El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-07-30
MANI SOBS
OVER OUTRAGES
Tells Chamber of Commerce
of Alistreatment of
Mormons; Cries.

His appeals choked with many sobs
Enrique Bowman, ST.. prominent BUSH
ness man and Mormon church dignitary
df the colonies Juarez and Dublan, told
his story. the story Of the suffering
Americans in Mexico before q gather
ing Of FL PasO business men and city
OFFICIALS in the chamber OF commerce
Monday afternoon. The meeting was
called to see what could be done to
assist In the care Of the hundreds of
Mormon women and children refugees
who are in FL PasO. A committee OF FL
Pasoans was chosen by alderman Wal
ter 5. Clayton, who presided over the
meeting, to assist Mr.. Bowman in every
way possible.
I'VE do not ask charity" said Bow
man. I'VE are only on your hospitality
We have been notified by the church
officials at Salt Lake City to draw on
them for any needed funds. We have
leIt everything we have behind, and be-
ing an agricultural people, come with
little money. But we ask no charity We
only thank you for your offers of as
sistance.
we have suffered inconvenience
and indignities and loss through the
MaderO revolution. Our cattle were
killed and We had no claim against
the government for the loss But the
condition mas not become intOlerable
until now Here the speakers voice
broke, and the big bearded man Wept
unabashed as he tried to tell of the
wrongs MS people had suffered, and
why resistance had not been offered
He told of the coming of Salazar, of
how the rebel soldiers ride on the side
walks Of the Mormon settlements. tand
we take the streets" If it had not
been for the women and children, we
could nave killed many of them. But
we held ourselves and waited. They
are insulting and offensive in their
conduct, and I myself have endured
inGignities.
Up to Saturday morning all sorts
of guarantees had been given US. Then
all were removed. Mr.. ROmney an &C.
clesiastcal leader, and myself were
called to see Gen. Salazar. He told US
all guarantees would be removed; that
we must give up our arms. We offered
all sorts of inducements, property and
everything, to only let US keep our
arms to protect ourselves against ma
rauders- He refused. He always re-
ferred to Taft never the Onited States,
and was very bitter. He said he IN
tended to force Intervention
Mr.. ROmney made a strong talk but
It was no use. W e were allowed to go,
with an armed guard of about 80
could we do? Our people were in the
fields, scattered here and there. Some
thing had to be done at once. All we
could collect was group of some Is
to 20 of US and we decided to give up
the arms rather than endanger the
lives OF our women and children. We
could have fought, but and again
the voice broke and the tears came as
the thought Of what the exodus means
to his people came over him with new
force.
In speaking of the interview with
Salazar, Mr.. Bowman said that the rebel
leader declared that it was OroZcO S 4
stand that the United States govern
rneht mad hurt the rebel cause more
than the Madero government. They
have prevented US from securing am
Inunttion across the border, while al
in their 'cuartels' in Ell Paso and
Douglas" Bowman quoted Salazar as
saying And they search our women
on the International border. The
call us bandits and we live
up to the name"
Those are the things we were com
PEELED go hear" said Mr. Bowman. |
But Mr.. ROmney stood up and told |
Salazar that ne would die before or |
dering our people to give up their
arms Mr.. Romney said there was no |
organization among the colo ]
nlsts and that such an order would be I
impossible to carry out if made. After I
some further discussion we were al I
lowed to go"
not boastinS of the fact" said alder |
man Clayton, who is president of the 1
chamber Of commerce. The blame I
should lie with nothing but the weak 4
kneed policy Of the United states.
What shall we do now?"
Postmaster j, \ Smith said that he /
believed that Washington would be /
properly moved by the efforts of SEN |
ator Smoot, who, he said, was very
close to the president, and that El |
PasO's duty lay for the present at least /
in merely caring for the refugees.
Mayor Kelly said that he and Judge I
Eylar had secured places for the /
refugees, from 400 to 500 of them, in 4
Cotton addition, and that they were /
Wen cared for, having been Supplied /
with food, ice and all necessaries. He |
said that the city and county physi- |
clans would be in attendance on the |
sick. Mr.. Bowman said that there /
were probably $500 women and chill !
dren in the Mormon colonies in this /
and that all of these in a few
days would arrive in FL Paso.
James A. Dick suggested that a sub |
scription be taken, but this was not |
done as Mr.. Bowman insisted that it ]
was unnecessary. U. s Stewart sug-
gested appointing a committee. which /
was done by Mr.. Clayton. The men, |
bers of the committee are David Payne
]. a. Smith, L. 5. Stewart. J. \. Dick, 1