The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-01-04
THE SAN ELIZARIO AFFAIR.
Why Judge Howard and His Companions
Were Shot

Why Judge Howard and His Companions
Were Shot.
GAustin (Tex.) Cor. st. Louis Globe-Democrat.l
Maj John b. Jones, commanding
seven companies of Texas State troops
on the frontier, and the Rangers, was
called upon w the Texas correspondent
of the Globe Democrat for the purpose
of an interview on the border troubles,
which was cheerfully accorded
60 would like to be informed some
what about the features of the country
round about FL Paso, so often of late
mentioned in the dispatches" remarked
the Globe Democrat correspondent.
Maj. Jones, the Ranger-Ive been
there and can tell you all about it.
Firstly, then, as to FL Paso 0he Pass.
The Ell 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 Mexi-
cans. There are but few Americans in
it. 1t is not the county-seat of Ell Paso
comfy, as is the idea generally enter
tanned.
Cor.-What, then, is the county-seat
Maj. Jones.-It is little place.
mere Mexican hamlet-called Ysette,
twelve miles below lei 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 Son
ElIzario, the scene of the mob, is Il small
Mexican town eight miles below Socorro
aud 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 re-
lated and intermarried together, linked
by other ties, and, indeed, consider
able proportion of the Mexicans liz FL
Paso county were born in Mexico.
Cor.-What sort of a country is it out
there?
Maj. Jones-Pretty wild, I can tell
you. 1t is some 700 miles from the set
dement's of Texas. The country around
Ell Paso, and in which are situated the
places have mentioned, is a poor,
sandy, barren region, only the river and
creek bottoms being capable Of ifriga-
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 at
San EGzario?
Mai. Jones. Undoubtedly the fact
that Judge Howard, the cause of the
original difficulty in III 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 MeXicaps, / arrested and
put him under bond for his appearance
at the next term of the court in FL Paso.
[ 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 fol-
lows: A banking firm of Austin, of
which George b. Zimpleman, ex-Sheriff
OF Travis county, wasa partner, procured
and received from Mr.. Groos, State Land
Commissioner, patents conveying lands
in III Paso county, and including some
salt lakes or ponds. These ponds have
been used free by the Mexicans for 200
years, and, i'll fact, it is claimed, be-
longed to original Mexican grants before
Texas became State. Judge Howard. is
the brother-in-law OF Zimpleman, and,
as his agent, went out to FL 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. Howard's life was
threatened, and it is said by prominent
Texans who knew him that Howard was
an INSCRIPTIONS man and desperate.
In the progress of the quarrel Senator
Colds, who had represented El Paso
in the Texas Legislature, and who
warmly espOused the Mexican side OF
the difficulty, was ssot 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 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 twenty
five Rangers, he was taken by the mob
and made to suffer the penalty of his
temerity, and expiate the murder OF
Cords, which the Mexicans 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
zario.