These documents, together with those which I transmitted as inclosures to
my note of the 18th of October last, will serve to enable the Department
of State to adopt such measures as it may think proper for the
apprehension and punishment of that band, which has become a terror to
the inhabitants of those districts.
[Inclosure.]
The governor of
Chihuahua to the minister for
foreign affairs.
Chihuahua
,
September 14,
1880.
The citizen Juan M. Zuloaga, the lawful attorney of the colonists of
Ascension, as he has shown by a duly executed power of attorney
bearing date of August 30, 1880, has addressed a petition to me, of
which I have the honor herewith to transmit to you a copy.
You will thereby see that the inhabitants of that infant colony
continue to suffer from the depredations committed by the bands of
American thieves who are led by the notorious outlaw Robert E.
Martin, who has been acquitted and set at liberty by the district
judge of this State.
As the statements therein made are well known to be true, I beg that
you will be pleased to request the President of the Republic to
instruct our representative at Washington to address the Government
of the United States asking that the aforesaid outlaw may be
arrested and puuished for the crimes which he is committing, for, if
this is not done, the result will be that the inhabitants of the
colony, who now number more than 200, will be forced to abandon it,
which would be a most unfortunate thing, inasmuch as one of the
surest means to prevent the depredations of Indians is the increase
of population on the frontier.
[Subinclosure.]
Juan M. Zuloaga
to the governor of
Chihuahua.
San
Andres
,
August 30,
1880.
Citizen governor of the State of
Chihuahua:
I, Juan M. Zuloaga, representing the settlers of Ascension Valley,
have the honor to set forth the following facts:
Being actuated by the most earnest desire for the prosperity of the
colony which I represent, and taking into consideration the outrages
which have recently been committed on that desert frontier, as is
shown by the communication of the municipal board of that
settlement, which I herewith inclose for your information, it is
impossible longer to remain indifferent to the scandalous deeds
which are constantly perpetrated by Texan outlaws, who, with entire
impunity and in considerable numbers, commit unheard-of and
premeditated outrages, not only against the colony, but also the
neighboring villages, to such an extent that, if the unblushing
boldness of these bad men is not speedily checked, the germ of
licentiousness will become developed, and the consequence will
unquestionably be the absolute demoralization of these unhappy
districts, or, what is still more probable, the total ruin of all
the inhabitants, for they have already lost all their horses, and
the greater part of their neat cattle, and it may verily easily
happen that, being discouraged by their terrible situation, they may
be forced to abandon their homes, although such a step would entail
a great sacrifice upon them, for the establishment of that which has
cost them dear, they having been obliged, not only to establish it
at their own expense but to undergo many long and weary labors,
hardships, and privations, during which they have been constantly
harassed by Indians and bands of Texan marauders, both of whom
inhabit [Page 819] the wild regions
of the North American frontier. The Texans referred to now possess
in those vast solitudes large numbers of cattle which have been
stolen from the farmers of this State.
Such is the situation, Mr. Governor, and the people of Ascension and
Janos, being unable to remedy the evil, appeal to you for
protection, for if this is not extended to them, a future lies
before them which is very far removed from that peace and
tranquility to which every community should aspire.
In the district of Mosquitos, which is the limit of the United States
territory, seven dead bodies of Mexicans were recently found, who
had been basely murdered by the Texans. The perpetrators of this
horrible crime, as is invariably the case, escaped scot free.
At Carrizalillo, which is within the territory of the United States,
one of these outlaws was found with 200 head of cattle, and in
consequence of the armed conflicts which occurred, first at Agua del
Perro, with the colonists of Ascension, and afterwards at San Simon
with the people of Janos, that individual drove his cattle to
unknown localities, and at once resolved to put himself at the head
of a band of outlaws in order to carry on the business of cattle
stealing. Such is the situation of those districts, and their only
hope is that the supreme government will lend them its timely
aid.
If the outlaw Martin, who is the leader of these Texans, had not been
unjustly acquitted, we should now be at peace; though Martin was
arrested by order of the government, he was protected by the
district judge, and we, whose blood is now being shed, are to-day
suffering the fatal consequences of that protection.
What I ask is but justice, and I solemnly declare that I am not
actuated by malice.
