Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 3, 1888, Part II
No. 808.
Mr. Bragg
to Mr. Bayard.
Mexico, September 1, 1888. (Received September 10.)
Sir: Following up the unofficial information from Mr. Mariscal, that the soldiers in Sonora who attacked the Papago Indians last April were State militia (see my No. 122, of 28th ultimo), comes a detailed version of the attack, as furnished by Governor Ramon Corral, of Sonora, whereby it is made to appear that the Papagoes were wholly to blame. I forward copy and translation of Mr. Mariscal’s note covering the governor’s report.
I am, etc.,
Mr. Mariscal to Mr. Bragg.
Mexico, August 29, 1888.
Mr. Minister: Referring to your excellency’s note dated the 29th of last May, and relative to an encounter had between Mexicans and Papago Indians on the Sonora frontier, I have the honor to inclose with this note copy of a report thereon received by me from the governor of said State.
I protest to your excellency, etc.,
Mr. Corral to Mr. Mariscal.
Government of the Free and Sovereign State of Sonora,
Hermosillo, August 14, 1888.
I have received your superior official note of date the 3d instant, wherein you were pleased to transmit to me the communication sent to you by the minister of the United States of America relative to the apprehension entertained that hostilities might [Page 1226] originate between the Mexicans and the Papago Indians along the frontier of this State, owing to the fact that six persons of the tribe, crossing over from Arizona to Sonora to attend a feast given by their friends, were stated to be unjustly attacked by seven armed Mexicans, who tried to arrest them, which resulted in a conflict, during which the Indians lost one horse and succeeded in saving themselves. In this connection you are pleased to recommend to me that necessary measures may be adopted to prevent a misunderstanding which might occasion an uprising of the Papago tribe.
In due reply I have the honor to advise you that, according to the voluminous and explicit data in possession of the Government, as well as the judicial information raised touching the matter under consideration, the statements supplied to the minister of the United States are wholly inaccurate, probably because they are based upon narratives furnished by the Papagoes themselves.
For the information of your department, will you allow me to furnish you a report of the occurrences made up from the statements on file in this office. For many years past the cattle raisers of the Altar district, on the frontier of this State, have complained concerning the Papago Indians that they devote themselves to cattle stealing, in which they are aided by the desert tracts in that part of the country, as well as by the close proximity of the boundary line of the United States, which enable them to place themselves out of the range of pursuit by a walk of a few leagues over into the American Territory of Arizona with the cattle they steal. This evil was greatly aggravated about the close of last year, for the Papagoes repeated with great frequency their robberies, carrying off the cattle from the Altar ranges to the farns at Quijotoa, Tecolate, and Murrallita, in Arizona.
In view of the repeated complaints of the parties who suffered thereby, and in view of the statements of the prefect of Altar, the Government found itself forced to order the arrest of the thieving Papagoes, and instructions to that effect were furnished to the police inspectors of the different places where the cattle stealers were apt to be seen, the said police officials as a rule belonging to the tribe itself; a circumstance that aided in approaching those Indians whenever it became necessary. Those orders could not be complied with, and, notice having been had that in the Ranchería del Tecolate, in Arizona, and very close to the boundary line, a group of Papagoes was to be found headed by one of their number called the Viejo Gato (Old Cat), who were upon their arms in hostile attitude, and prepared to take the war-path against the towns of Sonorita and El Plomo within our Territory, the prefect of Altar commissioned some persons to go and examine the facts. The aforesaid Viejo Gato, with some fifteen or twenty Indians, was found at the Rancheria (hamlet) of Tecolate armed and decided to attack Sonora, in order to continue their stealing and to defend themselves from all who would try to hinder them.
The thefts continued despite the efforts against the same by the prefect of Altar, who issued ordinances to the rural police suited to the emergency, and the Government ordered that a cavalry squad of six men should be placed on the track of the thieves to capture them and place them at the disposal of the judicial authorities. This was a difficult undertaking, as the Indians are astute, they are well mounted, they are well posted on the country in which they carry on their mischief, they are accustomed to elude pursuit, and as soon as they cross the boundary line they are secure and safe. Thorefore, in spite of all the measures adopted, the stealing of the cattle continued, and likewise, becoming bolder through success, the Papagoes even went so far as to make an attack, on February 12 last, near the ranch of La Garrapata, upon some guards of the Sásabe frontier custom-house, whom they probably confounded with the force pursuing them.
The chief of this force, citizen Alonso Córdova, having learned that some of the Indian cattle thieves had gathered at Pozo Verde, went to that place with five men, accompanied by Don Fernando B. Araiza, owner of the ranch of Sásabe, with two of his cowboys. On the 8th day of April, upon nearing the hamlet and when within about 300 varas of the houses, they met two armed Papagoes, who, after insulting the soldiers, fired upon them; the soldiers, finding themselves forced to use their arms, answered the fire and drove back the aggressors to the houses of the hamlet; but there the Indians gathered in greater force, continuing to fire upon the soldiers, one of whom, called Carlos Lopez, they killed, and, after a fight of half an hour Córdova and his companions retreated, keeping up a fire as the Indians followed them, shooting all the while.
When intelligence of this affair reached the office of the secretary of this Government, fearing that there may have been some rashness upon the part of Córdova’s force, I ordered an investigation to clear up the facts, and in compliance with orders from my Government the prefect of Altar sent thirty men to Pozo Verde, which force took up some Papagoes there found, and who, in company with the soldiers of Córdova’s squad, were escorted to the head town of the district and placed at the disposition of the judge of first instance, who was to make the necessary investigation in order to establish the real facts. This investigation embraced the depositions of Indians [Page 1227] of that tribe named Espiritu Ortiz, José Cochora, Jesus Melon, Jesus Valdez Jesus Lopez, El Mazatan, José Juan, El Babichi, Tomás, Jesus Payanes, Antonio and José Ignacio, and it is evident, alike from the testimony of these Indians and from the testimony of the soldiers and of the cow-boys of Araiza, that the facts did occur as I have stated.
The investigation further developed that the Papagoes who have stolen stock in the Altar district and carried the same over to American territory are those known as El Viejo Gato (Old Cat), Orejas de Cuchara (Spoon Ears), Pedro Gato (Peter Cat), Diego Gato (Diego Cat), José de Jesus Cochi, Sacramento Cochi, Nacho Napoleon, Pioquinto (Pius the Fifth), and Piernas de Gallinas (Chicken Legs); of which number the six first named were those who had the fight with Córdova’s squad. All those Indians took refuge beyond the boundary line, and constantly crossed our frontier upon their raids. As they have committed offenses which admit of their extradition, I have requested the same from the governor of Arizona, under date of the 1st instant: for the capture of these Indians and their consignment to the courts for punishment under the laws would be the only manner of ending the evils resultant from their conduct. To effect this extradition I have sent necessary agents from Altar to solicit the same from the governor of Arizona, whom I have myself addressed, forwarding to him copy of the information secured, and which establishes the guilt of the Papa-goes alluded to, and I am awaiting the result.
These are the facts as the Government is advised, and of which there is abundant proof; while advising you thereof, it gratifies me to inform you that, being desirous of avoiding difficulties with the Papago tribes, I had previously made the most urgent recommendations to the authorities of the Altar district, the residence of the Papagoes who live in Sonora, and which is the rendezvous of those in Arizona, to treat the pacific Indians with every consideration, to avoid giving them occasion for complaint, to attend to their demands, and to aid them in preserving their interests secure from the greed and rapine of many who are found in the tribe itself; and I have renewed those recommendations in view of your note hereinbefore referred to.
Liberty and constitution.
- Ramon Corral.
- Enrique Monteverde,
Chief Clerk.