The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-31
How the San EliZariO Mob Killed
Howard and His Allies.
CITIZENS OF MEXICO IMPLICATED,
Cards Death the Cause Of
the Revolt.
LOCATING THE SALT MINES
Remarkable Change in the Policy Of
the War Department
SAN ANTONIO. Dec. 81, 1877.

SAN ANTONIO, Dec. "a, 1877.
At the time my last letter was written there was
reason to hope that the United States troops would
reach FL Paso, rather San Ezario in time TO
cue the beeaguered rangers their prisoner Judge
Howard. These hopes, however, were dashed TO tho
ground BY the telegram to Governor Hubbard that
Howard and two OF his companions had been fusiadcd
after they had surrendered. Although San Antonio
only 700 miles from the OF this tragedy, there
being neither railroad telegraphc facilities We
are still In tho dark ABOUT tho particulars OF the Tight,
our news from III Paso coming to via Austin and
Galveston Beyond the reported facts that nine
Americans In al have been killed, that Howard,
Atchson and Mcbride were tied and shot by a vocy
OF musketry, that tho surrender was caused by tho
ANN unition running short and that the Mexican mob
Is still organized and In armed resistance 70 the
United States troops, very little is known.
JUDGE HOWARD.
Judge Howard, VINO IN way Ia the cause OF
tho trouble In FL Paso county. has already been
partially sKetched in previous Iettors TO the
HERALD. Your correspondent was personally ac-
Quainted with him. lie called .'Chare" How
ard. aud was not ovcr thrty-two years OF age At
tho time OF his death, although he looked older.
Although quite tall he did not appear so at 1rst
glance owing 10 his bury proportions; ho did
active and possessed great strength Notwithstanding
no mad been shot through the lungs and
received many other wounds In the battles OF
the Confederacy. HIS complexion and hair
were dark, tho latter being unlike that OF an In
dian. The forehead was not high, but Of immense
breadth OF base the space between tho eyes, which
were dark brown being very broad the eyebrows be-
ing In straight line and very close above the eyes
Ho was ruler Of men, as far as they could be ruled
by iear for he scorncd to oonciatc, and, ough
gifted with great brain power. no went tho prin.
ciple that straight line the shortest road be-
tween two given points, and disdainsd strategy. flo
did not seem 10 know what fear was nor, alas! what
morcy was either; tor 1t was said truthiuly OF HIM
that he never took o prisoner. In light he neither
gave nor took tavors.
Atchison, who was shot with howard, was small
wiry man, OF undaunted pluck, who came TO FL Puso
with what called the .California column, y which
came down to FL paso during the latter part OF tho
war Of tho rebellion.
E'BRIpE
Mcbride old United States soldier who had
been honorably discharged and b&d settled down in
FL Paso county. Atchson and Mcbride were mem
bers OF State militia organization, having been
cnlstcd in that county. Sergeant Eis who taken
prisoner, ana whose throat cut was also resi-.
dent OF Ell Paso county. lac having married Mexican
woman. Ho most cstimablc man, and until tins
outbreak much liked by them. which fnct goes to
show that tho mob must have degeneraled into assas.
sins.
FORMER DIFFICULTY.
This Is not the arst time the Mcxicans living In
Mexico have had trouble In Enforcing their demand 10
the unlimited Of salt deposits. A short time
previous to our civil war Colonel James Magoflin,
resilient Of Ell Paso county, laid claim these lakes
entitled to take salt Quite number OF tho intrudcrs
were killed ana WOUNDED, but no compelled TO
yield ultimately 10 the pressure from the opposite side
Of tho river.
HOWARD Cards.
Judge Howard, associated with IN Austin banking
nrm, located these lakes. Isupposo they would have
been located before had anybody III Paso county
boon inclined tho responsibility OF the issue
that would DO from any attempt to intor
iore with tho me-honored custom their bong used
indscri minateiY In tact these lakes had been com.
mon property OF tho Mexcans on both sides oil tho
Rio Grande IRON time i'm memoral aud TO defend this
supposed vested right thu Mexlcans ready any
time smilo tho intruder, particularly II he was
u Grlngo There was unprecedented rise In salt IN
the city OF chihuahua. Then tho Mexicans Intensely
began In their wrath Their leader and adviser
was Louis Cards, State Senator from tho Ell Paso
Garibaldi in his campaigns against King Bomba;
snrewd, calculating plausible politician, who manip
uluted the ignorant Mexicans Of I'll paso county az
readily as II they mad been children He encouraged
them the delus!on that they had legal right to
the salt, and, IN quiet way, innancd their
already excited passions TO white heat. For
years Cards aud Howard had been mortal
enemies. although, At ono tmo, when they
united to defeat the republicans, who were In
posseesion OF the county Offices, they we're the warm
est friends Riea Owing 10 his influence With tho
Mcxicans IN the political contosl Cards came out
VICTORIOUS There had been several personal rsncon-
tres, In which Cards barely escaped with his life
Under these circumstances it will not be straininy on
the reader 10 understand why Cards entered
zicd protest wncn horde Of bowling greasers
Howard, tied MIN up carefully with ropes placed BIZ
In wagon and escorted him 70 tie county Scat Sau
VIVA aaxlco DEATH TO rnE oRMaosl
Howard, although giant, Was tIeo on horse and
dragged IN triumph through tue streets, surrounded
by whooping, snrieking, bowling mob vi mon
gre Iudlans His undaun.cd composurc muddoned
them. He was taken 10 the Court House, bound win
ropes and securely guarded. The other American
residents had fed Tor their lives Tho county
onices were In the hands of mob, who
spent most OF tho time howlng "tira
Aexicol Nuev,e los Grngosl" They Old not know
what ~ do with Howard Inc question oil shootns
Al last IL decided that no should DO shot, and
liked. In fact his Lille hnd been constant
jeopardy IRON the beginning Tho sentence, which
was hailed with dcmoDiac ycs, would have been
carried out with that religious ndety Tor winch the
Mexicans noted had u nos been Tor tho local
priest nimsef Padre Boragos. tho devoted trend OF
howard. D
A saiKSD IN xKlD.
Padre Borragos ~ one Of The Institutions OF III Paso
county. He uabDlcs somewhat In poitcs. For
instance, men Howard Cards made the ngnt
against the republicans Padre Borrasos joined
them with tbo zeal OF a crusader IL ID an unvar-
nishcu fact that he publicly blessed, with bol book
aud chndie the straight out democratic tickets pre-
vious their 10 has nuck, ana, moreover
,son stood The LAT rooi oil Mexi
near tho polls aud spriDkied with holy water tho
unbrbed anu unbought surssans on their pilgrimage
ballot box tLosc blessed tickcls III lhelr
unwahhed paws.
Borragos objected to the Aexicans shooting Howard
In their wild crusade tor SAIL but iov no found
himself IN The minority. Hc impi0rcd and begged,
Offering tncm front seats la Paradsc, and hfeaencd
10 give them front seats somewhere else II they diI
release his amigo Howard who, Ike cuniued lion,
derod them 10 tncr teeth. O course the clergy pro-
vailed. Howard was made a present ot> his he, ON
condition, however. that he wouu sign a bond
runonncng his claim 10 tho salt lakes, promising TO
leave tho country, nna aiso proiDsug ~ 10 30 spec
Ned In the bond to forget everything that mad