Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-08-22
DRANK UP
THE FREIGHT
Soldiers Developed a Beautiful
Thirst and Quenched 1t With
Goods Consigned Here.
VERY KN0TTY PROBLEM
Case That Dragged Its Weary Way
Through the Courts Of
Santa Fe.


<'If true and complete history of
the courts of this territory and of the
cases which demanded the attention
of the various judges of varied abili-
ties who at different times occupied
the bench and ruled supreme, could
be written there would be some mighty
Interesting reading furnished" said
the "Old Timer "Now, I remember
a case that was brought in the courts
of Santa Fe good many years ago. 1t
was one Of those hard and knotty
problems that the lawyers Ike to
wrestle with and fight over until every
body concerned gets tired and finally
the interested parties find solution
of the trouble themselves. There was
:, freighter named Armijo who took a
consignment of goods for the firm of
Seligman Bros at Independence, Mo.
Now part Of the freighters contract
was to deliver the goods in good con-
to fulfil this particular part of the con-
tract the consignees refused to pay
him. The freighter, Armijo, brought
suit to recover and the case came to
trial. or course, you can understand
what an interest would be taken, as
the decision would affect not only the
parties 20 the suit, but every trader
and every freighter in the territory.
to
the effect that the freighters had
called upon the government for an es-
cort through the Indian country, as at
that time the Reds were giving
great deal of trouble. All this was
before the days of the. civil war, you
must remember, and the merchants
were compelled to have all their goods
sreighted across the plains from the
nearest railroad point. Well, the gov
ernment furnished the escort as the
freighters had requested and the
march was begun across the plains. All
went we'll for time but when the
heart of the, Indian country was
reached the soldiers had developed
most beautiful thirst and had also sue
ceeded in locating wagon filled with
barrels Of liquor. They at once pro-
ceeded to do the most natural thing In
the world and tapped the barrels.
with the intention of shaking that par
sicular thirst. But the game proved
too easy and the barrels were tapped
to such an extent that the whole COM
rnand was soon intoxicated. The SOL
diers then refused to obey orders anu
a mutiny was threatened. In vain the
officers tried to bring the command in
to subsection and finally the officer IN
command coniscated and destroyed
the entire consignment of liquor. Then
order being again restored the march
was resumed
seWhen the case was being tried the
officers testified that they had learned
that not only were their lives IN jeap-
orly, but that the whole expedition was
threatened They claimed the exigen-
cies of the occasion demanded prompt
and summary action and that they
were, therefore, justified in taking the
steps that they did. The attorneys for
the other side, however, clair1ed tnat
only san act Of God could release the
freighter from performing his part OF
the contract and delivering the goods
as he had promised to do The case
dragged along from one time to anoth-
ar and from one court to another, un-
ii, the litigants got together and
,,omnronise was affected whereby the
loss was divided between them.
~But speaking Of the conditions that
existed at that time reminds me OF
now the New Mexico people were
called upon by the government at the
time of the civil war. After the open
ing of hostilities this territory was
called upon to furnish regiment OF
troops. The cavalry soldiers were to
finnish their own mounts and equip
rnents and the expense OF the same
was to be made claim against the
government which would be paid after
the war The cavalrymen old tnelr
part, but the government has not
done what it promised to do and today
the majority of the claims are stiii un-
paid.
.sThe first battle of the war to be
fought in New Mexico was the battle
of Val Verde. The federal troops hear
ing of the advance Of the Texans went
out to meet them. The two opposing
forces were drawn up in line OF battle
en- the opposite sides Of the Rio Gran
de- The federals planted the few guns
thatxthey had and awaited the oncom-
ing offne enemy. But the Texans were
not to be halted and they plunged INTO
the river, which at that point was
more than waist deep. The impetuous