Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-12-20

Full Inside Facts on the Taos
Riots as Given Judge Mc-
Fle and Gov. Wallace.

| Correspondence Of THE OprIc.
| SANTA FE, Dec. 10. Referring to the
recent deplorable affair at Taos, 1t is
well known here that the facts as Of
dcially reported have been wretchedly
garbled and distorted by the New Mex
lean. The New Mexican attempts to
throw all the blame upon the peni-
tentes; as matter of fact they are
somewhat to blame, but when it is
known that So per cent of the natives
in Taos county are penitentes. what
| then?
As this matter promises to be in evil
dence for long time to come and has
already been siezed upon by the press
and those opposed to statehood, both at
home and at the east, it may be well to
have all the light on the subject possi-
BILE. Nothing is to be gained in the
judgment of your correspondent, by
SURPRISING THE FACTS.
On the contrary, it would seem best
to acquaint our own home people with
all the details of the ugly mess, SO that
they shall not be filled with awe and
indignation when the Chicago Tribune,
the New York Times, Philadelphia
Record and other journals In the states
get whack at US on this account.
The following is an, outline of the
facts leading up to the shooting Of the
sheriff as they have been rehearsed to
Judge McFie and Acting Governor
Wallace by Deputy U. s. Marshal ]. s.
Sheridan, who was sent to restore or
der:
There was celebration of the feast
of Guadalupe, parade, sc. Two
Americans, Mr.. Philips and a MIR.
Meyers artists and writers in the en-
ploy of Scribner's magazine were
at work in that vicinity. (Mr. Philips
is of Detroit, Michigan, graduate of
the Academy of Fine Arts at Paris,
France; Mr.. Meyers is native of Day
ton, Ohio, photographer by profession
and a writer of magazine articles. J
These gentlemen were on the sidewalk
watching the procession. and according
to the custom of all persons watching
such parades they had doffed their hats.
and as the last portion of the parade
was about to pass they withdrew from
the sidewalk into an alcove leading
into corral of the Taos livery stable,
there put on their hats and lit their
cigars. They were over 60 feet from
the parade and within the corral Al
deputy constable who was in the parade
--or going along with it-noticed these
men and rushed to where they were
standing and addressing them in Span
ish violently hit MIR. Meyers over the
head knocking off his hat. Meyers pick
ed up his hat and inquired what the
trouble was, the constable endeavored
to arrest him not giving any reason
therefor.
THEN THE ROW BEGAN,
in which the Americans came out as
usual. victorious, crowd assembled
and more trouble was imminent and
the Americans went to Gusdor is store
toinquire what the trouble was about
and to demand protection if it was
necessary.
The constabIes followed reinforced
by the sheriff. AT the store the sheriff
told them and all concerned that he
was going to threw them into Jail using
the vilest language. Gusdorf asked
him what they we're charged with and
what bond he wanted for their ap-
pearance: the sheriff declared that no
bond was any good, that no money was
any good; he was going to throw them
in, all this time he was fourlshing
pistol In their faces. He finally took
Meyers to jail despite the protestsof all
the Americans and quite a number OF
Mexicans. He then returned after
Phillips, The latter was In saloon
explaining to a number of friends "how
the play came up.' When the sheriff
came in he pulled his gun and threw 1t
down on him and Phillips jumped be-
hind the man Clifford, who is charged
with the shooting, and screamed for
protection. The sheriff pointed his
gun at Clifford and told him to stand
aside or he would kill him; he cooked |
his pistol twice during this time, Phil
lips stepped from behind Clifford say
ing that ks would go any place If the
sheriff would not shoot his friend Gift
ford. The sheriff started with Phillips
to Jail keeping the Americans standing
thereab6ats covered with his gun. The
sheliff's Mexican friends pushed him
sheriff-out of the door saying to him
that
HE WAS DOING WRONG
and urging him to put up his gun. The
jail is foul place. no heat, blankets,
water or food. The prisoners were con-
fined over three hours. no supper was
furnished them. Some of the Ameri-
cans went to the jail, cut up crackers
and cheese and passed it through the
bars of the steel cell in which they were
confined. After placing Meyers and
Phillips in Jail the sheriff poked the
barrel of his gun through the bars of
the cell and told them to stir around,
and seemed to enjoy their efforts to
keep out of the range of his gun. Some
ten or fifteen minutes afterwards
the sheriff returned to the saloon,
proclaimed his opinion Of all
Americans thereabouts, and started