San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-16

among them. There were no courts
and consequently no law in those
early days, and the pioneers had TO
take the law into their own hands.
That ranch on which the Mexicans
were hanged is known to this day
as Dead Man ranch. and there was
a total of "a Mexicans hanged before
thievery was broken up
Died With Boots On.
@When the town of Tilden was
first founded there were quite num-
Der of desperadoes and bad men who
had been driven from other parts of
the country, and these desperados
would fight among themselves every
once in a while, and formed the
nucleus of the cemetery population OF
the town.
"The first man buried in the town
site died with his boots on--commit-
ted suicide-and he was followed by
six others who died with their boots
on. Five of these were killed In
fights, and the sixth was killed by
the Indians. He was known as Old
Man Hindes, and he was shot by
Indians one night when he stepped
out on the back porch of his house.
about the highest situation i
was ever in while was sheriff was
when l was looking for man wanted
by Bee county authorities. A deputy
sheriff from that county came over
and wanted to find a man who was
supposed to be living in MeMullen
county some where. / did not know
the man, but We started out to see
if we could find him. The deputy
sheriff and myself and one or two
other men rode out in a part Of the
county which it was said the man
had been living in, and when We came
to the forks of road / volunteered
to ride over to house not far away
and inquire concerning the where
abouts of the party we sought.
Backed Away. Gracefully.
Not dreaming of any danger L
went up to the door of the house with
nv coat buttoned down over my gun,
as it was very cold at the time. In
answer to my call young man
came out. / began to inquire about
the party whom we were looking for,
and suddenly the man jerked out
gun and showed it against me,
"Being taken by surprise l could
only stand there and lean up against
that gun barrel while the young man
informed me that he was the party
/ was inquiring about, and he also
volunteered the information that he
was decidedly opposed to being ar
rested and had a violent dislike OF
being locked up. / listened with
deepest attention. with earnest
Il x-,l,,1a he nInpd TINT
he was not going to give himself up.
There was no doubt in the world
about the matter: i was a very In
terested listener TO his every word,
and was not disposed to argue with
him at all. The advantage was all
his. and 1 was only too glad to
withdraw from the scene very grace
fully and pleasantly.
"Those were great old days in Nc
Mullen county. The early settlers
paved the way for the people of the
present generation, and people today
cannot appreciate what we used to
have 10 undergo. with no railroad
nearer than Austin and Indians and
cattle rustlers busy all the time.
Those were great old days. Great
old days,"
Pioneer Women Helped.
No history of the early days in
Texas will be complete without in
Guiding and mentioning the part that
the women took in helping build the
foundation of its history and develop
ment, and with Mr.. Martins work IN
Southwest Texas is linked that OF
his wife who has a large number of
descendants who love and revere her.
Mrs. Martins maiden name was
Katherine Holland. her father being
Greene Holland, who came from Mis-
sissippi and located where McMullen
county now is before the Civil War.
In 1868 she married T. ]. West
who had been a lieutenant in the
Confederate army, they being married
at San Marcos, and she had three
children BIZ this marriage, these be-
ing Mrs. Lula Kimbell, Pearsall,
Tex; t. J. West, Devine, Tex: and
George West, Fowlerton, Tex.
In 1876 she married NJ. II. Mar
tin and they made their home at
Tilden. To this marriage were born
eight children, Mrs. ]. w. McAda,
NJ. III. Martin Jr.. Mrs. L. ]. Booth
(deceased) Don, Chester, Henry,
Mrs. J.. L. Shannon and Miss Jennie
Matt Martin.
There are IS grandchildren, aud
five OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
descendants.
These pioneers, NJ. II. Martin ana
wife, had a great share in shaping
the destinies of Southwest Texas and
McMullen county and their names |
will always be linked with the his
tory of that part of the state they |
helped to build, for it was such as |
they that have made Texas what it
is today.