The Socorro chieftain. [volume] (Socorro, N.M.) 1902-1959, 1905-05-27
A Great Flourish Of Winchester
Rifles and Colts Revolvers in
Magdalena District.
JUANITA MINE BONE
OF CONTENTION.
A Garrison of One Holds the Fort
for Thirty Hours without
Food or Water

The grim visagcd god of war
took up his abode in the Magda-
lena mining district the first of
the week and for two or three
days threatened active operations.
Winchester rifles and Colts
revolverS were very much i'll
evidence to be used either to hold
possession or to take forcible
possession of the Iuanita mine.
One of the contending parties
finally got possession of the mine
and the other of the dump, and
the advantage seemed to be with
the latter, for they promptly
entered upon a siege that promis-
ed to starve the beleagured gar
rison to surrender. The dove with
the olive branch at last lowered
over the hostile camp, however.
A peace was arranged satisfactory
TO the besieged and the garrison
marched forth with the honors of
war and everything else asked
for.
Last August Hon. II. b. Catron,
owner of the Juanita mine in the
Magdalena district, leased and
gave an option on the property
/ to h. b. Thomas. This lease and
option Mr.. Thomas assigned to
B. F. Hobart of Missouri as Sc
curity for a debt of S4,670, il be-
ing stipulated in the transaction
that Mr.. Thomas was to ship the
mines entire output of zinc ore
of a certain grade to the Cherokee
Lanyon Spelter Co. of Kansas
to be credited to Mr.. Hobart and
apply on the debt mentioned.
According to the terms of the
agreement, il the amounts of ore
thus shipped on or before May Z,
1905, should not be enough to-
cancel the debt, then Mr.. Hobart
was to have peaceable possession
of the mine. No ore was shipped
under this agreement. On Satur-
day Mr.. Hobart'S agent took
possession of the property. Fred
Thomas and others made
repeated attempts by threats, by
force and arms to intimidatc
plaintiffs agents and employees
and deprive plaintiff of possession,
aided, counselled and abetted by
Il. Il. Catron, as plaintiff is
informed and believes" These
facts are CLEANED from the
complaints in the legal proceed
ings which followed. Attorney
Jas. G.. Fitch of this city was
employed to represent Mr..
Hobart's interests in the case and
Hon. II. B. Catron, who is alleged
to have consented TO the transfer
of the lease and option and after
wards to have claimed that the
lease had been forfeited, repre-
sented defendants interests. Mr..
Fitch finally secured from Judge
Parker an order for an injunction
restraining the defendants from
interfering with the plaintiffs
peaceable possession of the mine.
| Wednesday morning Mr.. Catron
handed Mr.. Fitch his note for
81, $40. 40 in satisfaction of all
the plaintiffs claims.
Thus ended the war. No blood
was shed, but at one time it
seemed that any moment might
bring the clash of arms. Mr..
Hobart sent out determined men
TO take possession of the mine
and the Catron-Thomas party
i had armed men on the ground
to hold the fort" Actual posses
sion shifted to and fro two OF
three times, but the condition
finally became settled with c. II.
Tolle, a Hobart man, besieged in
the mine and Mr.. Catron and his
cohorts on the dump. Mr.. Tolle
showed what stuff he is made OF
by standing an Imprisonment OF
thirty hours without food. His
friends could not even COM
municate with him. Somebody
conceived the idea of sending him
letter under a special delivery
stamp, but il is reported that
even the messenger bearing that
letter was rot allowed to pass
the enemy's line. There were
many entertaining incidents in
this remarkable campaign which
will doubtless be related will
great gusto by the participants
therein to their children and
their chitdren's children RI