Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 January 1878 — THE SAN ELIZARIO AFFAIR. [ARTICLE]

THE SAN ELIZARIO AFFAIR.

Why Judge Howard and Mia Companions Were Shot. [Austin (Tex.) Cor. St. Louis Globe-Democrat,] Maj. John B. Janes, commanding seven companies of Texas State troops cm tli& frontier, and the Rangers, was called npon by the Texas correspondent of the Globe-Democrat for the purpose of an interview on the border troubles, which was cheerfully accorded. “ I would like to be informed somewhat about the features of the country round about El Paso, so often of late mentioned in the dispatches,” remarked the Olobe-Democrat correspondent. Maj. Jones, the Ranger—l’ve been there and can tell you all about it Firstly, then, as to El Paso (the Pass). The El Paso on the Texas side of the Rio Grande, now beginning to be called Franklin, to distinguish it from El Paso on the Mexican side, is a small village inhabited almost altogether by Mexicans. There are but few Americans in it. It is not the county-seat of El Paso connty, as is the idea generally entertained. Cor.—What, then, is the county-seat ? Maj. Jones.—lt is,a little place—a mere Mexican hamlet—called Yslette, twelve miles below El Paso, or Franklin. This is the capital. Then again, further down the river, is Socorro, containing some 350 inhabitants, all Mexicans, with a chance “Gringo,” or American. Sun Elizario, the scene of the mob, is a Bmall Mexican town eight miles below Socorro and twenty-five from El Paso. All these places are inhabited mostly by Mexicans —for that whole region is nothing but a Mexican country, whose people, with the exception of a few American settlers, are one and in unison with the dwellers south of the Rio Grande. They are related and intermarried together, linked by other ties, and, indeed, a considerable proportion of the Mexicans in El Paso county were born in Mexico. Cor.—What sort of a country is it out there? Maj. Jones—Pretty wild, I can tell you. It is some 700 miles from the settlements of Texas. The country around El Paso, and in which are situated the places I have mentioned, is a poor, sandy, barren region, only the river and creek bottoms being capable of irrigation. The soil of the plains out there will hardly sprout cow-peas. Cor.—What was the immediate cause of the late Mexican mob and uprising at San Elizario ? Maj. Jones.—Undoubtedly the fact that Judge Howard, the cause of the original difficulty iu El Paso last fall, returned among the Mexicans, who held him. When I was out there at the time, shortly after Howard killed Cordis, the leader of the Mexicans, I arrested and put him under bond for his appearance at the next term of the court in El Paso. I advised him to go to Mesilla, some fifty miles from San Elizario, and stay there until court came on. But it seems he did otherwise, and came straight back into the midst of his enemies. The original cause of the trouble was as follows : A banking firm of Austin, of which George B. Zimpleman, ex-Slieriff of Travis county, was a partner, procured and received from Mr. Groos, State Land Commissioner, patents conveying lands in El Paso county, and including some salt lakes or ponds. These ponds have been used free by the Mexicans for 200 {rears, and, in fact, it is claimed, beonged to original Mexican grants before Texas became a State. Judge Howard, is the brother-in-law of Zimpleman, and, as his agent, went out to El Paso, and, taking possession of the ponds, or endeavoring to do so, informed the Mexicans that if they got any more salt from the lakes they must pay for it. Then began the rumpus. Howard’s life was threatened, and it is laid by prominent Texans who knew him that Howard was an unscrupulous man and a desperado. In the progress of the quarrel Senator Coidis, who had represented El Paso in the Texas Legislature, and who warmly espoused the Mexican side of the difficulty, was shot and killed by Howard, for which, as Maj. Jones states, he was arrested and bound over. The remainder of the story has already been told. Howard, who was regarded by the Mexicans as a thief, come to steal their rights and take away the privileges of their fathers, returned from Mesilla, and, in spite of the protection of twentyfive Rangers, he was taken by the mob and made to suffer the penalty of his temerity, and expiate the murder of Cordis, which the Mexicans knew would never be done in the courts. The two men, Atkinson and Mcßride, also executed, were friends of Howard. That is the origin of the difficulty at San Elizario.

Turkish Valor. The European and Christian races everywhere, the races which account themselves the greatest, wisest and bravest of the earth, have watched with amazement the spectacle of invalid and semi-barbarous Turkey contending on even terms with gigantic and organized Russia. At the outbreak of this struggle the civilized world supposed that it would be pitiably unequal; that, without the assistance of some one of the “great powers,” the Moslems would be crushed in a single campaign; that the advance of the Muscovite armies would be little more than a triumphal promenade. It was commonly supposed that the superiority of Bussia in soldierly disposition, intelligence and education at least equaled her advantage in wealth and numbers. It had come to be an accepted credence, almost equivalent to a military maxim, that Asiatic and semi-. Asiatic troops could not stand before Europeans. We have seen enough during the summer of 1877 to lead us to question all these beliefs. Whatever may be the termination of the contest, the Turkish Generals have shown formidable capacity, and the Turkish soldiers have exhibited heroic courage. They have not only defended intrenchments with their historic tenacity, but they have assaulted them with impetuosity, and sometimes with success. Embodied, they seem to be the equals of the Bussians, and, man to man, their superiors. What is the meaning of this wonderful uprising and resuscitation of a people whom all Europe looked upon as decadent and effeminated ? The truth is that there has been no change in the character of the Ottomans. We have notread their history thoroughly and with discrimination. Arguing loosely from their military disasters, we have not done justice to their martial qualities. They have always been brave, even in their overthrows. Their most unfortunate wars, the wrestles in which they have suffered defeat on defeat, have been illustrated by signal instances of heroism such as the most warlike nations might glory in. If they have lost territory, it has never bees through lack of

valor, nor altogether from want of good generalship, but mainly from defect of preparation.— J. W. Da Forest , in Harper’s Magazine for January.