The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-01-17
THE SAN ELIZARIO AFFAIR
Why Judge Howard and His Companfons

Why Judge Howard and His COMPANIONS
Were Shot.
Austin (Tex.) Cor. st. Louis Globe-Democrat.1
MAJ. John b. Jones, commandino
seven companies of Texas State troons
on the frontier, and the Rangers. was
called upon by the Texas correspondent
of the Globe Democrat for the purpose
of an interview On the border troubles.
which was cheerfully accorded.
Z" would like to be informed some.
what about the features of the country
round about Ell Paso, so often of late
mentioned in the dispatches remarked
the Gtobe-Denaocrat correspondent.
Maj. Jones, the Ranger-I've been
there and can tell you all about it.
Firstly, then, as to Ell Paso (the Pass.
The Ell Paso on the Texas side of the
Rio Grande, now beginning to be called
Franklin, to distinguish it from Ell Pasc
on the Mexican side, is a small village
inhabited almost altogether by Mexi.
cans. There are but few Americans in
it. 1t is not the county seat of Ell Pasc
comfy, as is the idea generally enter.
tanned
Cor.-What, then, is the county-seat
Maj. Jones.-It is a little placs-a
mere Mexican hamlet-called Yslette
twelve miles below Ell Paso, or Franklin.
This is the capital. Then again, further
down the river, is Socorro, containing
| some $50 inhabitants, all Mexicans, with
a chance Gringo," or American. San
EIzarlo, the scene of the mob, is a SIN al
Mexican town eight miles below Socorrc
| aud twenty-five from Ell Paso. All these
places are inhabited mostly by Mexicaus
for that whole region is nothing but q
L IL
exception of few American settlers
are one and in unison with the jewellers
south of the Rio Grande. They are re.
lated and intermarried together. linked
by other ties, and, indeed, a consider.
able proportion of the Mexicans in E]
Paso county were born in Mexico.
Cor.-What sort of country is it out
there?
Maj. Jones-Pretty wild, I can tell
you. It is some 700 miles from the set.
Elements of Texas. The country around
FL Paso, and in which are situated the
places L have mentioned, is a poor,
sandy, barren region, only the river and
creek bottoms being capable of itriga-
| ton. 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 al
San Ehzario?
Maj. Jones.-Undoubted the fact
that Judge Howard, the cause of the
original difficulty in Ell Paso last fall.
returned among the Mexicans, who held
him. When [ was out there at the time.
shortly after Howard killed Cords, the
leader of the Mexicans, I arrested and
put him under bond for his appearance
at the next term of the court in Ell Paso.
advised him to go to Mesilla, some
fifty miles from San Eiizario, 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 fol
lows: A banking firm of Austin. Of
which George B. Zimpleman, ex-Sherif
OF Travis county, was Il partner, procured
and received from MIR. Groos, State Lane
| commissioner, patents conveying lands
IN Ell Paso county, and including some
salt lakes or ponds. These ponds have
been USED free by the Mexicans for 2O(
years, and, in fact, it is claimed, be-
longed to original Mexican grants before
Texas became a State. Judge Howard. il
the brother-in-law OF Zimpleman. and
as his agent, went out to Ell Paso, and
taking possession of the ponds, or en-.
deavoring to- do so, informed the Mexi.
cans that if they got any more salt from
the lakes they must pay for it. Then
began the rumpus. Towards life was
threatened, and it is said by prominent
Texans who knew him that Howard was
an unscrupulous man and desperate.
In the progress of the quarrel Senator
Coz dis, who had represented Ell Paso
in the Texas Legislature, and who
warmly espoused the Mexican side OF
the difficulty, was shot and killed by
Howard, for which, as Mai. Jones states,
he was arrested and bound over. The
remainder OF the story has already been
told. Howard, who was regarded by
the Me4icans 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 twenty
five Rangers, he was taken by the mob
and made to suffer the penalty of his
temerity, and exniate the murder of
Cords, which the lIexicans knew would
never be done in the courts. The two
men, Atkinson and Mcbride, also exc
cuted, were friends OF Howard That is
the origin of the difficulty at San Eli
carlo.