronimo back into tho
herd. Geronimo WAS ropcd several times, but he
broke the lnrlat and with toss Of his head and
snort OF denson at his pursucrs continued on and
on until the effort to capture him was given up
With the disappearance Of this herd Geronimo
Jumped dozen wire pasture fences and took up
with large herd OF cattle on ranch in Edwards
county
When Geronimo was o years old he was placed
with hord Of cattle with which no had been run
ming for several months and an effort was made
to drive them to lIondo City. on the Southern
Pacific road for shipment to the Kansas City
market. Tho shipping pens werc about two
days drive from the ranch and everything went
smoothly until the second night The herd had
been rounded up for the night and the moon
was shining brightly no apprehension Of a STAN.
pcdc felt by the cowboys There were three
COW boys on guard during the first half Of the
night, and they rode round and round the herd.
All the animals wero lying down and everything
WAS perfectly quiet when Geronimo suddenly
got on his feet and with snort and below rushed
| in and out among the awakening animals and
| whole herd after him at full tilt The cowboys
declare that there was no excuse for the STAN
prTic and that Geronimo caused IL out Of pure
| neanncss 1hcro were about two thousand head
Of cattle in the herd and they ran for forty miles
before they STOPPED The cowboys kep. close
and turn the course Of the herd When the herd
| quit running on account Of sheer exhaustion
! II In dsdnin aud then bounded of alone into
the wilderness Of mesquite bushes as II satisfied
| with his nights sport
The animal criminal Of the plains was found
| few days later with another herd In Uvolde
c CT n lie soon had ,his herd eopmitnng
favored shooting, the outlaw eeer, but the COW
boys had learned Of his pas, repu,nuSn and ad.
many day trying to rope and subduo Geronimo,
| I hoy roped him several lines but before no could
was on his iret and away in another Instant
| In 1854 hand Of Mexican thieves made a raid
on the Bar l. ranch where Geronimo was staying
| al the time and drove OF the herd Tho thieves
| got tho cattle into tho mountains OF Brewster
county, and then Geronimo led a stampede and
took the herd all the way back to the ranch Tho
thieves pursued the running herd for several
miles and then fearing detection. abandoned the
| chase.
Geronimo met with his FIRST defea, in 1898
In the November roundup in that year a day
was set aside for another eiiort TO capture We
| old outlaw. Cowboys from all tho neighboriag
ranches wer. invited TO b. present. When the
day came There was gathering Of The most adep,
al capturing Geronimo, The spor, began early
| in tho morning Each cowboy was 10 have a
the trial was next TO Dc made in psirs Then in
triples, and 81 on until all N. participants made
united and concerted onslaught on the wary
+ Geronimo There have b~rn many other ropna
contests In Texas. but none Of them equsIled
the one on this ranch in Jvalde county on N,
Cowboy ai,~r cowboy wen, down before the Alert
ness and strength Of Geronip1 until every p.rtio
mao .ra aa s9s spn
III" performance, and in each instance defeat wa,
recorded Old Geronimo seemed TO en- oy tn
Der Of ropers no encountered At once increased
h. evidently saw that his inish was approaching
The large pasture and il required quick actor
on the part Of the cowboys TO prevent lhet ponie,
from being gorcd by the animal nm n.y. IN,
team Of ropers numbered twelve and their con
ccred charge on tho OUTLAW resulted in every
rrpe nndng lodgment on either The legs or horn
ofthe animal. Geronimo made desperate strug
gle for freedom but ne was finally bound strons
and fast lie was then placed 10 wagon anC
hauled to Uvnlde and shipped TO his present hom'
in Fro county.
Upon arriving atMr Sanders's ranch Geronim,
was placed in 4 mall enclosure from which 60
cape was made In possible by high plank osrt
fence, The old Desperate Of The plains felt hi
hunili alton 80 keenly that for one hundred dny,
he refused to eat slros, entirely and drank It'll
water. when h. had grown so weak that hi
death was looked for at any time he srbmiue'
to the inevitable and began eating He ha
fatened very rapidly and he Is now in prim
/ condition fIe Is the pride Of the stockrlen an
cowboys Of that section. Mr.. Sanders still ke-p
the outlaw In close confinement knowing ful
we'll that n he is turned into the pasture with ohc
cattle the mischief will Ire 10 play In short while