The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1906-10-26
When the Bees SWarmed

bis safe and escort passed over his
route and returned smiling. When
they started out for the fifteenth trip
Mexican Charlie" had his plans all
laid. He was a Mexican half breed
and when you have such a man look
out for deviltry. He was a hanger on
around the stage stations for a hun
dred miles up and down the line. He
was gambler, horse thief and sGS
pected Of murder, and he had the nee
essary qualifications to make him 4
leader of other bad men. He waa
two months making his plans ana
they were laid for the complete wipe
out Of the entire party. He didn't pro-
pose to leave single man alive to
Identify him afterward.
When the roundup was completed
the outlaw gang numbered an even
twenty men, and all were armed with
Wlnchesters and revolvers. The route
was gone over and the spot finally
settled on for the attack was midway
between Forts Davis and Concho.
There the rude mountain road wound
upward for half mile, to pitch sud
denly into a ravine with walls fifty
feet high and its length half a mile or
more.
To collect nineteen outlaws together.
hide them away for week. hold
them steady and At out a part OF the
number with horses and arms was no
slight undertaking, but the half breed
successfully accomplished It, and that
without arouslng suspicion. On the
first day of a certain, July the outlG W
band was posted In the ravine. and the
major left Fort Davis at an hour t.
bring him to the spot at about noon.
Whites and Indians were at peace
and the country quiet. and the pay
master and his escort had not the
slightest hint Of the reception the out
laws had In store for them.
1t may have been known to the
mountain Indians that the caves ana
crevices In the walls of the ravine
wele Inhabited by wild bees, but it
certainly was not to the whites. They
had bred and swarmed there for
years. On this July day there was an
angry buzzlng high above the heads Of
the outlaws, but they gave 1t no atten-
ton. The rocks were warming up ana
the bees getting ready to swarm.
Scouts had been sent forth to find
other crevices and report, and thou
sands upon thousands OF the hot head
al tneaats were rNodx. e.. ex,-,,v.,,, -, .
and follow their leaders to new homes
Stretched ON the shelves or posted
behind powders. the outlaws were
waiting for their prey. They got the
| signal that the escort was coming
across The flat; then that 1t was toilipg
up the long hill; then. after mo.
ment's wait, that II was about to enter
the ravlne. The half breed had to
his men over and over to fire to XIII,
to wipe out every soldier at the first
volley, but he told them again. Thee
were twenty bullets for eleven men
and every outlaw having rest for his
ride and target not twenty feet
/ away.
or a sudden one Of the bee scout.
settled down on the bare hand OF ons
of the outlaws. He sought to flick II
/ off, and the insect stung him aud tieg
away. 1t would seem as IL II dew NJ
I To the others aud warned them OF thg
1 trespassers and melted them to battle
Within minute a perfect cloud OF
them descended. They were angry
and excited and looking for a fight
The outlaws could make no defense
against such an enemy. In thirty sec
onds they were almost literally cover
ed and being knitted in a score Of
places, and just as the two trooper
at the head OF the escort reached ia,
head Of the ravine the ambushers IL
down It with shouts and yells Of pa
and terror.
Their horses were half a mile belo 81
The bees followed the men to T.,
horses and attacked the latter. and T,
a few seconds there was a wild sta
! pede. Some OF the animals came L.
! the ravlne. and some went down, al.
the shouts OF the outlaws were echo,
and re-echoed by the shrlll neighs :
the half maddened horses.
The paymaster could not tell WI
had taken place. except that the vii.
bees had come out. He was forced 1
order retreat, and there was \