Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-06-14

Deputy Sheriff Monahan. who was pres
ent al the festivities at the invitation ot
the residents Of the community. returned
to Brownsville this morning. and told the
following story of the fight
There were five peace officers at the
races besides myself, Lupe Edwards, u
ranger; Frank Carr. a deputy sheriff: 7:
Ranger Felps. Duke Jones, deputy marshal
at San Benito: Joe Taylor customs
guard, formerly "A ranger. ana carlos
Esparza, a customs guard There was n
crowd OF several hundred people watching
the races. including many women. and
autos containing san Benito people. Alter
the first race there was some difficulty over
starting another. which finally ended ~ the
crowd drifting over to the "haIlr' ground.
a. though there was "a bc no more racing.
All the officers except myself went over 10
the shade of q building and lay down some
of them pulling oil their boots. When the
fight started near the baile ground was
the nearest officer. and was some distance
away.
"The men piled up. ~ crowd fighting
barehanded will, and jumped INTO the
struggling heap and pulled of the iir~t one
could get a grip ON. Antonio E-camlllo.
and held him out side the rough and tumble.
The officers got into action about tli~ time.
| saw some one pull a gun, and called 10
the boys coming up "a run back for their
Wmche~ter~ By the time they got back
the firing was over. and everybody was
down or on the run. The thing happened
too quickly for them To get into it.
Juan Guerra Lerma. called Juan Guer-
ra, had been putting up the most MASKING
fight Of any one IN The pile. Tie had been
shaking on two or three men at time.
and going in for more. lie pulled a.
calibre Colt automatic and began I"
smoke them everytme he could get loose.
Then number of guns got gong and ~
the next three minutes al least twenty five
shots were fired Every one seemed 10 be
shooting at Guerra. Tie met Lupc Bena-
yides not five feet from where ! was hold
ing EScamilo and shot him through the
face, with the muzzle of the automatic
hardly foot from BenayIde, nose. Then
he whirled and GOT Pablo Lcal, woundng
him fatally. A race horse belonging "a
Guerra'S father was standing Saddlcd and
ready at the corner of the baIle ground,
whether bv prcarrangement or not do not
know. Juan Guerra vaultcd into the saddle
and started off al q gallop. turning and fir
ing back al the officers ~ he went ] sup
pose h. thought that since he had killed
two men he would end up by getting q
.gringo toe. Before he had gotten fifty
wards away he fell from the plunging horse
shot through the mouth. The ball cam,
out at the base Of the brain. lie died al
most instantly.
"When Juan Guerra fell dead from th'
horse he struck the ground face downward
with the automatic doubled up under hlm
Joe TAYLOR. who was trying to help stop th'
fght. made a dive for the gun Just a.
GUERRA brother. Elias or Elisha. lumpe'
for II. too. Elias Guerra hit Taylor an un
.xpected blow IN the face. knocking Taylo
aside. Guerra got hi~ brothers gun, am
thinking he was about To start Shootln:
Taylor fired at hi> arm with b auto
matte. After the first shot the - damned
Elias Guerra passed me, running from TaN
lor. but | did not see the gun N hi hand
or | could easily have downed HIM.
thought he was some peaceable citize
seeking safety first When things ar
happening a. fast. man can not he sur
n Ia who j. who. This was illustrated y
the wounding of another of Juan Guerra
-. 81. l,.a l,,r,u,r tho tllur
battle. The bail. which lodged III hlS knee
cap, was from a 10 automatic. Jua