davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald., 1921-11-20
RIO GRANDE BOOZE WAR COSTS SCORES Oh

dred bullet holes were found in the chicken
house around which the fight waged. Quinn
also said he heard the father call for his
son John, tell him that the officers were
in the chicken house and exclaimed Lets
smoke them out"
Walker was a brother of W. p. Walker
of Fort Worth, Judge of the County Civil
Court and a brother of Bert Walker, Fort
Worth attorney. He had been in the Fed
eral service for many years.
Smuggling Well Organized
For More Than Ten Years
Smuggling has been a regular, organized
trade in Ell Paso and along the border for
the last ten years. Before the United
States went dry the same individuals who
now are smuggling liquors sold and carried
arms and ammunition to Villistas and
other Mexican insurrectos at as goodly
profit as they earn at present. 1t is the
same old gang. Court records show them
up. They merely switched products not
trade.
The smugglers who made their living, a
good living too by bringing cocaine, NOR
phine and opium across the line into this
country have switched to a large extent
to the booze. The narcotic smuggling has
merely decreased; it still goes on. Hop
heads in the Ell Paso Jail have told the
authorities that many users of narcotics
now bring their own "stuff" across because
the men higher up, the "big men" who were
wholesalers, have gone into the liquor
smuggling business because of the heavy
demand and large profits. None of the
wholesalers" ever has been caught
Actually there are two Islands" the
smugglers use as headquarters One is
five miles from town, and from this cache
Ell Paso gets its supply for home consump
ton. The other island, the one where so
many hot fights took place, twenty miles
from town, is reached by fine highway
There is a daily stream of automobiles to
and from this island.
Motorists drive to the edge of the border
and 200 feet away is a line of saloons
where men and women, most of them
Americans drink wine, beer whiskey
tequila or any other intoxfcant their fancy
calls for. No passports are ever required.
The cars load up with intoXcants on the
return to Ell Paso and it is seldom that
any are searched or any one is arrested. The
enforcement officers say they are not after
this crowd anyway, that they are after the
big smugglers, the wholesaers-or were.
The New York herald., 1921-11-20
Every Border Town Wet,
Ell PaSo Wettest of All

Every American town on the border is
wet, but Ell Paso is the wettest. Enforce
ment has become a farce. Ell Paso resi-
dents daily go to Juarez, where any of
dozen saloons will guarantee to deliver to
him at his home In Ell Paso wine, whiskey,
gin, beer mescal or tequila and he doesn't
have to pay until it is delivered Taxi
cab stands soft drink joints, barber shops
and hundreds of small residences in FL
Paso have liquor for sale, This is just for
the retail trade There is a much larger
traffic daily by wholesalers, who ship wet
goods all over Texas and to the East and
North In a tidal wave that even reaches to
New York.
The Shearman case was the straw that
broke the back of enforcement in the Ell
Paso district. On March 81, Arch Wood
and S. e. Beckett, Federal enforcement
officers, were shot and killed at the ranch
of O. p. Shearman, to which they went in
search of booze. after having received
tip that twenty-one cases of liquor had
been stored there. Shearman, his three
sons and ranch hand were arrested. The
father and ranch hand we're tried first and
they were acquitted. The sons were tried
at Midland. east of here. and they also
were freed. This trial was in September,
after which the prohibition officers became
discouraged, their raids decreased and they
openly said: What's the use?"
No chances with bands of smugglers have
been taken since. At the Ell Paso trial Of
the case. no fewer than 500 citizens were
examined before jury could be selected,
the majority asking to be excused because
of their sentiment against prohibition.
Now Federal agents are citing this as
strong evidence that they are fighting the
public as well as bootleggers, and that the
public supports the Illicit dealers
1t is estimated that 100000 worth OF
liquor, bootleg prices, is brought across the
Texas-Mexican border daily and the snug.
glers get the lions share of this amount
Whiskey purchased at Juarez at $40 a case
is delivered on the American side for SIS
and then retailed at SIS to 500 a quart
This difference in price causes the snug
gler to risk any chance; this profit has
induced Americans to become the ring
leaders in rum running: this premium on
booze resulted in the death of five officers
here, to say nothing of those killed in the
army of smugglers.
The New York herald., 1921-11-20

Special Correspondence to THE NEW YORK
HERALD.
Copyright, 1921 by The NEW YORK HERALD,
Ell PAso, Texas, Nov. IT.
r Up until the later part of September
the Rio Grande River was barom-
eter for booze smuggling and fatali-
ties in battles between prohibition en-
forcement officers and rum runners. When
the water was high smuggling and fatali-
ties decreased; when it was low there was
a large increase in both.
But the present sessation in the cam
paign was not effected by the stage of the
Rio Grande. Officers have thrown up their
hands and are eXclaiming. What's the
use?" For out of the hundreds of snug
glers captured the few who have been con-
yicted received extremely light sentences
and all of those tried on charge of murder
ing officers have been acquitted.
Men killed and wounded at this strong
point in the booze war, which has front
of 1900 miles, have totalled more than
sixty in the last year, the officers esti-
mate, and five of those killed have been
American officials-four Federal agents
and one police captain. Other officers have
been seriously wounded. The five officers
who made the supreme sacrifice were
killed during the last seven months.
At no place within the borders of the
United States has the fighting between
smugglers and bootleggers on one side and
prohibition officers on the other been so
deadly, so relentless and so colorful as
around the Ell Paso district. When Villas
army was hammering at Juarez there were
fewer shots exchanged and fewer casual
ties than in this war over booze. "The
Island" near Ell Paso, has been a Snug
glers' headquarters, literally Verdun that
could not be taken.
The New York herald., 1921-11-20

ican customs guards at JuareZ, where en-
forcement is only a makeshift, has 150
guards for a territory extending from Pre-
sidio, Texas, to JuareZ, and these men
work under laws that are elastic and
receive but $1.50 day to feed and clothe
themselves and families and keep horse
and buy ammunition. Consequently there
are charges that these Mexican guards are
bought off daily for small amounts of
money. The officials on the American side
have had to do all the work.
Death List of Smugglers
Numbers Fifty in Year
Smugglers have been known to carry off
their dead and wounded after a raid, so
their casualty list can only be estimated
by the agents. who placed 1t at fifty, count
ing both dead and wounded, for the year.
Here is a list of some of the known, cas-
ualties since the first of the year:
January 6-Gertrude Montlava, Mexican
woman. severely wounded while carrying
a sack of bottled liquor across Rio Grande.
The woman had been sent over by band
of smugglers. who sought to protect her
by barrage fire. The smugglers continued
firing in front Of the woman she waded.
AS soon as she reached the United States
shore Federal officers opened fire on the
smugglers, who then began a fusillade
from three different directions. The bat
tie lasted hour, the woman shot
and her bag Of whiskey confiscated. Sew
eral OF the smugglers fell and the extent
of their injuries was not learned
February 16-Lenaro Lopez of Juarez
killed in battle between smuggers and
American enforcement officers Lopez be-
longing to the former. This fight took
place THE Island" a strip of land near
FL Paso, and IL lasted one hour. There
were twenty smugglers in the party.
February 25-Joe Davenport, an Amer
lean customs officer, seriously wounded
when he and two other officers routed an
entire pack train OF smuggers heavily
loaded with liquor After short but
severe fight the officers captured 400
quarts of liquor. Six smuggiers were in
The New York herald., 1921-11-20

Bridge Rio GE"ds Rmo ports from from Mexico Mex Up and
The New York herald., 1921-11-20

the vast border
booteg on smd narE
The New York herald., 1921-11-20

The adobe hut below is stronghold of
The New York herald., 1921-11-20

Agents in Despair at Task of Guardin
Frontier, Especially the Few Bootleggers ConN
Regular Battles Mark Raids on ''The Island,
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-07-16

expect to meet as a foreigner, which
of course is not technically correct.
Many foreign born are not foreigners
strictly speaking, many born here Of
that, years ago, came from
other lands, are wrongly called for
eigners.
The chances are that the greater
majority of those that are leaving are
properly foreigners" in that they
were born abroad and have not yet
adopted this land with the Formally
that is required. There are many
good Americans in the making, how
they are of the temperament and
characteristic that is hard to lose.
The mere fact that they have money
to pay for their trip to the homeland
is proof that they are the desirable
kind. They have been thrifty enough
in the time of good business to save
enough to give them the trip they
so much desire when the time is right.
Thrift is i strongly desirable charac-
teristic in the American population
and anything that may teach us thrift
is to be welcomed.
On the ether hand there are many
foreigners stranded upon our shores
with no thrift, with no desire to keep
any money that they might make and
with strong feeling that the Ameri-
can people owes them something be-
cause they have not picked up enough
gold off the streets to line their homes
and gorge their stockings. They are
the chronic kickers, they are the
embryonic Bolsheviks and they are
the undesirables that we must keep
whether we will it or no. In a few
instances the worst Of the breed has
been shipped out by the drifting NAL
contents are still in evidence.
To the foreigners who leave volun-
| tarily and with their expenses in their
own pockets, with perhaps a little
surplus FOR putting an addition onto
| cow for the old folks, we wish the
| realization of all of their desires and
| a speedy return to these shores to
aid us in creating the American race
as it should be created, as it is now
building itself up in the melting
pot" Bon voyage indeed to the New
Britain residents who are going back
with their heads up and a happy heart
because they have earned the right to
| enjoy themselves by proving their
thriftiness and their ability to look
| into the future.
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-07-16

Man has his little troubles, but it is
comforting to reflect that the ultimate
consumer is the worm.
1t might pay France to devote less
attention to infant republics, and
more to infant >Frenchmen.
The next international sporting
event will be another lap Of the race
between John Bull and John D.
The first Ruth worked with the
cleaners to clear the field. 1t wasn't
her business to clear the bases.
Tino started his war too late. The
only way to get on the front page
now is to figure in a divorce case.
1t is very easy to love your neigh
Dor as yourself if he will treat yol
as we'll as you treat yourself.
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-07-16

been granted a decrease in wages,
and the next day be bawls out the
newspaper man because he couldn't
find anything in the paper about a
strike at the American Rainbow fac
tory.
"Oh, pshaw." calculates pretty Mol
lily Ryan, 'Here Annie Williams has
been in town for three days and 1
never knew it," and the next day she
tells the representative of the Morning
Blizzard that she doesn't believe in
putting personals in the paper. any
how.
When a man wants to be a physi-
clan he goes to medical college;
when he wants to be lawyer he goes
to a law school. but if he doesn't go
to either he doesn't feel qualified to
criticize those who do; yet, in the
opinion of the cub reporter, anybody
who can't do anything else can always
| tell the newspaper how to handle
news.
If Annie Lurie only knew the re-
porter had the interests of her young
friends as much at heart as she has
that he knows more about human ma
| ture as it is related to the publicity
proposition than she does, and that
his copy is scrutenized carefully by
/
probably would not feel that the re-
porter would ruthlessly trample upon
the feelings of others, entirely ignor-
| ing the effect of his story.
All is not grist that comes to a
newspaper mans mill, as is commonly
| supposed, and one of the most essen
| tial features of a reporters, training,
next to having a nose for news" is
the faculty of knowing what should
not be published and what is confiden-
| tial.
see a man walk through the doors
| of a show,
Where great throngs are blocked by
the sign s. r. o.
THE crowd he ignores and no ticket
/ he buys,
An actor" / ask and an usher re-
| plies,
Nav, he's just one of the newspaper
guys" ....
see a man shove his way through
the lines
lOf the cops where a fire brightly
/ glimmers and shines.
1.-The chief" I inquire and fireman
1 reply,
I"Why that fellows only newspaper
/ guy
see man start on the tran of a
| crook,
He scorns all assistance, yet brings
him a book.
MIR. Burns?'' I inquire and the police
Il says, why,
that fellows only a newspaper guy"
And some day I'll walk by those great
streets of gold,
And I'll see a man enter, unauestioned
; and bold.
"A saint?" I'll inquire, and ST. Peter
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-07-16
the camp. And for a scenic ride this
cannot be surpassed either.

the camp. And for a scenic ride this
cannot be surpassed either.
Oh, for the life of a newspaperman.
If there is a man alive who is a
friend of everybody today, and to-
morrow finds every mans hand
against him, it is the average reporter.
The most Independent job under the
sun, it is at the same time the butt OF
everyones criticism. He must educate
the public to know what is news, be-
fore he can get news from the public.
keep it out of the paper" says
Bill Smith when his autom obile bumps
into a telegraph pole. But when his
neighbor's car moves a prominent
lamp post six inches up the street and
he fails to see it in his daily paper,
he growls in disgust as he throws
down rs to 100 columns of live news,
THE darned old paper never has any
news anyhow"
mo, I don't know a thing says
Sally Green, who is secretary OF the
home for crippled chickens why dan't
you have the story about my sister
Mabel going to Kalamazoo last week 2
and the disguised reporter gets out
and learns that the home Of which
Sally is secretary has just purchased
a 100000 property around the block.
mo, we never hear any news in our
business" answers John Billings,
chairman of the Amalgamated asso-
citation of Sunshine Sweepers, as he
cheerfully mails a letter to the nation
al headquarters stating that the asso-
cations funds are strangely missing
and the whereabouts of the treasurer
| are shrouded in mystery. Oh, we
didn't want that in the paper he re-
plies the next day when the reporter,
who finally got the story from another
source asks him about it. Yet when
| Rev. Go Get EN- Boies of the Mora
Wan Evangelist church, who works TO.
| a salary Of $9.S2 week doesn't al
ways get it. appears in the pulpit with
patched trousers, John raises thunder
because the home paper overlooked
the patches. s.-.
| IT don't think we ought to publish
| the names of these children" con.
lscientiously declares Miss Anne
Laurie. supervior of the Daily Picnic
For Crippled Children Association
because their parents have so much
pride they might feel hurt if anyone
knew they accepted charity" -Ye
Everyone of these parents feels like
writing a letter to the editor and stop
ping the paper because Willie Brown
aged six, who was accused of takins
the price of an ice cream cone out o
his sisters savings bank, was no
committed to reformatory ant
branded for the rest of his life.
You ought to have more considera
ton for a mans feelings said Mix,
Boozie, who spent the night in
icell after getting drunk and making
spectacle of himself for an hour OF
the principle street, just because tn
reported refused to soft pedal TIL
story.
Il don't want anything in the pape
about our business at ALL" says Super
intendent Simpson of the Nationa
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-07-16
FACTS AND FANCIES
BY ROBERT CULLEN

And now none but the brave will
ask the fare.
Class consciousness: Envy of the
fellow who has a bigger wad.
The lily tolls not, neither does it
spin. And it soon begins to look
shabby.
Every ism is but the lenthened
shadow of one mans desire for a
personal profit.
Woman'S face is still her fortune,
but it is now listed among the con-
cealed assets.
Note to brides: The thing that
separates properly hitched team OF
horses is the tongue.
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-07-16
EXODUS OF FOREIGNERS.

The steamship booking agencies in
the city OF New Britain daily tell us
of a comparatively large number of
foreigners that are leaving this city
for their native lands, on visits to
parents or to remain there casting
their future lot with the country of
their birth rather than that Of their
adoption
It is with regret that we learn OF
the action of some Of them. For
eigners'' includes a large number OF
local people, although it does not in
clude those who have become citizens
In the strict sense of the word. The
Y usage Of the word has brought about
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-07-16
Is YEARS AGO
<From The Herald Of That Date.)

The annual meeting Of the incor-
porators of the New Britain Savings
bank was held last night. The re-
ports show an increase OF $4,000
in deposits over last year.
E. j. Skinner and family are spend
ing a vacation at Westbrook.
The Trinity Methodist church will
hold it's annual excursion to Watch
Hill tomorrow. The Baptist church
will join them.
Officer Hellberg moved his family
from Black Rock into his new house
on Lincoln street today.
Miss Mary A. Tormay was present
ed with handsome mirror by the
choir members of the Kensington
Catholic church. Miss Tormay was
formerly organist there.
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-07-16
THE TURKS AND GREEKS.

Lloyd George and De Valera, Of
England and of the Irish Republic are
gathering in conference with the
hopes that the Irish question will be
once and for all definitely settled A
weary world hopes so too. President
Harding has called conference of
the principal powers with the wish
to at least discuss limitation of arma-
greatest interest to the most people
in the weekly grist of news. They are
concrete, the Irish question hits
pretty close to home because of the
fact that English speaking nations
are involved and because the Irish
faction in the United States have kept
the issue well agitated for several
years. In President Harding's scheme
we take an active interest because of
| the knowledge that it may remedy
| what has been a thorn in the side of
the taxpayer for generations.
We have our own affairs to con-
slider and are taken up, at present,
with the trolley question. With all
OF these things going on, with the
front pages of the newspapers de-
voted to the news that it is thought
will be the most attractive to read
on about halfway around the world
from here, between nations whose ma
tional languages and aspirations are
little understood by US, is paid prac-
tically no attention to by the public
despite the fact that there is more
or less seriousness in the situation
The newspapers hide the stories O.
the fighting in obscure places, the.
know that the public cares Lttl,
what is going on.
| The Greeks, lately, have some sue
cesses to their credit, although thi
is negligible in the summary of oper
ations. In diplomatic circles there
alarm over the possibilities of furthe
Turkish action under Kemal. Con
practically untenable for allied troop
land ships a fact which has rendere,
more difficult the settlement of tn
Near East situation. Should tn
Turks follow up their advantage the,
might make matters even more seri
Gus than they are.
Americans have completely los
, sight of the fact that the total los
of life in the Turko-Greek affair, u
, 1t, July 1 was over million, 700,
? 900 Greeks are already numbere
|, among the victims Of the war. A FEY
years ago, or maybe few year
hence when local irritations are lie:
numerous such an affair would arous
, great interest and a great desire
{ lives and money. We are extreme
= selfish in our occupation with OF
D own affairs strictly, il seems. Loss
g life ir Ireland, through reprisals, h;
f been small indeed compared with th'
r further east. But we have read
it upon the front page of every new
f paper for months.
: The newspapers try to give IL
f + iblic what it wants and have fair
: accurate methods of checking up
8. the desires of the people. They a
e not to blame for allowing the TUT
It proposition to go practically u
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-07-16
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS
By John ]. DAILY
BEFORE AND AFTER.

A to mar of trade
hrhright his
The hungry misers
He trampled their knuckes
with
And groveled before him with
al his toe.
m upon the
Provided coin it, O a
They gathered in shekels
o
To them he a savior who scattered untold
An ram cal up road one day.
And tried to find his fortune the he threw
There scrapng mortals the thoroughfare
Though IN, standing
A
n a wit and
Came seeking ptance,
And heard his pleading he asked
To a palsied p3uper shriveled face
An outcast the curbng, sinful unclean
And they left the highway hid behind
And fearing their hoardngs
Thief the old called him. and left him in the cold.
They