Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-05-05
TRAVELS IN MEXICO.
Lno1g tho M0rmOa Settlements 10
Northern chihuahua
TUE MURDER or A UTAH BOZ

ColoNiA DuuAs. Chihuahua.
MeNc0. March 30, 1894

kdior DsssrH Nera
On Wednesday March s I.1t in
company with Elder Joseph D. l'esson' |
who took me with DTS team 60 pl1lan,
[ lcG Daz 90 visit the other s,t,cmcna
of the Saints in old Mcz.co. Aiicr
travelling two miles southwark, we
crossed the river Cssas Gnndcs, and
two miles beyond wo arrived at the
Mexican town ia Asceuciou said 90 con.
tam 5000 inhabitants. This isundou1icd'
Iva sample modem McX.cln town. AZ
The stranger approaches %, he secs from
the distance something iha, resembles
"a huge adobe WALL without anything
lofty to relieve o.. and as be cutters Che
place. be finds narrow streets aul low
one story adobe houses, With ilii roofs
throughout the entire plan, without
fruit trees, shade trees or even as much
as small gardens TO add comfort Co 'he
town. How people can content theme
selves with living 10 such a cherries
place with nothing TO look 30 but
clumsy, rough adobe walls b. more than
au cntcpnsing white man can conceive
OIL. especially be- country ike tha
where trees, vegetables aud 90 kiads OF
grasses would grow abuuilnily with
but little care.
The town OF Ia Ascuuciou uuatlac-
tive as Il Is, will long be remembered by
the FIRST Latterday Saints iu Mcxico, as
it was Immediately north Of this place
that many OF our people were cucamped
on the bottom lands ol the Clsas
Gmndcs before Col1uia Diaz proper
aud our other Mexican colonies were
bounded. TIE custom house vas also
az La Ascension No that time and BE- was
here that our brethren took thgir hrsi
lessons la Mexican duty busiucas--ln
experience, which partly owing TO their
ignorance OF Mexican laws. cost them
very heavily. Through the influence oi
some Americans who lied about our
people and mhrcprcscntci Their inttn'
tons, the McNicans Of l8 Ascunciuu luok'
cd upon their new ncigh1uu lihg Nor
monsl with great suspicion, aud they
generally believed them 10 be O. wicked
and corrupt set" this. uo doubt, also
terminating order" from the governor
OF Chihuahua, when our people, in
April, 1885, were ordered out of the
country. 10 seemed that the blEotry
and hatred toward the Saints 40 that
time ran so high that come OF our per-
sccutom we're not satisfied with driving
some OF the best citizens of the United
States into exile, but followed them
with their cnmiiy and wicked acCusl'
lions into a foreign land. but the Lord,
in answer 10 the prayers Of lbs servants,
turned away this danger Instead OF
the Saints being driven out OF Mexico,
the governor who issued the order of
expulsion lost his official head. and the
saints have since, through their honesty
and straightforward course, gained the
good will and confidence OF their MgNi-
can neighbos, many of whom will now
trust IN the word Of one of our brethren
far more than iu that given by one OF
their own number.
Though the MeXicans aIc q very gen,
tccl and polite people. they are not 40
honest True 10 their Indian traits of
character many OF them consider DO uu
crime at an 90 steal 70 they are mo-,
caught az TO- Hence, when our people
were encampcd near Ia Ascenci0n that
class of citizens made it their special
business TO pilicr and steal from their
prospective neighbour. N1T were they
particular 10 regard 10 the articles ss.
cured. Anything from % horse 90 @
needle would answer, On one occasion
the temporary home of Elder Joseph IA.
James was visited by these thieves.
when Brother James was out and the
family was tst asleep. After having
cmpued a trunk and q smaller box con,
tanning the family clothing and after
taking the shoes and clothing which the
respective members of tue family had
taken oii ln retiring 10 rest Tor the night,
the robbers proceeded tu steal thc bed.
clothes oil tlcygry beds occupied by the
members OF the household. Without
waking the smaller children they stole
the covering of tutiT cots, aud were Just
BOO the act of pulling OIL the blankets of
tine bed occupied by M adult member
ui the family when Sister James awok,
aud gave the alarm, Then the thieye.
made good their escape with their booty
leaving the family To destitute that EiuJ
uCiEhhurs bad Co furnish them with 90.
most necessary wearing apparel before
they could arise the next morning E.
tlIs was going little too iar lIuu
that time ON guns and other hrCIm.
were brought Co play iu uncomfortable
close proximity TO the midnight prowr
rrs, vino 90 length desi,lgd from tGtu
"clil dcad.' for fear of being sent O,
the great beyond before obey could har.
400 opportunity of seeking mo tHa band.
ul their priest chat forgiveness which
was Poo readily granted them ilr such
"pety crimes ls that of stealing from
die Mumous' was considered Iu DE.
Since the recent Hid of Che rebels
upon the custom house of Tl'umas.
company OF Mexican soldiers hIs beer
stationed 40 ll Ascun0Uu, which iol
the time being adds little 10 tine bust
ness of the place. The soldiers af,
intended ls protection 90 ihc mhHh
uanis, but 10 they were a.l IiEg the one
who Kept us company part uI the wlI
from CuIuuH Dua FOO Ia AHCguCiOn. aul
who tell of DIS horse through IIgEue.
supcluducei, no doubt hy having g0
on the outside u, too much "mrsCaH
IA sort ui N.uCn whisky. we lu.
that uu presence uI Che troops does uu
add much To- lac safety ul t1a paa.
Another cause for Ihe presence 0ilruup
ln Ia Ascension s this, that tHe mnaD
lHuIs u' the town quite recently arose
300 open rebellion against their 'uI.sr
duutg, ihe principal municipal officer
and killed Dim, together with U
hfotherluIawi vino sought tu protect
him' Such ogcuuuncgs are NOT verl