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rage two
shadows of the trees. The object acme nearer ET1 nearer,
rattling the brush. I fired, to kill, and that I did; we
rode over to see the dead Indian but to our great surprise
we found a dead horse.
“Me and another kid went hunting one night; we carried
our dogs end guns, walked and walked, through the woods, un-
til we grew tired and cold. We were really afraid to build
a fire as it might attract the Indians, then we became cold-
er and braver until we had courage enough to build the fire.
All that time we had one eye on the fire and the other look
trig for Indians. I looked around and saw two oyes shining
through the darkness and fired my gun. When we inspected
my victim that time it was my favorite hunting dog. ,e re-
turned sorrowfully home. I discovered later that an Indian's
eyes didn't shine throwil darkness.
"When I was a young kid, I worked for the Lidwoll fami-
ly and my bedroom was in the rear of the house where 1 could
easily see the barn, ,-;11 bright moonlic-ht ni7hts I would sit
on the side of my bed with my winchester ready for an Indian
raid on the horses. 1Ught after night passed without distur-
bance. :)oon the indians came in midafternoon and got every
horse on the place. The very best horse that we had, got a-
way from the Indians end found its way home. That was the
only horse of that bunch we ever saw again. The family never
knew until then that I watt:shed the horses at night, which was
my own ides.
Page three
"some Indians found their way t& my neighbor, Riley
Harper's place, end stole his horses. Riley got on their
trail and followed them from San Saba to the Brady section.
He out down on an Indian and shot his leggin's off and the
Indian didn't stop to pick them up but kept running. riother
Indian cape by horseback and picked up the wounded Indian.
We never knee if he died or not.
"The Battle of i-ack Saddle, fought in Llano County be-
tween Indians end ranchmen in 1873, marked the last battle
with the Indians in that part of the state. The ranchmen were
well prepared for the attack, when they came in and were not
permitted to contact the horses. The battle lasted several
hours in and around the Pack ;Addle Lountains. No whites
and only one Indian was killed. The Indians carried him be-
hind the Pack eddle Mountains and buried him with rooks.
."mr. Tedford had a little son by the name of Lum who
was about four years of age and liked to play in the sand.
One day Lum had ventured out into a little road that ran near
the house. 4 bend of Indians rode by, grabbed the child and
rode for the bushes. A group of men formed a searching party
end got on the Indians' trail. They were eating dinner when
they were found'. The party began firing and the Indians ran
for the brush, leaving te child behind. The men called
little Lum ad he ran to safety.
"Those old Indiari days were days of dread and fear. I
never want to see them agein. I often hear the old fellows
Page four
yelping about the present times and wishing for the rood
old days to return. Bot me, I am well pleased.
"John smith, who was a relative of the Jackson family
and lived at ban Saba, told me that all of the Jackson Penal-
ly was killed by the Indians except two children that were
captured and carried away. The Indians had gone about one
hundred miles and camped where the children had escaped by
some means and had started home. The men had formed a search-
ing party and met the children as they were well on their way
home. John Smith was a brother-inslaw of the notorious Ret-
chums, of the an Saba and later of the ben Angelo sections.
"One time, an Indian boy about sixteen years of age got
lost from his tribe and was about to starve to death. He
went up to old Daddy Brown's house in Riohland Sprinrs and
begred for food. Of course the Indian could not speak imrlish
but when one is starving, signs can be well interpreted. Daddy
Brown fed him up a few days and sent him on his way.
"The government made some kind of a treaty with the
Indians in 1E73 which stopped their depredating.
"Llano and San Saba Countteshad their share of outlaws
and under -world characters. The rough element was feared by
a little German settlement in Llano County that decided among
themselves that they needed protection. They planned a little
trap that oaught one of the moat dreaded crooks, ;,ese Beard.
They were glad to put this rough character under earth.
"John Beard, a brother of ;iose, had been running wild
Page five
with him and felt it his duty to get his man. There were
about twelve in the little gang that killed mose. John
went in and killed every one of them and skipped out. The
friends and enemies left behind heard that John was killed
at a fandango, in Old Mexico. Later I met up with a friend
that had visited John end said that he had become a success-
ful rencher in Old Yexioo.
"Frank Cooley, George Gladdin, end John Ringo were
killers but I never knew their outcome. There were many more
outlaws of thot section that I can not safely mention."
Ronge-lore
Rub :osley
6an Angelo
BIBLIOGRAPIIY
J. A• Joiner, 80 zast 18th :Areet, 6en Angelo, Texas,
interviewed Marsh 2:5048, 1938.