Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-18
THE CHAVIs TRAGEDY.
A Murder that Caused Trouble Be
tween This Country and Mexico.

in the early part of 1S43, when inter-
national good will between Mexico and
the United States roasted low; when lit
tie things were occurring almost every
day that threatened the peace OF Mexico
and the republic of Texas; when Texas
needed help and the United States seemed
half inclined to help her, and when
Mexico eyed the United States with some
suspicion aud Texas avarioiOusly, there
was a crime committed on the border OF
as muck International concern to the
United states and her Southern neighbor
as is the Rasures outrage or the Cut
ting case. The excitement over the latter
intense in Texas and extending in
varied degree over the whole country
is scarcely less intense, says the ST. Louis
Republican, than 1t was over the affair OF
1873. Then Mexican was murdered;
two American citizens paid the penalty
otthe crime, as fixed by the United States
court in st. Louis, by being hanged by
,he neck until they were dead. The ex-
lcitement caused by the late Mexican out
RACES and kept at high tension by the I'M
certainty of the final outcome, recalls
that of 1S43, when st. Louis was the scene
of greatest excitement and most action.
At that time the people in the West
carried on considerable trade with the
Mexcans. The centres of trade were
Santa Fe and st. Louis, and the most
rapid and satisfactory traffic connection
between these two points was a mud
road" over which great trains of clumsy
wagons were drawn by oxen aud horses.
The MeXicans wanted blankets, guns,
ammunition, hardware and food, and
their main means of purchase ar payment
was silver, furs and wool. Many citizens
of Mexico, Texas and the United States
gAtf xynIx ~, 10 nh
furnishing the Mexican5 with consider
able OF their vital wants in return for
metals, and, though trouble brewed be-
tween the countries, their trade connec-
tiOns were not disturbed until some adj
venturers took advantage OF the unsettled
condition of things in the West, and then
only for brief time, when the United
States showed that injustices by her citi-
Zens would be punished. and confidence
on the part of the Mexlcans was restored.
Among the citizens OF the United States
engaged in this traffic were John Nc
Daniel, David Mcdaniel, Sam O'Beary,
n. II. Morton, VIM. |. Harris, Joseph X.
De PrefOntaine, Thomas Towson. John
Mccormick, Gallatin Searcy, Christopher
Searcy, Benjamin T. Harris, Schuyler
Oldham and Benjamin Talbot. A few of
these had an interest in the goods they eX-
changed, and the others accompanied the
wagon train as hunters or drivers. But
they always went together, and John Nc
! Daniel was recognized as the leader of
the party. They were in st. Louis some
time in January, 1913. and Mcdaniel rep
resented that he had gone South with
wagon train and been robbed by the Mexi-
cans. They went West about that time
and stopped at Independence, Jackson
county, which at that time was the main
station on the old Santa Fe road, connect
ing the city and Santa re. From there
they all went South, crossed the line, and
| at the nearest station enlisted on March
| l as soldiers in the army of the republic
of Texas. Then they set out to avenge
themselves against the MeXicans for the
robbery OF which they complained. The
first Mexican they met was very wealthy
trader named Antonio Jose ChaVis, on his
way to st. Louis with a long chain of
wagons loaded with furs, wool and con-
siderable quantity of silver. They over
took him soon after be had crossed Cow
Creek, and, believing he was still in Texas
territory, decided to rob his train While
few of the men were going through the
wagons in search OF silver Chavis was
shot and instantly killed. Mcdaniel and
his party disappeared, and the teamsters
and hunters who had attended the train
to provide game for food returned to tell
the story of the murder of their master
and the robbery of his train. They told
their kindred at home il was done by citi-
zens of the United States, as some of the
old drivers had seen Mcdaniel and his
party while ON former trips TO st. Louis.
The Mexicans were enraged, trade be-
tween the countries stopped, the punish
ment OF the murderers OF their fellow
countrymen was demanded, and prompt
action was taken by the United States
authorities. In May grand jury sitting
In st. Louis found an indictment against
each member OF the Mcdaniel party for
acting contrary TO the form Ofthe statutes
In such case made and provided, and
against the peace, dignity and good gov
eminent OF the United States" in enlist
ing in the Texan army. They were ar
rested few DAYS later by United States
troops and placed away In the body OF
lail situated on the corner OF Sixth and
Chestnut streets. Very soon after q
Federal grand jury, OF which John Thorn
ton was foreman, returned bills against
John Mcdaniel, Joseph Brown, Dan Nc
Daniel Thomas TOwsOn, Joseph r. De
PrefOntane, Nathaniel IL. Morton. W. j.
Harris and John A. Mccormick for the
robbery and murder of Chavis, the MeXi-
can trader. The prisoners were not tried
under the indictments for enlsting in the
Texan army, and those who were not in
dcted for the robbery and murder of
Chavis were released.
Inc cases were UTOugUI up IN Lup ADTll
term of the United States Circuit Court
In 1874 before Judge Wells by Montgomery
Blair, United States Attorney. Edward
Bates and Urish Wright appeared as at
tOrneys for the prisoners. The trial was
continued for several weeks, and resulted
in the conviction OF John MCDANIEL, Dan
Mcdaniel, Joseph Brown, Thomas Tow
son and VIM. Mason. The sentence OF
death was pronounced by the court and
the execution fixed for June II, 1914, but
was not carried out. President Tyler
granted pardons IN the cases Of all but
John Mcdaniel and Joseph Brown. the
former of which, it was shown, fired a ball
through Cbayis' head. He respited Nc
Daniel and Brown two different times,
and il was not until June IA, 1915. that the
sentence Of the court was executed.
United States Marshal C0uzins was at
that time a deputy under United States
Marshal Birch. In speaking OF the execu-
ton TO a reporter yesterday he said: IL
remember we had previously arranged a
rough scatfOld down on the bank OF the
river, Just back OF the Auheuser- Busch
brewery. When the time came TOR tho
execution Marshal Birch. Revs. Messrs.
Boyle and Browning and myself went 20
the jail, took the prisoners from their
cells and all climbed into an old furniture
wagon TO ride down 10 the scatiold. We
had not gone far when the prisoners
wanted some whisky, but the Marshal
WAS a strict temperance man and objected