The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-12-15

W wv iiVi& 10 IL tiISilNts
For Christmas the day at Rio seemed
suspiciously quiet. The natives did
not celebrate with the noisy enthu-
slaSm usual on such occasions. They
walked slowly aboul the narrow streets
and talked in low tones. Revolution
the coming of Danies portended trou-
BILE.
Al the beach the admiral's wife and
children and friends awaited him. They
greeted him ioyfully but quietly, for
they realized that in that hotbed of
treacherN his life was not safe. Not
that the officials about them appeared
other than friendly. Their courtesy
and cordially in itself was disquieting.
Danies must have felt the situation
was unendurable. for he Went imme-
diately TO the customs house TO have an
understanding with his enemies He
reached there safely and after a short
with him arm in arm down the beach
Iii the direction of the palace of the
general governing the district.
From the ships boat in which | was
going ashore I saw two horsemen sud
denly dash out of Il side street and
whirl past the customs house in u
cloud of dust. One was a grey-headed
man. an outlaw from the Rio Hacha
Indian reservation. known along the
coast as the husband OF Il princess of
tho tribe. Years before he had fled
IRON civilization on account of his
crimes, Il married an Indian princess
and become II man of influence. With
nm Was his son. Il boy of ID.
The riders We're armed with repeat
ing rifles, which they carried In readi-
ness for instant use. AS they passed
the custom house q man shouted and
pointed ut the w men on the beach.
Then lie disappeared II the doors of
the building We're slammed shut.
The soft SAND deadened the hoof
beats of the approaching horses and
Danies and Roderiquez, unmindful tina
assassins We're approaching from the
rear, did not realize they were iii dam
ger until the outlaw opened fire with
his rifle. The bullets kicked up the
sand before them II they turned.
Danies to receive a bullet through his
shoulder and Roderiquez to drop with
one through the body.
Jerking his horse to its launches, the
outlaw took deliberate aim at Danles,
who stood with folded arms watching
his enemy. The outlaw missed his
murk. In desperation, as the admiral
started on a run toward him, the out
law fired again and again. With a
rush the admiral was upon the muir
derer, and, drawing Il dagger, he seaped
at his enemy, stabbing him through
the left arm. Then the outlaw, cling
Ills AISHIiS ~ MS lIl6ltelcu morse, was
carried GU of harms way, while DANES
stood calmly waiting what might fol-
low.
While the assault was in progress
the lad on the horse had stopped and
with his hands s. "ead over his eyes to
blot out the horrible sight. had re-
Trained from shooting. His father evil
IDENTIFY for the first time realized that
fact. lie was wounded n was not a
good shot, while the boy, he knew, was
certain to kill IL lie attempted the deed.
Drawing his horse up beside his son.
the outlaw pointed the weapon at his
head and shouted:
shoot, or I'll kill you; l have only
one shot in my gun. bu you die IL you
do not kill those men"
~Shriek1ng in an agony OF terror the
lad begged wildly for mercy.
II can't; | can't. Oh, father, don't
make me KILL" he screamed.
Shoot OF fire" roaled the infuri-
ated OUTLAW.
Admiral Danies, With the blood stain
ms his blouse, threw wide his arms.
shoot boy. or he will Kill YOU he
crica.@
oh, God. have Mercy cried the lad,
raising Ills rifle.
one instant II poised in the air.
Then. II sharp crack. and rs the white
smoke drIfted. slowly away from the
SSN Civ lCIls " OSiLu
but mortally wounded. He rolled over
in the sand, raised himself on his elbow
and shri"kcd TO h outlaw:
Gods curses on you forever, for
ever"
Kill him: Kill him" shouted the
father. again leveling his rifle at his
son.
Again The boy fired and thu. admiral
fell back. his life blotted out.
AT this moment the snap of . re-
volvel attracted the attention OF the
outlaw. lt%oGcliquez. recovering con-
seriousness, mad drawn u small pistol
and. raising himself To his knees. he
held the weapon in both hands as his
Distinguishing eyes tried to sight the
murderer, at whom he was firing.
"Iiang-oang-bang.s spoke Roderi-
duez' gun. but the bullets went wild,
fired by Il hand already stiffening in
death. Fear enraged the outlaw. Again
his rifle was ciapped to the head of his
son. He would take no chances with
the dying man before him.
Kill" he ordered.
NO, no." sllrieted the Do,.
ltOderiquez had fallen forward on his
hands: his useless weapon had dropped
from his nervcless grasp.
Again, ] tell you; the last time. and
pc sure" shouted the outlaw.
Sobbias, the ad raised the weapon
AN instant, ana ROderfquez pitched
forward, q ballet through his brain.
1t WAS a merciful ending to the
tragedy.
The deed was done. The assassination
ordered by the enemies OF Danies and
Roderiquez was Il success. The muir
derers, putticg spurs to their horses,
raj pell nell into the now deserted
streets, racing westward toward the
reservation. Nc one barred their way,
for with the first shot the citizens had
rushed into their houses, boiling and
barring the heavy shutters against
stray bullets.
When the assassins turned, as IL by a
signal agreed upon. the wild clangor Of
a bell at the barracks rose and from
the. building the soldiers of the govern
ment came running. Bugles blared and
drums beat.
Revolution. revolution they cried
as they surrounded the dead bodies Of
DANES and E:oderiquez, to be scattered
a moment later by their officers. who
ordered them to patrol the beach.
Slowly the doors of the customs house
opened and from them streamed the
officers who approached slowly with
stretcfers. Upon these the bodies of
DANES end Roderiquez were placed and
taken home to their fatherless chill
dren.
All day the soldsery walked the beach.
The citizens remained indoors until the
officers assured them that the govern
mpnt had friIirnnhod IN Dct<fpD aou,,