The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-21
FATAL RIOTS AT
LAREDO, TEXAS
Crisis Reached in the
Smallpox Epidemic.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

LAREDO, Tex, March 20.-The crisis
in the disturbance here over the carry
Ing out of the State Health Officers
regulations in suppressing the small
poX epidemic seems to be reached.
When the work of removing the pa
tients was resumed this morning the
scenes of yesterday were repeated, and
Captain Rogers of the State Rangers
and four assistants attempted to dis
perse. the crowd, but were fired upon
and Captain Rogers received a bullet
in the left shoulder. The Rangers re-
turned the fire, killing Agipato Her
rera, an x-poHceman, who was leading
the rioters, and another Mexican, and
wounding a woman, a sister of Her
rera, who had fired at the officers from
the window of a house near by. Sew
eral other Mexicans were wounded, but
the number cannot be ascertained, as
they escaped in the crowd. Dozens of
people report seeing wounded men, but
how many saw the same ones is not
known. The shooting was followed by
a number of scattered shots in diff
ferent parts of that quarter OF the city
populated largely by MeXicans, and
they were construed as prearranged
signals by the rioters for REINFORCE
mentS.
DR.. Blunt, according to arrangements
made, had notified Captain Ayers, In
command at Fort Mcintosh, that the
United States troops were needed, ana
at Has a. m. a detachment OF the
Tenth Cavalry, mounted and fully
armed with 100 rounds of ammunition
each. arrived at the market place. City
Marshal Joseph Bartholomew was
sworn in as an officer. and under his
Il IN
peIsed. The leader of the first crowd
encountered by the military under
took to talk instead of obeying orders
to- clear out, and was promptly Knocked
down with the butt OF a carbine and so
badly hurt that he died within a short
time after being carried away. HIS
followers took the hint and rapidly fed.
A Calling gun and an ambulance
corps accompanied the cavalry, and
affairs took on a decidly martial ap-
pearance. All places Of business were
closed, and the placing of the eating
gun in a position to rake street
would quickly clear that thoroughfare
from end to end. Platoons of troopers
circulated through the disturbed dis
trict and scattered or drove out the
crowds gathered on the cross streets,
most of them taking refuge under the
river bank but offering no resistance.
Mayor Christin had requested Colonel
U Koran, the COInIlidAudIll VI Tic 4nCAl-
lean military force in Nuevo Laredo. to
cooperate with the Laredo authorities
in preventing the crossing and recross-
ing of the river by crowds in case OIL
trouble, and while several hundred
Mexicans driven out of the disturbed
district were refugeeing under the river
bank a strong detachment of Mexican
cavalry depIoyed on the south bank Of
the Rio Grande. Those on this side
concluded they were coming across to
assist them against the colored United
States cavalry, and mighty cheer
went up Fortunately, however. they
discovered their mistake before doing
anything rash. The city being quieted,
the work of the health officer was again
taken UP, with a guard of cavalry with
each wagon, under orders from Captain
Ayers that if anybody attacked in any
way the Mexican officers or themselves
to shoot, and shoot to kill.
The work progressed during the rest
of the afternoon without further inter
ruption, and will continue under The
cavalry guard until completed. The
chances of serious trouble seem about
over. though there may be isolated
cases of resistance to the health Of
ficers.
Captain Rogers was shot from be-
hind, the ball lodging in or near the
shoulder joint. The bullet has not vet
been located, and DR.. Blunt says the
wound may be a serious one.
a force of some twenty-five Rangers
has been sworn in and are doing guard
duty at the pest and detention houses.
There is q sense of relief over the situ-
alton tonight after the intense excite
ment of the morning, when citizens Of
all conditions rushed to arms to be pre-
cared for what might come. On tile
appearance of the military they We're
heartily cheered and greeted with cries
of "fIurrah for San Juan HILL" and the
citizens carrying shotguns and Win
chesters returned to their homes or
places CT business.