Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1906-11-16
RANGERS ATTCKED
BY MEXICANS
AT NIGHT ON TEXAS FRONTIER
TROOP OF CAVALRY SENT.
TROOP OF CALVARY SENT
Situation Brought About by Election
Irregularities. Judge Welch As
sassinated While Asleep BY a
Hired Assassin.

Laredo, Tex.-Four Texas Rangers
sent to Rio Grande City to quiet tur
bulent political conditions there and
investigate the assassination of Dis
trict Judge Welch, which occurred
the night before election, were attack
ed by body of armed Mexicans be-
tween Sam Fordyce and Rio Grande
City. A pitched battle ensued, and
four of the attacking party were kill
ed, two badly wounded, and two cap
tured. The rangers escaped unharm-
ed.
Governor Lanham ordered a com
pany of cavalry to Starr county and
a special train is now carrying the
troops.
The situation is Starr county was
brought about by alleged election ir-
Irregularities due to political clubs sup
plying Mexican residents with poll
tax receipts and insisting that they be
allowed to vote. Judge Welch, who
was assassinated Monday night, had
gone from his home in Corpus Chris
to to be present at Rio Grande City
on election day, in an effort to pre-
vent disorders. He was assassinated
while asleep at night.
1t is charged that armed representa-
itives of political clubs controlling the
Mexican vote patrolled the voting
places on election day, and refused
to allow members of the opposing
faction to vote. Several shooting af-
trays occurred, but no one was killed
or wounded.
1t is charged by one faction that
Judge Welch was assassinated by a
hired assassin and that ambuscade of
the rangers was instigated by the
same faction which inspired the mur-
der of Judge Welch.
Ranger Capt William Mcdonald,
command of the rangers in Starr
county, has sent the following report
to Governor Lanham:
"On the way from Sam Fordyce
we were fired on by several Mexicans
and had general fight The following
were killed: Juan Garcia, Ferrias
Caledonia, Cara Perez, Jaspan Osuna
Jose Vencia and Manuel Osuna were
badly wounded. We have two others
in jail
About fifty shots were exchanged
in the fight. We have the situation
well in hand. Have ordered both fac
tions to lay off their arms or abide
by the consequences.
The Attack on the Rangers.
On the night preceding the elec-
against them. On election day armed
ton day District Judge Stanley
Welch was murdered as he lay sleep
ing in his bed, the result of a be-
lief by one of the political factions
that he would issue injunctions
ground, and as they did so a volley
men stayed about the polls and kept
certain voters away. AS result
Governor Lanham dispatched four
rangers, under command of Capt
William Mcdonald, to the scene to
make arrests and to disarm the fac
tions. Last night as the rangers were
en- route they encountered a closed
hack, and as the officers approached
fire was opened from the cover of the
wagon. The rangers returned the
fire, jumping from their stage to the
ground, and as they did so avolley
was poured into them from a house
to their rear. The rangers fired about
fifty shots into the hack and house,
and fully a hundred were fired at
them.
The teams of the stage occupied by
the rangers and that Of the hack con
tanning the assassins ran away, the
latter carrying the bodies of some of
the dead. These were afterward
found, and it was discovered that four
Mexicans had been slain by the ran
gers and two were badly wounded.
The driver of the hack containing the
rangers got bullet through his shirt
but was not touched, nor were any
of the rangers.
Mcdonald has warned both politi-
cal factions that they must disarm,
and has stated that with the rangers
to suspect trouble is to shoot; hence
the politicians must disarm and must
walk straight. Adjutant General
Hulen is en- route with company Of
leavalry and 100 rounds of ammuni-
ton per man. 1t is rumored here
he will suspend hebeas corpus, de-