The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-12-17
ESTABLISHED 1875

soon or too Iate-and When they did
Dlaze away at the enemy with their
carbines and pistols their aim was bad
and their bullets either few over the
heads of the attacking party or plowed
up the soft soil in front of them.
Simmons, seeing the disastrous eff
feet of his first fire, jumped to his feet
and, calling to his men to follow him.
charged straight for the line of strug-
Cling horses and shrinking men. The
rangers fired as they ran, and this
time the shots were so directed that
they claimed eight human victims and
laid low only one luckless steed. The
greasers were thoroughly beaten, and
the eight or nine still on their feet
dashed toward the river, leaving tkeir
wounded mates to their fate. Sim
mons called to the two men left with
the corral to bring the horses up, and
the tired beasts responded bravely to
! the demand made upon them.
"The Americans followed the Mex
leans on swinging lope, and before
the half mile to the river had been
| covered by the leaders in the mad
chase four saddles were emptied and
only murderous Calderone himself and
three Of his crew were on the break
| for safety
| The surviving brigands urged their
painting steeds down the slope to the
river, forced the horses to take the
water, and when the rangers gained
the Texas bank the fugitives were In
Mexican territory, and Simmons held
up his hand in a mute signal forbid
ding that any more shots be fred.
1.-THE rangers were altogether A
dashed lot when they lined up on the
Texas side of the Rio Grande. They
had made splendid fight, it is true,
and rid the earth of fifteen or sixteen
desperadoes but, then, the prize
beauty of the robber bunch had es-
capped and their work was practically
for naught as Calderone would soon
recruit his band. Simmons called the
roll and found all his men in sound,
good health, with the exception of
two, Riley and Brinsmead, who had re-
ceived slight wounds in the fray on
! the prairie. OF the robbers eight were
stone dead and the rest were wound
ed, some badly and some with only
scratches. might as well get through
with the prisoners at once Three of
them died of their wounds and the
rest were hanged to trees and riddled
with bullets
simmons and his men remained on
the bank of the Rio Grande until
nightfall, and the chief refused to lis
ten to the opportunities of his men to
carry the pursuit into Mexican terri
tory. We can't cross this river, boys
he said, cause the greasers down in
Mexico City won't stand for it,
'gThat night, though, Smiling Silas,
who had been one of the boldest in the
fight on the plains, slipped from camp,
saddled his horse and, holding the
steed by the bride, swan the river.
He landed safely on Mexican territory,
his pistols and ammunition all right,
and waited until daylight behind a
fringe of chapparal. When the sun was
up he looked for Calderone's trail and
found it. 1t led south through the
mesa district to a range of hills, and
about IL o'clock in the forenoon he
companions. The robbers were Sleep
ing under broad palm tree their
horses tethered close by, and Silas
could have shot them ere they would
have had time to arise and defend
themselves. But he disdained such a
course. Dismounting from his horse
and tying the animal to the tree, he
walked right into the midst of the rob-
bers and aroused them with a loud
cry. The greasers sat up and reached
for their guns instinctively, but a pis-
toll barked from each of Silas' hands
and two of the rufians toppled over to
arise never again. The other two,
Calderone and one of his lieutenants,
gained their feet, and the lieutenant
broke for the woods. 'Bangy cracked
Smiling Silas' long barrel gun. and the
runaway fell on his face with a bullet
In his spine
Gust as Silas fired Calderone turned
loose his gun, and the bullet carried
away the rangers hat. Silas jumped
toward his foeman before a second
shot could be sent and, striking him
In the face with the butt of his revolv-
er, stretched him, dazed and bleeding,
on the ground. The American drew
back as Calderone struggled to his
feet, and the half breed boy who was
attending flock of sheep on the ris-
ing ground gazed at the strange and
thrilling picture spellbound. Calderone
swung his pistol over his head in a
trembling hand, but ere he could use
If Et1oC cfay In nd
from his grasp. You Mexican shaker
cried the ranger. Pull your knifeI
I'll give you chancep
"Calderone was an expert with the
bowie-most Mexicans of his stamp
are-and, seeming to gain strength on
the instant, he whipped out his long
dagger and sprang toward the Ameri-
can. Silas had dropped his pistol and,
with bowie In hand, met the assault.
The knives clinked as the ranger par
ried the downward thrust of the Mex
lean, and the quivering bodies of the
two combatants came close together,
with the long strips of steel locked at
the hits. 1t was then that Silas'
American training stood him in good
stead, and, while his right hand was
engaged with the knife, his left swung
free, and he brought the member over
with wide sweep flush upon the side
Of the Mexican's face. Calderone fell
back, groggy and bleeding from the
force of the blow, and Silas leaped aft
er him like tiger cat bent upon Sc
curing prey. The greaser feebly raised
his knife to fend a stroke, but Slas'
blade swept under his arm and buried
itself to the hilt in his heart. Calde-
rome fell to the ground a corpse, aad
SO the band was exterminated. Slas
reached the camp the same night. but
he did not tell where he had been until
the half breed Mexican boy related the
story a week subsequent to the COM
bat"-New Orleans Picayune.
HOME NOTES.
One teaspoonful of liquid is equal to
ono fo,,r&b 81 =, o,,nao ~. fl;,.fx- 5roY1c