El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-09-24
The Passenger From Chihuahua.
Ell PASo. Tex, Sept. "a, 1898

Ell. PASo, Tex, Sept. "a, 1898.
Editor Ell Paso HERALD, Dear Sir
As conductor OF the train leaving Chi
huahua last Sunday morning L beg
that you will kindly permit me to Of
fer Through the columns of your vaiu-
able paper) q reply to the state ment as
published in the HERALD of 23d inst ,
regarding a passenger being under the
influence of liquor leaving Chihuanua,
as [ feel that said article tends to con-
vey the impression that l was some
what dlrelict in my duties bv not re-
lieving tn 5 passenger of all his money.
In the first place this inebriated pas.
senger WAS travelling entirely alone. III
he was accompanied by another man
for about forty miles toward Juarez' as
stated, the second party must have
bid under the seats or climbed the bell
cord when l came into the hrst-
class coach As / never found him
II is true, however, that this party
was very much intoxicated. had some
difficulty In getting his transportation
and in doing SO he dropped two or three
one dollar bills on the floor. | gath
cred them up and replaced them
in his inside coat pocket and
noticed that he had quite a
bundle of money in this same pocket
but | had no fear that he would be
robbed, being broad day light and the
car being well filled with passengers,
amongst whom were customs
officer. But later on L was
asked by passengers to take all
his money and hold it until he became
sober, which l declined to do for the
reason that we are prohibited from re-
ceiving money or other valuables from
passengers for safe keeping.
Still after this earnest request L con-
sented to take the money that was
loose and exposed to view in his inside
coat pocket, which L handed to lady
passenger with the request that she
count it. She did so and said 1T CON
| tanned one hundred and sixteen dol
| lars. / took the money and at the
same time his bottle of whiskey and
concealed it. However, L did not see
the man take a drink after leaving
chihuahua. The customs guards
seemed to think il very singular thai
an intoxicated man shouldI.be trusted
with so much money and suggested
that they would have the police tax G
charge of him at Jnarez If for no other
reason than his own protection (which
| think was perfectly right and pru-
| dent).
After leaving Samslayuca he bad
sobered up and | returned his money
and advised him to go to a hotel and
| not go on the street until morning. he
said he would take hack at Juarez
and go to FL Paso to a hotel. / then
told the guards that he was sober ano
able to protect himself and he was GO
ing to FL Paso; they seemed inclined
to let him go, but afterward changed
their mind and decided to hold him
until morning, which in my opinion was
perfectly right. IL one of our American
officers should happen to be on a train
coming into Ell Paso and see a Mexi-
can board the train in such a condition
while another man filed his pockets
with money, 1 think it would be their
duty to hold that man until
they could ascertain where he
got this money and who he was before
being allowed to cross the border. The
article does not reflect any credit on
me aud 1 offer this reply for my own
vindication.
Very Truly
A F. CARNE