The Washington bee., 1899-05-27
RIOTS ON THE RIO GRAND[
texans Objected to Having
Arms Scratched With
Vaccine Virus.
RANGERS CALLED OUT.
irouole Grew Out of Discovery by
Smart Doctor That Smallpox
Was Across the River.

Into a Pest House and Cotton Mill De-
tsntion Hospital-Rslatiyss Called and
were Not Allowed to See Patients
Then a 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 proyocation. That
Is according to State etiquette-or to
Mr. Hoyle, as they say. But when a
short-horn doctor from the effete East
comes to the Rio Grande loaded down
with quills, 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 il re-
qu1red the State Rangers and a COM
| pany of the Tenth United States cayaI-
! ry to restore order. The funerals took
place a few days ago, and the wounded
are doing as we'll as could be expected
1t all grew out of the discovery by a
young doctor that there was smallpox
across the river. in Mexico. He hadn't
been here long, and couldn't be expect
cd TO know that every well-regulated
Mexican family on the frontier has its
routine that must be lived up to; that
IL must have its smallpox in the spring,
Just as 1t must have it's bull fights and
nestas In the fall, and its 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 high board fence.
On the other side of town a building
put up for a cotton mill was turned
into detention hospital for SUSPECTS
and one of the first persons taken there
was the joker who had stirred I'D the
trouble on this side The first cases
were taken to the pesthouse, and then
the trouble became general. The rela-
tlVes of those confined called at the
peSthouse to see them, and were refus-
ed admlttance. This was an undream-
ad-of outrage, and a section of the
board fence was promptly torn down.
Ihat 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-
'ated again with the State Board OF
Health and had received instructions
o make house-to-house inspection of
he town and scrape the arms of all
PERSONS who seemed in need of that
ort of irritation. He secured five
sisstants and started out to have some
un. He had it. When the virus be-
an to take" the town got sore on the
octor and his assistants. and laid for
i'm with clubs. But the doctor had an
ther card up his sleeve. He ordered
ne removal of the obstreperous to the
entention hospital
Then the circus began in earnest. and
un-plays became frequent. A posse
'ent the rounds with the ambulance
which suspects were removed. and
n the second trip the assistant city
larshal was shot down. Then the Rang
rs were called away from that board
'nce to guard the ambulance. That
as an invitation to scrap that no ma
We Texan could ignore. and so formid-
Dle were the preparations made to
lpe out the Rangers that the Mayor :
ecided to suspend operations in order /.
} prevent massacre.
But there was no let-up on the part
that doctor. He kept after the State
oard of Health, and finally, through
le instrumentality of that body Uncle :.
am sat into the game. He drew a ,
andful Of spades and played his
enth cavalry to beat everything i'm
ght. The ambulance was sent out
gain with an escort of troopers and =
angers. They were fired upon. and
e captain Of the Rangers fell. Then
% troopers let go. and the mob scat :
red-those Of them that were able to
t away. One Of the leaders of the :,
OBJ was killed
Having had its little bit of excitement
ID expressed its opinion OF the pro-
edlngs, the town has now Quieted