Dosha, Schultz, Williams talks about the legend of El Muerto Or in other words the dead man. Henry Wolff, junior columnist for the Victoria Advocate, speaks of him as well. As does Ed Syers In his book Ghost Stories of Texas.
Docia’s version is it seems like a man known only as Vidal roamed South Texas, earning his questionable livelihood by stealing and selling cattle? Then, as now cattle rustling wasn’t exactly an acceptable occupation. Vidal had stolen some livestock from a man named Creed Taylor, a rancher who lived up the river in the Hill Country, according to Wolf. Taylor got a party of horsemen together to track down the thief. One of the group was a frontiersman who had earned the reputation of being a pretty tough man to come up against. His name was Bigfoot Wallace. A pioneer Texas Ranger, he was a tough lawman, fast with a gun. And you just didn’t want to tangle with Bigfoot.
The posse came up with Vidal and justice was swiftly carried out.
Wallace had the hapless man beheaded, and with the help of other men of the posse, he lashed the dead outlaw to his saddle, which was placed on the back of a wild mustang. His hands were tied to the pommel and his feet to the stirrups, so he would ride sitting up straight. His head, stiff, wearing its big sombrero, was lashed by means of a rawhide thong to the saddlehorn. The terrified horse was turned loose to wander the countryside, unable to get rid of the grizzly burden. Finally, the Mustang was spotted drinking water at a watering hole called Bullhead. He was roped and captured as he drank. Still strapped to his back was the sun dried corpse of Vidal. The body was cut off and hastily buried. The Mustang was turned loose at last, freed of his terrible burden.
I own the book Ed Sires wrote called The Ghosts of Texas.
is only mention of a Headless Horseman ghost is in San Patricio. A small town in South Texas. In the town cemetery. Above the cemetery, there’s a hill, the hill is called Headless Horseman Hill. This decapitated rider still gallops after dark. Only the old people from town have seen him. There are two stories associated with this headless Horseperson one is that of a Kentuckian of means, down in the area to purchase land was murdered for the gold he carried. The other, an ordinary horse thief. Beheading provided the quickest South Texas execution for wrestling. And perhaps that is the spectral rider
