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trt.,
Vera &Mott, /.1 ?aso, luxes.
District 20. Sords.
979
Alliott, P. A.
JOHN A. MORO,
Texas Ranger Captain.
File No. 240.
0114--itords.
Capt. John d. Hughes, eaptain of the Texas dangers, oldest
em -ranger captain in Texas, has served 28 years as a Texas danger.
Born in Cambridge, Ills., John Rushes went to the Indian Territory
and learned Indian ways on the Indians af the Osage Nation. Re
talks low, smiles easy, doeent drink, smoke or gamble —a oonktly
old man with white hair and beard.
Ho talked of a time, when, merely to ride the trails and ilve
was a daily miracle. Nut Captain Hughes will not let you believe edit
that from his conversation. As a young man he caught wild horses onA
his ranch, a start toward indeQendenoe. *ben horse thieves drove off
most of them, he followed% the thieves month after month, overtook
them aril recovered his property. This led to his enlistment with the
Texas anger's, under Capt. Frank Jones, August 10, 1887.
me followink year, offiolals of the Frontier mined State of
Coahuila, Assieo, asked Captain ,lone, to send three good men to their
mine, so John Hughes, aalter Durbin and Bass Outlaw, later killed in
.a Paso, quit the acrylic aay 17, 1889, to spend six months guarding
silver bullion in transfer from the mine to the railroad, 160 miles
away.
Aexioan banditry is a business handed down often from father to
son, a blend Of soldier, convict, with native Indian, reported as
smarter than i.exican sired by the devil. And bandits infested this re-
gion. There sere only two settlements on the road, La Uhl* ranch, and
a little Aexi-z.in town at ttio foot of Santa Rosa 2ountains, aalledaluma
ntio, toss. bat far these six months Captain Hughes smiles nd falls
to remelMor any unusual tutp94,ininv
District 4 Z.
Illiott, P. 1.
JOU R. MOM,
Texas Rafter Captain.
Pile no. S44..
Captain Hughes and his men killed deer for meat, but he states he
was never a hunter and would not allow his men to kill ruthlessly, wild
animal life abounded In the early days, and panthers roamed a thirty mile
strip between Sierra Blanca and the AI* Grande.
The Mexican ranchers could not raise colts, for a panther's favorite
meat is horse -flesh. They are cowardly, *ever attack men unless driven in
a corner. Two of the Aaagers under Captain Hughes camped for the night
half way between ilarta and hafter, in 1090. They made their beda on pins
needles and hobbled the horses so they could grime.
Idle the men slept a panther attatked one of the horses, a fine
animal, lb hands high. He was so settle and strong, he threw the panther
off, but a li4rge claw mark and a bite in the animal's mut neck remained
as evidence of a mighty battle in which the horse was victorious.
xsIMx
Guarding the Wiatter Hines' payroll was a responsible undertaking.
Iheyinumey always came by empress on the train than was transferred to the
express box of the stage. Onee when the money eas late, the man in Marge
of the stage seids."Hughes, modemeney failed to show up. I'll have to leave
V
you hers until it comes in. It is due at 0 p. m. Ion will take the money
by horse-buok, lqw.ving immediately, traveling all night to reach Starter
by morning.
The other guards did not know of the arrangemeat. They put the ex-
press box on the stage in the usual manner, and started off. Captain
Hughes reported he had been suposaed to court in Alarfa and kept quiet.
Asa the train cane in tram the vest he received about 39,000 in cur-
rent'', platted it in a "marate" tied on the saddle horn and started on
Distriet AO.
Alliott, P. a.
JOHN A. HUGH43,
TemLs Amor 0aptaia.
file L. 244).
double quiok time for Shafter.
The Sovembor night we oold in an altitude of 4,000 feet, and Oaptd
*in Hughes said: "When a person gets cold the saddle begins to slip. I got
so sleepy I was afraid 1 might fall, as the horse was not my own, and not
so gentle. Ho I turned off the road, got down and took off the saddle and
blanket, lying in a coil of 10 rope so if the horse moved I would wake up.
I put the money around ry shoulders plsoing it on the opposite side frmsm
my pistol.
"Deciding I could sleep as hour, I looked at ay wbtols, put my head
on the saddle t,ni went to sleep. I 110kO up, saddled up end found I had slept
exactly ten wdnutee. Ate remainder f the ride was made easily and the
money was dolivered in the morning. This ability to sloop lightly matins
with Oaptain Aughos. Ho has drive, a 116401 T oar for 1: years and elates
it runs better than ever. HA still pulls to the side of the road to sleep
a foe minutes, while driving.
Gaptain Hughes Led the Sun Carideo' parade on Sew tsar's Day, 19:6,
at dl ?aso, Texas.
X, 4.
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