The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1906-08-10

for every one has This saving grace
they are chilled nerve from the
core of the heart out The one great
test for enlistment Is "Not afraid Co
die"
These men In other walks Of life
might be called the scourings OF the
border world. There are slant, yell
low Mexicans. former bad men Of
both races. COW punchers. eXiled
Americans. Europeans with no desire
TO reveal their antecedents. half
breeds and even one or two braves
from Tiburon island. where a few
years ago they were IN the cheerful
business Of head hunting, with empha-
sis on the head
The headquarters of the rurales f.
at Magdalena, Sonora. Mexico but the
territory they cover is thousands Of
miles I'm extent and they are always
on duty. A detachment may one day
De trailing a band of Yaquls who have
been committing depredations. while
at the same time another detachment
is after a band OF rustlers who are
trying TO run cattle across the river.
There wouldn't Dee any ruraies now
If it were not for one man. Lieut.
Col Emilio Kosterlitzky. commander
OF the corps. typical soldier Of fortune
world wanderer and gentleman adyen-
urer. is. in fact, the little army itself
The others are mere recording ma
chimes.
KosterliulSy. now go years of age
six feet one inch tall. straight as an
arrow. with a cavaIryman's bu'Id. g.
a true cosmopolitan. Tie was born ln
Austria. p French by choice and
Mexican by adoption He has fought
under four flags and has won praise
for yalor every time danger gave him
an opportunity Of proving b. His
name. Kosterlltzky strikes more ter
ror TO a YaQui Indian or a bad man
than anything I'm the category OF
thought. To them he is the very
devil himself. fearless. bold. merciIess
and impassionate Kosterlitzky is
feared, hated. admired and loved. but
above all he is feared.
Kosterlltzly came into the notice OF
the Mexican officials about the time
the state of Sonora was attracting the
attention Of Americans of capital
who entered the state and We're pre-
pared to spend millions Of dollars in
the development of the rich silver
gold and copper mines there But
whoever crossed the border line took
his life in his hands. The Yaqui In-
dians. roaming free over the cactus
plains and the great bare mountains
were on a hunt for heads
It was then that Kostesltzky found
his opportunity and so fearless did De
become I'm his relentless pursuit of the
Indians that President Diaz called
him into audience and after a short
consultation bade him return 10 SO.
nora. organize a band Of fighters for
himself and capture. eXterminate or
paclfy" the Yaqui and Geronimo ln.
dians. That started the rurales
When KosterIitzky organized bis
band he did not ask for any other
qualification than courage Once after
a battle with Indians when more than
a third Of hls command had been
lost ne directed that a soldier De shot
al sunrise the following morning
His men did not ask why They
knew KosterIitzky too well for that
But the inQuiring look on their faces
caused him TO say IN explanation:
"The cur-he seemed afraid Of
death"
Il is likely that Kosterlitzky's career
as a fighter IS nearing its close. for be
has married a pretty Mexican woman
and has several children.