Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-06-16
RIOTS ON THE RIO GRANDE
Texans Objected to Having
Arms Scratched With
Vaccine Virus.
RANGERS CALLED OUT.
Trouble Grew Out Of Discovery by
Smart Doctor That Smallpox
Was Across the River.

Wool Warehouse in Laredo Converted
Into Pest House and Cotton Mill De-
tention Hospital-Relatives Called and
Were Not Allowed to See Patients
Then Mix-up Occurred.
Your native Texan objects to blood
letting in any but the conventional
way. 1t is all right and proper to bleed
a man with six-shooter bullet or a
bowie knife on due provocation. That
is according to State etiquette-or to
Mr. Hoyle, as they say. But when
short-horn doctor from the effete East
comes to the Rio Grande loaded down
with quilts, claims the right to enter
your jacal without knocking, and then
proceeds to tear a piece of hide off
your arm just because he doesn't like
| your looks or your liver-when these
things happen, then there's sure to be
a little unpleasantness and a funeral
or two. Laredo has passed through
an experience Of this sort, and it re-
quired the State Rangers and a COM
pany of the Tenth United States caval-
ry to restore order. The funerals took
place few days ago, and the wounded
are doing as well as could be expected.
1t all grew out of the discovery by
young doctor that there was smallpox
across the river in Mexico. He hadn't
been here long. and couldn't be expect
ed to know that every well-regulated
Mexican family on the frontier has its
routine that must be lived up to; that
it must have its smallpox in the spring,
just as it must have its bull fights and
fiestas in the fall, and it's danzas and
fandangoes and throat-cuttings in the
so-called winter months. He didn't
know these things, so he notified the
Texas State Health Board of his dis
covery and had quarantine regulations
put in force. That was the first sign of
trouble. Gentlemen who had been
dealing cards on this side and sleeping
in Mexico found their pleasures and
profits interfered with, and objected
loudly to inspection. Then some Joker
tipped that troublesome doctor off to
the fact that there was a case or two
of the disease right in Laredo. Made
him think it was something new and
| extraordinary. Then the doctor got
down to business in real earnest. An
old wool warehouse was seized and
converted into a pesthouse. 1t is in
the suburbs, occupies a full block and
is surrounded by a high board fence.
On the other side of town a building
put up for a cotton mill was turned
into a detention hospital for suspects,
and one of the first persons taken there
was the joker who had stirred up the
trouble on this side. The first cases
were taken to the pesthouse, and then
the trouble became general. The rela-
tives of those confined called at the
pesthOuse to see them and were refus-
ed admittance. This was an undream-
ed-of outrage, and a section of the
board fence was promptly torn down.
That called the Mayor into the game,
and he put the Sheriff in the field to
guard the premises, and the Sheriff
asked help from the Rangers.
Meantime the doctor had communi-
Gated again with the State Board of
Health and had received instructions
to make a se-to-house inspection OF
the town and scrape the arms of all
persons who seemed in need of that
sort of irritation. He secured five
assistants ana started out to have some
fun. He had it. When the virus be-
gan to take" the town got sore on the
doctor and his assistants, and laid for
him with clubs. But the doctor had an
other card up his sleeve. He ordered
the removal of the obstreperous to the
dentention hospital.
Then the circus began in earnest, and
gun-plays became frequent. A posse
went the rounds with the ambulance
in which suspects were removed, and
on the second trip the assistant city
marshal was shot down. Then the Rang
ers were called away from that board
fence to guard the ambulance. That
was an invitation to scrap that no ma
tive Texan could ignore. and so formid-
able were the preparations made to
wipe out the Rangers that the Mayor
decided to suspend operations in order
to prevent a massacre.
But there was no let-up on the part
of that doctor. He kept after the State
Board of Health. and finally, through
the instrumentality OF that body Uncle
Sam sat into the game He drew a
handful of spades and played his
Tenth cavalry 10 beat everything in
sight. The ambulance was sent out
again with an escort of troopers and
Rangers. They were fired upon, and
the captain of the Rangers fell. Then
the troopers let go, and the mob scat
tered-those of them that were able TO
get away. One of the leaders of the
mob was killed.
Having had its little bit of excitement
and expressed its opinion of the pro-
ceedings, the town has now Quieted
down.