Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-10-08
KNIGHTS OF MUTUAL PROTECTION,

Mutual Protection of New Mexico? Is il
an order organized and existing for pur.
poses of assassination as the Democratic
bosses would make the good people Of
New Mexica believer Is it an association
of men who would profit by crime and
violence? No, it is not
1t is an association of good citizens in
the counties of San Miguel Mora, Colfa1
Santa Fe, Taos and Rio .Arriba, having
on its roll of membership to-day over
5000 men, most of whom are pro
nouncedly Republican in their politics
1t is an organization whose chief prin
ciple is the preservation of law and order
1t is an organization made necessary it
San Miguel, Mora and Colfax counties by
the many crimes and outrages committed
by the White Cap, fence cutting scoun
drels, who have done more to tarnish the
good name of the people of New Mexico
and have driven more capital from our
DoldClD tAdh GIL othCl CuuoCb
This White Cap, so called Knights OF
Labor organization was three years ago
established in the county and city OF
Santa Fe by designing Democratic poll
ticians, at whose head was the then sheriff
of this county.
Immediately there commenced a period
of fear and intimidation among the native
people. At midnight in the streets of
Santa Fe, on numerous occasions, masked
men on horseback, armed with Winches-
tiers were seen. The sheriff was repeated
ly notified of the fact, but neither he nor
any of his deputies ever took a single
step to stop the gang of cut-throats,
fence cutters and murderers from their
bold practices. In March, 1890, the murder
of Faustin Ortiz took place. During the
month of October, 1890, at Lamy juno
ton, and while the train from the east,
loaded with passengers, was standing on
the main track, $50 armed White Cap
Democrats from San Miguel and Santa
Fe counties paraded around the depot,
shouting the names of their party leaders,
"Romulo Martinez" and Frank Chavez"
and down with T. B. Catron." On the
following night these same cowardly
scoundrels surrounded house in Galisteo
where Mr.. Catron and Mr., Staab we're
holding a political meeting, and en-
deavored to break up the meeting by
firing off their Winchesters and intimi-
dating the peaceful people of that viii
lage.
During the entire campaign of 1890 the
lawless practices which were then OBJ
tanning in the county of San Miguel were
sought to be established in the county of
Santa Fe by the gang of Democratic
politicians who saw the writing on the
wall for their evil doings and who were
only too willing to resort to intimidation
of the native people in order to maintain
their supremacy at the polls.
But it did not work. The best element
of the county arose in its might and de-
posed the plunderers from Office. And how
was it done' By the organization now
known as the Knights of Mutual Protec-
ton. This order was started in the month
of October 1890, and in the city of Santa
Fe alone at that time had over 400 mem
bers; citizens who believed that their all
was at stake; tax payers who knew that
the Democratic gang then in charge of
public affairs must be defeated; citizens
who went to the polls on election day
under the cover and protecting wing of
the Knights of Protection and cast their
ballots in favor of law and order and
against White-Cap Democratic intimida-
ton and misrule.
1t was this chaotic state of affairs in
Santa Fe which made the order of Knights
of Mutual Protection a necessity. It was
the reign of terror during the year 1890,
commencing with the cowardly butchery
of Faustin Ortiz in the county Jail build
ing and ending with the shooting of Hon.
j. A. Ancheta in the Office of Hon. T. B.
Catron, and attempted assassination of
Hon. T. B. Catron that gave birth to this