Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-23
BLACK JACK" STORY DENIED.
No Vengeance Wreaked Upon the Gang as Re.
ported-Prosperily in The Colonies,
Colonia Juarez, Mexico,
April 9th, 1898.

Colonia Juarez, Mexico,
April 9th, 1898.
To the Editor:
statement has been published IN
several newspapers to the effect that
sister Agnes Macdonald was murdered
by the Black Jack band of outlaws
and that party Of Mormons had
surprised the gang in their stronghold
in the mountains and had Killed theni
all. All such reports are incorrect
While It is not positively known Who
did commit the murder. we nave not
the slightest reason to suppose IL was
done by any member of the BLACK
lack gang, nor that any member OF
the band has been in this part OF tne
country. Had the band been IN any
mart of northern Chihuahua, purtcu-
inrlv IT'S mountainous portions, we
sbniild certainly have known 1t, as not
only our own people but many miners
and prospectors are continually pass
ing through the country IN every urec-
ton. Such being the case none OF our
people could have' been concerheu IL.
Black Jacks determination, no, 'i a.,
any party of Mormons been sent II,
oiiest of that or any other band OF
outlaws. nor has such thing been III
concentration. The laws OF Mexico
are very strict relat I'VE to the appre-
bension and execution of criminals .,
OF persons suspected OF crime. anu
lynch law, so prevalent in the uhhteu
states. is unknown. almost. in this re
public. As law-abiding citizens OF TINS
our adopted country, We are in duty
hound to leave the execution OF the
laws to those who are legally appoint
ed to that duty. And there is not the
incentive for lynching In Mexico tha'
there IL In the United states, where
criminals money will hire lawyers AND
frequently buy courts and Jurors, de-
feating thus the demands of justice, oil
at least producing intermlnable delays
as in the Durrant case, and some ever
in Utah. In Mexico punishment foi
crime is swift and sure, as witness ths
case OF those who lynched the mar
who lately tried to Kill President piaa
| Their doom was swift ana sure-hs
| legal bubbles or delays.
1t is a time of general prosperity here
| and in the surrounding settlements
Another field has been surveyed In tins
valley of the TenaJa, and a canal sur
veyed to irrigate II. But last yea
demonstrated the fact that corn can bt
| grown here without Irrigation othei
than that from the heavens. in ordi
| nary seasons, which usually comes
about the first of July. The time hai
| been when rains were abundant IN thli
land, and were ample for the cultiva
tlon of the whole country. which at on
time had an immense population. TIT
whole country IL dotted with mounds
and hilocks, the remains of what ono
were houses and villages. Not onl!
the valleys and plains were cultivated
but hill and mountain side also, clea
to the tops OF the mountains. which ar
terraced in every place where ther
was enough earth to support vegeta
ton. / have seen large Hat rocks tel
or twenty feet broad, which had beef
covered with earth foot deep. brough
from a distance and kept on the rocl
by stones placed around the edges. am
these rock farms We're sometimes Il
situations very difficult to reach. On
one such stone, rising about fifteei
feet above the surrounding rocks.
found earth had been placed and con
fined upon II by stones placed aroun1
the edge, andf wild potatoes growin
there. They were very small, but un
mistakably potatoes. Every little nool
or swale, often NOT more than ifteei
feet wide. has thus been utilized. tn
stone wall terrace beirg frequently &
steep ground. only two or three rod
apart. one aboveI another. But this 1
n subject woSthy a more extended no
tice. ]. II. MARTINEAU.