San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-07-27

County OttiCerS by virtue of Ram
gers Ritles--A Peculiar Con-
dltion of Affairs.
Rio GRANDE CITY, July "a,
Editor LIGHT.
Starr county now has three nominal
| county treasurers Silverio de la Pena.
the treasurer elected but counted out
by the democratic ring; Cruz Tijerina,
who was defeated but counted in by
the ring, and who was subsequently
declared incompetent by the district
court and thrown out; Samuel j.
Stewart, who was appointed by the
district court, but who was thrown out
by the county commissioners court on
the ground of the insufficiency of his
bonds. The bond of Cruz Tijerina,
the ring treasurer, is not worth the
paper it is written on. One of his
bondsmen is the county Judge, and
member of the court that approved
his bond.
The decision of the supreme court
in the case of Hidalgo county VS..
Thad. Rhodes declares that it is
against public policy to permit county
commissioners to become bondsmen
for officials upon whose official acts
uhOy ihuop pass ohu "hooO uSSolthlo
they must approve.
This makes Tierina's bond void,
This fact was called to the attention
of the County Judge at the time and
to validate the bond he did not vote
on it as though that would validate
it. Tilireno, Notwithstanding the
decision of the district court is still
acting treasurer.
The appointment of Samuel J.
Stewart was laughed at, and the dis
trict Judge was told at the time, that
his bond, however good. would never
be approved by the commissioners
cOurt IS he was not member Of the
"ring.'
Runners were sent by the "ring"
to every available bondsman in the
county, threatening them with a law
suit if they signed Stewards bond,
but Notwithstanding he made bond
that the "ring" would have been too
glad to accept had he belonged to
their "gang" and which is a better
bond than most of the county officials
have given.
This "ring" is continually writing
to the Governor that the utmost law
lessness prevails in Starr county, and
that human life meaning their own
would not be safe, should the state
troops be withdrawn. Guilty con-
sciences need no accusers." They
are in no danger of violence from the
people whose rights they have tram
pied under foot, under the protection
of the state of Texas.
For the sake of the good name of |
the county the people will abide the |
action Of the courts against these |
usurpers of the county offices, nor will
harm be done them to justify the |
charges they have made against the |
character of the people of Starr |
This county occupies the highly
unique position, at present, of being |
governed by lot of county officials |
who are guarded by a company of |
state rangers against the people whom
they have outraged, and who fear |
that if the troops are withdrawn they |
will not be permitted to live in the
county.
What comment on the virtue of
the great democratic state of Texas,
that she supports company of troops
to guard a half dozen men in Office
w hoLl pho pOOpiO uClOooOu, anu III ohC
illegal acts of the court that counted |
them in, this same court, with the ex-
ception of one member, was indicted
in Brownsville by the United States
grand jury at its last session.
Let all outside parties having capt.
tai to invest in Texas make note of
the foregoing facts before investing,
and may every fair and liberty loving
editor in the Union copy this proof of
Texas political justice.