No. 502.
Señor de
Zamacona to Mr. Blaine.
[Translation.]
Legation of Mexico,
Washington, June 6, 1881.
(Received June 7.)
Mr. Secretary: The Government of Mexico has
sent the two inclosed documents to this legation, with instructions to
communicate them to the Department of State. Both have reference to the
frequency and magnitude of the thefts committed in the frontier State of
Chihuahua by outlaws from Texas, who usually find shelter and a market
for their plunder on this side of the boundary line.
The interviews which I have had, since the advent of the present
administration, at the Department of State, and some of the
communications with which I have recently been honored by the said
Department, have convinced me that the Government of the United States
realizes the situation of some districts bordering on the Rio Grande, in
respect to security for life and property, and that it is disposed to
use all the means at its command for the repression of lawlessness; at
the same time the facts convince me that the measures which have thus
far been taken to that end have not had such an effect as could be
desired, and that it is necessary to repeat or add force to them in
order that they may prove efficient.
The Government of Mexico, in instructing me to call the attention of the
Department of State to the insecurity of the property of stock-raisers
in Chihuahua, and to the desirability of vigorous action against Texan
cattle-thieves, reminds me that the United States Government has, for a
long time, acted upon the principle that it is the duty of a nation to
prevent the organization, on its soil, of expeditions whose object is
the commission of depredations in a neighboring country, and that, on
this basis, certain measures were adopted which are no longer in force,
the design of which was to promote the welfare of the two republics and
to strengthen fraternal relations between them.
The inclosed documents show up the evil in two aspects, since they refer
not only to the robberies committed in Mexico by outlaws having their
residence in the United States, but to the dangers to which the owners
of the stolen property are exposed when they cross to this side of the
Rio Grande, in the hope of recovering it.
The murder of the two young men Jáuregui and Sanchez, which is referred
to in one of the inclosed documents, shows the ferocity and audacity of
the frontier outlaws, and also (which is a still more serious matter)
the apathy of the judicial authorities after they had been made aware of
that crime.
The authorities of Chihuahua point out (and with reason) one fact which
is deserving of the attention of the Department of State. This is, that
when cattle are driven, in the way of lawful trade, from one republic to
the other, this fact never escapes the notice of the frontier
custom-houses, while the large numbers of cattle stolen in Mexico and
driven to Texas go almost unnoticed.
I have written this note without waiting for the full and authentic
details of the investigation which is now being held in Chihuahua, and
to which allusion is made in the inclosures, because prompt action may
be a condition of success in the measures which I hope the Department
[Page 832] of State will cause to be
taken in order to facilitate the recovery of the cattle mentioned in the
aforesaid documents and in order to strengthen the tenure of property
and to impart vigor to the action of the courts on the frontier.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure
1—Translation.]
Governor Terrazas to the minister for
foreign affairs.
Chihuahua, April 28,
1881.
No. 125.]
The political chief of the district of Bravos, in a communication
numbered 66, and bearing date of the 11th instant, writes to the
secretary of this government as follows:
“I have this day addressed the following communication to the second
judge of the circuit criminal court of this district:
“The citizens Inocencio Ochoa and Juan José Sanchez have appeared
before me and declared that for some days past certain Texans have
been stealing from this township cattle belonging to them and to
other citizens of Mexico, and that they have positive knowledge that
the thieves secretly drive said cattle to a place called Rancho de
Santa Teresa, where they kill some and rebrand others.
“And as such disorders call for severe punishment and full indemnity,
I bring this matter to your notice, although it is my intention
hereafter to report it to the proper superior authorities, and to
adopt such measures as may appear suitable, in pursuance of the
request of the parties interested. I inform you of this matter, that
you may be pleased to hold a proper investigation, the result of
which you will send to me for such legal action as may be deemed
necessary.
“And I have the honor to transmit the foregoing to you, that you may
be pleased to report the matter to the citizen governor, and that he
may be pleased, if he shall think proper, to adopt such measures as
may be at his command for the prevention of such scandalous
proceedings. To this end I shall promptly transmit the result of the
inquiry which has been ordered when said inquiry shall have been
concluded by the competent judicial authorities.”
I have the honor to transmit the foregoing to you for your
information, asking, moreover (although I shall send the result of
the judicial inquiry in question to the secretary of your
government, as soon as I receive it), that you will be pleased to
obtain from the citizen President of the republic the adoption of
suitable measures for the prevention of the thefts which are now so
frequently suffered by our citizens at the hands of certain
adventurers from the United States of the North, for this government
fears that if these abuses are not corrected, they may give rise to
a serious international conflict, since it would not be strange if
the citizens of Mexico, seeing that they are robbed of the fruit of
their labor, which it has cost them many years of toil to get,
should cross over into the territory of that nation, in which case
even this government might be unable to prevent such a conflict in
due time.
By the inclosed copy of a communication which I have received from
our consul at Franklin, and by a slip from the “Progresista,” a
newspaper published at Paso, you will see that two young men, named
Gilberto Jáuregui, and José Sanchez, were treacherously murdered by
some Americans while endeavoring to recover some cattle which had
been stolen from them, and that the authorities did not cause the
arrest and punishment of the murderers. To this fact I beg leave to
call the attention of the supreme government.
It is to be remarked that when any cattle are sold by their owners,
and driven out of the State, custom-house officers are there in
abundance for the purpose of collecting the duties, but when large
numbers are driven off by thieves, this goes unnoticed, and the
aforesaid officers seem not to have the slightest knowledge of what
is taking place.
Liberty and constitution.
[Inclosure
2—Translation.]
Messrs. Herrera and
Gonzalez to the governor of
Chihuahua.
We, the undersigned, Herrera and Gonzalez, respectfully appear before
the chief magistrate, whom we have the honor to address, and declare
that we have certain [Page 833]
knowledge, having been informed by trustworthy persons who have
lately passed through the vicinity of San Vicente, that at a place
called San Simon, and others near there, all of them being near to
the boundary line between Mexico and the United Spates of North
America, there is a considerable number of cattle from our estate
“Providencia.” The aforesaid persons say that while on North
American soil they counted, at various small ranches, more than 400
head of cattle bearing the brand of our aforesaid estate
Prpvidencia, which cattle rightfully belong to us, we never having
sold or transferred them, but they having been, stolen from our
pastures. We are, therefore, obliged to bring this matter to your
notice, you being the governor of the State, for the prevention of
the evils that would arise from a conflict between the American
authorities and the keepers of the cattle, who claim the stolen
animals wherever they may be found. Moreover, in behalf of the
property on the estates of the frontier, we earnestly beg you to be
pleased to order that proper means be used to enable us to recover
the cattle which belong to us, but which are now in the United
States of the North, before they shall be killed by the parties who
stole them.
We think it proper for us to state that we also have knowledge that
cattle belonging to other Mexican citizens are likewise held by
thieves in the United States. The undersigned, therefore, not only
in their own behalf, but in that of others, respectfully ask that
measures may be adopted, without delay, for the recovery of the
cattle thus stolen.
Feeling confidence in the energy and sense of justice of the high
officer to whom we apply, we again offer him the assurance of our
highest respect.
