The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1909-10-01
SHOOTING UP AUTOS.
UnWritten Rules Which Texas
Cowboys RigidIy Enforce.
PERMIT NO UNDUE LIBERTIES

How Automobiles Are Stopped In .
Hurry When Cowboys Think They
Have Been Unfairly Treated-Ex-
citing Experience of a Real Estat.
Dealer.
There are certain unwrittcn rules
that must be rigidly observed by auto
mobilists In the ranch region OF west
ern Texas I'm the vicinity OF Brady.
The joy rider soon comes to grief In
that part OF the United states
The automobile is In general use In
the range territory. but the cowboys
do not permit any undue liberties to be
taken in running the machines. The
shooting up OF automobiles by cowboys
Is commin practice. This method OF
bringing an automobile to II stop liz
not used unless the cowboy thinks that
he has not been treated with proper
consideration.
An instance occurred near Brady,
Tex, n few days ago. Dick Davis
started from Brady on thirty mile
trip to his ranch in Concho county. He
was driving his automobile himself and
had no passenger He was In hurry
to reach the ranch and did not observe
the rules of the road as laid down In
that part OF the country.
Stopped by Three Quick Shots.
He was spinning along at a high
speed when he came upon drove of
mules In charge of man on horseback
who carried Il rifle in n scabbard In
stead of bringing the automobile to n
stop when he came upon the mules,
Mr., Davis sped right past them. caus-
Ing stampede. A moment later three
quick reports OF rife were heard. and
the automobiles two rear tires col
lapsed
"Thc bullets Knocked the machine
completely out of commission" Mr..
Davis said in telling of the affair.
1.-THE man with the mules got his stray
animals together and continued with
them down the road | knew that he
was right. so | didn't try to round
him up"
A man from Ohio opened real es-
tate office at Sweetwater recently and
bought n Zig automobile in which to
He had an experience on his first trip
that taught him lesson.
He had four Missouri land pros
pectors in his automobile and was on
the way to look at some land about
forty miles south of Sweetwater. In
order to make n short cut to the prop
erty he was crossing big pasture.
In the distance could be seen large
numbers of cattle which were being
driven by cowboys.
None of you men ever saw cattle
roundup, did you?' inquired the real
estate dealer.
There was chorus of answers in
the negative.
well that's what's going on over
there, I'll just run you over to the
place and we'll watch 'em awhile"
Bullets Whizzed Around the Wheels.
The automobile was headed in the
direction of the gathering herd of cat
tie and soon attracted the attention Of
the cowboys. They geStoulatcd at
the auto, but the signs were not I'M
derStOod by those at whom they were
directed. The cattle were beginning
TO snort and were on the VERGE of
stampede when two of the cowboys
pulled their six shooters ara BEGAN to
fire at the automobile. Tho bullets
whiZ2cd around the wheels.
Here! yelled one Of the land pros
pectors to the real estate dealer. Get
us out of here quicE"
The real estate mau wanted to get
away from the scene as badly as his
companions. and he lost no time in
turning the automobile around and
spinning away as fast a. the machine
could go.
Many Of the ranch bronchos are not
used to automobiles. and when one OF
these animals is being ridden by a
cowboy and comes upon an automo-
bile in the road the chauffeur who
knows the customs of the region stops
and keeps the machine quiet until the
horse and rider have gone by and are
safe distance on the other side
New York sun