El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-22


has faced a firing squad at the
- Chihuahua state penitentiary. as
reports from Chihuahua City indicate.
there will be few wearing mourning
arm bands for the big revolutionist and
no expressions of sorrow among the
American refugees in FL Paso
Jose Ynez Salazar was probably the
most thoroughly hated Mexican leader
the five years OF revolution developed
in Mexico. AS the author of the fam
Gus speech in the Mormon colonies: I
have insulted your flag. killed your
citizens and ravaged your women
what more can do to force you to
! fight2" Gen Salazar gained the uni
versal enmity of the Americans Of
Chihuahua when he was in the field as
an OrozcO leader and his popularity has
increased none since that time.
Was a Miner
Sal2Zar is said to have been a miner
in the Lordsburg, y. NJ, district at one
time
FL Paso and Juarez first came to
know him as public figure when he
rode into Juarez with little. fat Emilio
Campo in February, 1912. He was a
big. outstanding Mexican who looked
If he had been born to command
men His booming. deep voice added
10 the impression OF FORCE ana power
which he radiated. When he made his
speech accepting the surrender Of the
town in Jaurez that February morning,
with his shiny sword strapped around
his waist and wearing high, miners
boots and corduroy suit. he looked like
a leader Of men
Campo Was Oily
Campo. fat sallow and suave. was
the direct antithesis of his revolution
airy co-laborer. Campo had more sense
than Salazar, for he had been educated
for a doctor. in a St Louis university
and was smooth talking little man.
though a bit too oily. like an overripe
sardine. But big. blunt SalaZar was
the idol of the Mexican poems He
commanded them with his voluuinous
voice, he kicked them around and he
made them speeches which we're the
essence of Spanish eloquence il not OF
logic.
The "Ley FuEa,
Salazar fought at the first battle OF
Rellano when OroZco whipped Gen.
Gonzales Salas and caused him to COM
init suicide. He was also in command
when the second battle of Parral was
fought. after Villa had turned journey
man bank robber looted the Parral
bank and had fled to the hills. II was
at Parral that the first black mark
was entered against Saiazar's character
by the Americans He was in command
when Tom Fountain. the American ma
the ley fuga" after being made
prisoner and in spite of the protests
of the American state department
Speech to Mormons
It was after Salazar had come north
and was raiding the Mormon colonies
of western Chihuahua that his reputa-
tion as an American hater was gained I
Es abused the peaceful Mormon people
and raided their farms and his men
were held responsible for number of
murders and assaults in the Mormon
country. While there Salazar made /
his speech against the Americans which !
is still quoted by the Mormon refugees I
as an example OF his vitriOlic oratOry
Salazar led fight with the Maderistas 4
at Palonlas and was shot through the (
hat II was charged afterwards that !
he made the hole in his hat himself /
and that he was not near the fighting
a that time.
At Guadalupe
Later he appeared at Guadalupe. op-
posite Fabens on the Mexican side Of
the lower Island. with zoo of his fol-
lowers and occupied the little adobe
homes of the Guadalupe settlers. killed
their milk cows for beef and issued his
manifestos while the Maderistas re-
manned comfortably in Juarez. 1t was
while he was there that I had my first
personal experience with the famous
Red Flagger-" I drove down TO
Fabens and across the Island" to get
an interview with SalaZar- In the same
automobile went some of Salazar's Of
ficers from this side. who were going
to join him but who lost their nerve at
the line and left the car at the cotton
wood tree which was the boundary.
Looked Like Real Leader
Ny first glimpse of SalaZar was in
the one main street of Guadalupe. He
came walking down the street in his
corduroys and high boots. It was win
ter and he wore a heavy gray sweater
and this made him seem even Iigger
than he was. His high broad bricmed
white Stetson hat added several inches
to his stature and he looked like a real
leader of men Beside him walked a
little Cuban. his aide de camp. dressed
in exact imitation of his chief Salazar
walked back to his headquarters-the
sala of the alcaldes home-and there
he gave me his views on the political
and economic troubles of Mexico. his
resonant voice more than filling the
room as he spoke in Spanish.
Suspected Plot
When he had finished. 1 told him of
his officers waiting under the cotton
wood tree at the boundary and asked
him if he would ride back with me
in the automobile He consented and
we started AS we logged over the
rough road ! felt something poking