New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-14
Especial Correspondent of the Republ can
NEWS FROM THE BORDER.
Captain McNaiiy's Raid-Who the Cattle
Thieves Are-Ilow They 0perate-The
Gunboat Aground in the Rio-The
Launches n Faiiure-t;Overnment Pro-
lection Misnomer-HOw keils is
Humpered-A Bad State OF A6nirs.
BROWNSVILLE, December 10, ls

l
l have had conversation with Captain
McNally, and be furnishes very clear
statement. In the first place, he has under
his command only forty State troops, who
are well armed and familiar with border
life. They are especially designed 70 close
in with cattle thieves from Mexico. The
| captain has men who live on Mexican soil,
paid to furnish him information of opera
| tions. On the occasion of McNallys raid
into Mexico he did not go as blind as we
might have thought. Several days before
| the Mexicans raided into Texas he knew
who most of the thieves were, and jus t
where the stolen cattle had been secreted.
When the Texans dashed after the thieves,
riding up to their very doors, no. less than
| 300 Or easers, all armed, were in sight, but
| they did not fire at that time. McNally de-
| manded the cattle, and sixty-tive head were
| returned, but none of the thieves were de-
| llvered. The person who held the parley
| with McNally was a magistrate, and az
| knowledged that he was one of the raiders 1t
| it a well established fact that nearly all the
| leading Mexican cattle thieves are those
who hold office, and belong to the special
police that processes to exist to reduce cattle
| raiding.
These raids are carried on very system
ically. First, men who indulge in taste
for Texas beer pass the word along the line,
say distance of about 100 miles: on day
named they, in small squads, quietly ride
forth and silentlwgather cattle. Promptly
on the day set for rendezvous the several
| squads concentrate at the understood ford,
when all are rushed over the Rio Grande
Woe unto the unfortunate man who should
by any chance meet these robbers before
they arrive at the ford. If it be a white
man, woman or child, certain death is the
portion; if it be Mexican he is pressed
over. A bad place for tramps.
A. to the river service: The Rio Bravo
and two small steam launches are here,
where they will probably remain until the
tooth of time shall make them wrecks.
The Bravo can not at present be
moved her own length, as she draws
more water than the Rio Grande sup
plies. In my Judgment if she should be
able to go up the river to assist in fight
neither vessel nor men would have much
chance to be saved. The reasons why the
Rio Bravo and the launches could not exc
cute any good werk are abundant. As is
we'll known, the Rio is about the crookedest
river on this continent, and in localities
where cattle are crossed the banks are, with
rare exceptions, very steep and high and the
channel narrow. The boats must travel
distances to reach point where the raiders
are supposed to be. The Mexicars are on
land and can avail themselves Of the many
river bends moving only few miles while
the vessel must run a long distance. Mexi-
can couriers, welt mounted, are on the
banks. prepared to inform on every move
ment. Should the men on the boats open fire
the cattle thieves on shore can, under cover
of chapparel, riddle nearly every man on
board easily, and worry them every mile of
the way.
The two launches are good enough, but
they will not answer in this kind of war
fare. The fine sand in the Rios water cuts
their pumps, and then the little things are
worse than useless. Besides, there is no
protecting cover for those on board.
Thus it will be seen that that branch can
perform but little service by way OF pro-
tecting the frontier.
United States army officers must not fire
gun or invade Mexican soil, for such is
their order. In the event of our troops ac-
tuallv detapfiDU thiavas-op ayoaa1;rrl,-
distant event-then something might be
done. Under these circumstances stock
raisers on the frontier are left victims, with
out assistance from any source. Their situa-
tion is deplorable, and they naturally
enough feel aggrieved because their own
government fails to protect their rights OF
life and property.
For the above reasons Captain McNally
was given command of the State troops. |
The Captain informs me that the intention
now is for the Cover nor of Texas TO furnish |
considerable army for the frontier, and |
allow the men to operate, almost with a |
rowing commission, as it were. Recruits |
can be obtained without trouble, but they |
can not be kept in the field forever. How |
this will work remains to be seen, but the |
experiment will certainly be tried.
Last month seven herds, 1920 head, were |
stolen and crossed; how many more will |
never be known. That is but the general |
average. Mexican raiders operate along
the river full 500 miles, but the general
operations do pot extend more than l4j
miles above this city, and $50 inland.
In opposition to the complaints against
Mexicans no one ever hears that Americans
steal from Mexicans or commit depreda
tions. When stock raisers dare to form
combinations to protect themselves, Mexi- /,
cans quickly learn the fact and every mem
ber of the association is theh doomed to
death. Those who have escaped dare not
i've near their ranches, but are compelled
70 find safety in towns. Fifteen of them
are now in Brownsville, exiles.
In this city there exists feeling of dis
rust among men on the frontier question,
md it looks as if men whose interests are
IDENTICAL apparently, suspect each other,
md it is openly asserted that there are
Americans who actually befriend cattle
hieves. There is some truth in the asser-
ion, which makes matters worse.
Cortina's henchmen still rule in Mata
noras, although he is supposed to be a
risoner in the City of Mexico. The acting
mayor of that city is h,s deputy, and the