The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1917-04-28
N
Stone Soldier
, He COOlly Stood Guard In the
, Presence of Mexican Bandits
By F. A. mitchell

government or MEXICO by POrnrlO DlaZ
a young American. Edward Ingersoll.
who had just married a young woman
went to the state Of Durango to set
tie. Northern capital was hen pour
ing into Mexico. and the prospect of
prosperity was greater than ever be
fore. Diaz had held the discordant
elements in check for many years. and
It looked as If the continued succession
of revolutions was over.
The young emigrant was a stonecut.
ter and settled in a town where the
to give place to those of a more sub
stantial character. Having purchased
a small tract on the outskirts of the
place. he built on it a dwelling house
and a shed. under which he kept his
material. Besides getting out the or
binary stonework for the ornamental
ton of buildings, he designed and %
structed marble monuments. His I'm.
stincts were artistic, and, although his
figures were crude. some of them were
fairly well executed.
But scarcely had Ingersoll become
settled when the revolution was start.
ed which was destined to result In the
downfall of the man whose iron hand
had kept the peace in Mexico. The
Madero revolution destroyed the equi-
nbrium under which Mexico had pros
pered. and Madero was succeeded by
Huerta. In addition to the regular
forces IF they deserve the nameD pitted
against each other, bands of men
whose only object was plumber were
let loose, and If anything were needed
to complete the wreck of Mexico they
supplied the deficiency.
The orders which had kept Ingersoll
busy dropped away. His business was
paralyzed. He would have pulled up
and gone back to the United States.
but what means he had were invested
In his s%toneyard. and he could not get
1t out. He must wait for some new
power to seize the government of Mex
leo that would restrain the conflict
ing elements. Hoping against hope,
he remained where he was. but made
what preparation he could with his
limited means to resist any attack that
might be made upon his premises by
marauders from the different armies or
the bandits.
Having plenty of stone in his yard.
he built a miniature fortress around
his dwelling. A parapet was con
structed of ~headstOnes. either finished
or partly finished. Square apertures
were left. intended for loopholes
through which to fire. But since there
was no one except Ingersoll to do the
firing and since he had no ordnance
there was little prospect Of a success
full defense
There were several stone figures In
the yard which Ingersoll thought or
putting up on his fortress as scare
~crows-that is. I'm the hope that an enc
my seeing them from a distance would
believe them to be veritable defenders
But unfortunately they were not suit
able to the purpose. One was Il white
marble angel blowing the resurrection
trump: another was a saint that had
been ordered for q church. There was
only one that would be II suitable deco
ration for Il fertilization, II life size
statue of n soldier that had been or
dered to mark the grave of Il young
man who had died in the Mexican
military service. He was represented
standing as if on guard. the butt OF his
musket on the ground. the barrel rest
ing against his shoulder. lngersoll
.-.Il 800 ha,. that chic Ctnnn fDnrn
would be mistaken for a live man. but
It was the only sOldier-like defense at
hand. so he lifted it by a derrick onto
the rampant.
The fort might deceive an enemy II
It could not be plainly seen, but In
broad daylight it would deceive no
body. At night it would not be seen
at all.
There came "a time when Il bandit
chief determined to loot the town near
which Ingersoll lived. He had sent
one of his men into the place to dis
cover where the richest plumber was
to be obtained and to report thereon
When the spy returned among other
persons who might be compelled to
/ uISSOfSe WUdI WOulu NC Wolt
he named IngersOll. There was no
plumber in stones, manufactured or un-
manufactured. but Ingersoll was sup
posed to ha We money and would doubt
less pay well for the lives of himself
and family. The spy did not visit the
~stoneyard. but had heard that some
sort Of defense had been constructed.
The bandit chief, when he approached
the town 1t night. expecting to take
the people of their guard and prevent
their having time to organize a de
Tense. sent a detachment under one
Manuel Nunez to swOOp down on the
%stoneyard and extort all the money
the owner had.
II learn" he said. that the man Is a
gringo, and If he doesn't give you all
the ready cash you have reason to sup
pose he possesses kill him and take