The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1915-04-09


lin the spring of 1887 returned to their
former home on the Guadalupe. In the or
ganization of Gonzales county n little later,
Mr.. Stinnett was elected sheriff Late in
the fall, with packhorse, he went to Linn
vile, on the bay, to buy needed supplies
Loading his extra horse with sugar, coffee
etc, and with 800 in cash he started home
But instead of following the road by Veto
ria he Travelled n more direct route through
the prairie. When about night he was near
the Arenosa creek, about twenty miles north
west of Victoria, he discovered n camp fire
in grove of timber and, surprising it TO be
camp Of hunters, went to it, Instead ii was
the camp Of two runaway" negro men seek.
ing their way TO Mexico. They murdered
Mr. Stinnett, took his horse, provisions and
money and, undiscovered, reached Mexico.
The fate of the murdered man remained
mystery. No trace of him was found for five
years, until in the fall of 1912 one of the ne
groes revealed all the facts to nm American
prisoner in Mexico 1.-THE late Colonel Andrew
Neill) and so described the locality that the
remains of Mr.. Stinnett were found and in.
TERED
Thus this estimable lady lost her third
husband-two by red savages and one by
land was again alone. Yet she was
still young, attractive in person and pure of
heart, so that, two years later she was w0oed
and won by Mr.. Phillip Howard. Unwiselv,
in June, 1910, soon after their marriage they
abandoned their home on the Guadalupe and
removed to the ancient mission of San Juan.
eight miles below San Antonio. II was 100
miles through n wilderness often traversed
by hostile savages Hence they were escort.
ed by seven young men Of the vicinity con.
sisting of Byrd LOckhart Jr., of that well
known pioneer family; young McGary, two
brothers named Powers, one of whom was n
boy OF IL and both the sons of widow, and
three others whose names are forgotten. On
arriving Mt the mission in the forenoon their
horses were hobbled out nearby and little
John McSherry 1.-THE child of Mrs Howard,
recovered from the Indians in 1886 and at
this time in his eleventh year, was left ON
a pony TO watch them; but within half an
hour body of Indians suddenly charged up
on them, captured some of the horses and 1T
tie John barely escaped by dashng into the
camp, vivid reminder TO the mother that
her cup of afflictiOn was not yet full. In a
day or two the seven young men started ON
their return home About noon next dav n
heavy shower fell, wetting their guns: but
was soon followed by sunshine, when they all
fired off their guns to clean and dry them.
Most imprudently they all did so at the same
time, leaving no loaded weapon. This volley
attracted the keen ear of seventy hostile Co
manches who otherwise would not have dis
covered them. In moment or two they APP
peared and cried out that they were friendly
TOncahuas. The ruse succeeded and they
were allowed TO approach and encircle the
now helpless young men. Six of them were
instantly slain, scaped and their horses and
effects, with the boy Powers, carried off.
During the second night afterward. in pass
ing through cedar brake at the foot OF the
Cibolo mountains, he slid quietly off of his
horse and escaped. In three or four DAYS he
reached the upper settlements on the Guada
lupe and gave the first information of these
narrowing facts.
Thus again admonished Mr. and Mrs How
ard removed low down on the San Antonio
river below the ancient ranch Of Don Carlos
de Ia CARA in the lower edge Of Goliad coun-
ty confident that no hostile savage would
ever visit that secluded locality. But they
were mistaken. Early in the spring Of 1912
the hostiles made a night raid ali around
them, stole a number Of their neighbour
horses. murdered two Of their neighbors. Mr..
and Mrs. Gilleland, and carried off their III
M son and daughter; but PARTY Of yolun.