The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-08-12
A LYNCHING PREVENTED
By The Nerve Of Sheriff Fly, Who An.
nOunced 10 The Mob His Intention
TO MAKE A HARD FIGHT FOR PRISONER
Leaders Realized that the Best Thing
to Do Under the Circumstances Was
to Withdraw and This Was Done.

Gonzales, Texas, August ll.-At 1880
o'clock this morning the chances were good
for Gregorlo Cortez to follow his brother,
Ramon Cortez. who died Friday at karnes
City from the effects of the pistol shot
received at the time Of the murder OF
Sherin Morris. Yesterday evening It was
noticed that there Mere a few mn in town
who were not In the habit Of being here
Saturday evening.
Sherin Fly, who had returned from Aus
tlr at noon, said nothing, but was on the
lookout After supper he and his chief
deputy, L. L. Chenault, went to The Jail
to stay all night, his jaller, f. p. Colley,
oil course, being there. While very few
persons expected any trouble or believed
that an attempt would be made 10 take
Nortez out of jail, still a close observer
could see that something was brewing. IN
TO midnight the town WAS about as usual
ana then the saloons all CLOSED and the
streets were deserted. just MS the court
house clock struck / a body Of men rode
into town on the bridge road from the
west side of the river, looking like a COM
pIny of cavalry on the march, Quietly aud
quickly as trained sold erS could have done
they rode 70 the chain fence that incoseS
the court house and idil dismounted. tied
thelr horses and surrounded the Jail. Tue
street lights and two or three ilgh.s in the
second story OF the court house lit up thu
scEne except where the shadows of trees
ard buildings fell
After a few moments a crowd of men
went TO the front door of the Jail and
the dark Jail The leader orSspokesman
then, called Sheriff FLY, who went to a win
dow in the lower storS near the front door
ana asked what was wanted. The man
tod MN that they had come after Cortez
but were friends of Fly and would not
hatm him or any one else.
The sherln told them that they could not
get the Mexican, They then got some
axes and crowbar from the fire house
and attacked the front door, which Is
strongly barred. Finding that they could
tng scantling ana drove 1t against the
door once or twice.
sheriff Fly told them they must stop or
fired his pistol once above the men, ana
this stopped %oceedlngs for time
The leader and the sheriff theu hnd an.
other talk. in which the crowd was plainl 2
told by Ely what the penalty was for
lynchtng man and also what the law was
IA regard to an officer allowing a mob to
take prisoner away from his possession.
This seemed to stagger the crowd consider.
ably.
While the men were working at the front
door several guns aud pistols were showed
toward the windows AMI the three officers
could see them and hear the click Of tho
guns very plainly rs they were cooked and
too near Tor comfort. The rest OF The
men were around the Jail, hut perfectiy
quiet Sheriff Fly finally succeeded In talk.
ing the men out of any furthcr attempt on
ms sworn duty. aud that he valued his
honor as an officer and d man moro THAI
lie itself. To the credit of the men who
came mere this morning determined to
INnch Cortez Ii must be said that they
DenaNeu well under the circumstances. and
when their leaders realized the situation
they were placing themselves aud the
sheriff In they agreed to 1lsnersH A. Z
clock nearly every man had left town,
and by $3.50 everything was as que u
peaceful as If there had been no disturb
n Vx-a1,. fp,tI l.r 4.
going out of town toward the south and
also east, but this morning very few people
"a Gonzales knew that a serious and prob
ably 1atal trouble had threatened the town
Sherh Ely deserves the greatest credit for
The manner In which he handled the sitna-
There were about $50 men In all In tho
crowd and about rty or thesn had hana.
kefchlefS lied over the lower part Of their
faces Ihe fact that telephone message
Was received here about 10 o'clock from
san Antonio saying that an attempt would
be made to lynch Cortez led some To think
mere We're some karnes county men IN the
crowd. II Is thought that the grea er part
Of the crowd was from the west side of Tho
river. The fact that the death Of two
grave Officers and q good citizen Henry
SchnabeQ is charged to Cortez and the
general belief that he viii never be hanged
by law aroused the feelings Ut the citiz1,us
and eliminated In the fruitless attempt
Cortez was awake when the ialI was nj
tackled and in, talk with him today he
Sald that he thought they would get him
lie was badly frightened and his cellnate
O. white mani says that Cortez trembled
IKE leAf. He prayed while The men
were hammering Mt the door He saws
that he fears they will hang him when
ne Is taken 10 Karnes county,
II is thought now that there will he no
more trouble, and that Cortez will he al
for trial.
Sheriff Fly took Cortez to san Antonio
TINS evening via San Marcos. Everything