The same forces at work against the peace of the colonists in Chihuahua were disturbing the colonists in Sonora. An Associated Press dispatch of July 9, from Agua Prieta, across the international boundary line from Douglas, Arizona, announced that "The determination of the Mor­mon colonists of Colonia Morelos and Colonia Oaxaca, south of here, to resist the demands of prowling rebel bands, coupled with the Mormon appeals to Washington presented a menacing situation today. The Mormons declare they will no longer contribute food or horses to the forces of Orosco. Nine Mormons have been killed by rebels since the revolution began five months ago. Most of the Mormons are American citizens. They have armed themselves and declare they will fight to protect themselves against rebel devastation. A few of the Mormons are naturalized Mexicans and great fear has been expressed that this circumstance might impel the rebels to assume they were justified in attacking the colonists if they resist demands for supplies."

On the same date Joseph F. Smith, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, received a telegram from Bishop Charles W. Lillywhite of Colonia Morelos, dated at Douglas, Arizona, July 9, 1912, stating that the conditions had grown serious in that colony and that Federal troops were committing depredations much graver at Morelos than those of the rebel marauders at Juarez and Dublan. One hundred federal soldiers had been camped in the colony, some in the Church, for over a week and had lived upon the provisions of the colonists. Food supply was almost diminished; teams had been demanded. Sanjinez, in control, refused protection to the colonists' property. President Smith answered the wire expressing sympathy and advising "prudence and calmness." He suggested the desirability of following the advice of Senator Reed Smoot to keep accurate accounts of all losses and depredations they might suffer and that they communicate with the federal officials at Mexico and protest their grievances.

On July 15, it was reported that against the protest of the colonists more than 1,000 soldiers camped in the streets and that repeatedly women of the town were offended. Chicken coops and gardens were devastated and mercantile establishments looted. Intoxicated soldiers rode wildly through the streets yelling and shooting and their officers made no attempt to stop them. Women and children were afraid to appear on the streets and the conduct of the soldiers was such as to threaten a rupture between well-armed Mormons and the federal troops. Bishop Lillywhite reported that several women followers of the army acted in a manner highly objectionable to the morals of the community.

J. J. Huber, a prominent citizen of Morelos, confirms the report of Bishop Lillywhite with reference to the lawlessness and immorality of the federal troops in the following language: "Sanjinez with 1500 men came to Morelos and quartered on the streets and in the school building. A few of the officers were quartered in private homes. During the next three weeks the colonists were compelled daily to view the most shocking examples of immorality, the soldiers being everywhere about the houses of the town. No place was sacred from their intrusion. Nude soldiers bathed in the city canal within the limits of the town and in open view of the houses. Beef were slaughtered in the very doorways of the best homes and offal left to putrify in the hot summer sun. Prostitutes, camp followers, plied their trade openly with the soldiers in broad daylight and in full view of a portion of the colonists' houses. Hen roosts were robbed and gardens stripped of vegetables, and trees of fruit, horses were taken from the fields and made to do service under federal saddles and, in fact, nothing movable was saved." When complaint was made to General Sanjinez he replied, "I regret that such things occur but I can give you no guarantee of protection. But I suggest that you place night watchmen at your places of business."

Sanjinez demanded colony teams and wagons to transport goods and ammunition in pursuit of rebels. "Teams I must have and teams I will have. * * * I will take them whenever and wherever I want them," emphatically declared the general. The colonists secretly drove many of their horses into the mountains to escape the covetous eyes of the troops. A telegram setting forth the terrible state of affairs in Colonia Morelos was dispatched to President Joseph F. Smith and copies of the telegram were forwarded by President Smith to Washington D. C., and to the United States Consul at Nogales, Arizona.

Sanjinez commandeered a number of the teams and wagons of the colonists to haul his supplies, but a compromise was effected by which they were granted leave to haul the freight only as far as Colonia Oaxaca instead of the long distance haul first planned by the Mexican General.

Word was received in Morelos that Salazar, at the head of a large army was speeding toward the Sonora colonies with the avowed intention of wreaking vengeance on the American colonists. The news was alarming and resulted in a hurried exodus of the women and children from the colonies to the United States. The migration began on August 30, and in the company there were nearly 450 people all of whom must be conveyed to the border iii lumber wagons, of which there were sixty. Heartrending must have been the scene as the wives and children bade adieu to the husbands and fathers not knowing if it would be their good fortune to ever meet again. "As the company left the colony," said Mr. Huber, "sobs were heard on every hand." To add to the distress of the refugees the rain fell in torrents drenching nearly everyone to the skin. The only protection, afforded the little ones were the stooped forms of their mothers as they bent over their offspring to shield them from the pitiless storm.

The journey was not free from its tragedies but most pathetic of all was the death of a little fellow whose life was crushed out of him by the overturning of a wagon. [Jane Galbraith Brown was traveling north, to escape the Rebels and the Federal insipients, toward the Arizona border with her children in a wagon. As they hurried along the treacherous terrain one of her seven year old twins, William Galbraith Brown, tumbled out of the wagon and was crushed beneath the wheel. Jane dug at the dirt with her bare fingers attempting to free him but without success, the little boy died . Jane's husband, Orson Pratt Brown, was on Stake assignment from Junius Romney in El Paso. Jane returned to Colonia Morelos and buried her little son next to her sister-wife, Elizabeth Macdonald Brown.]

The little body was taken back to Morelos to be laid by the side of its kinsmen overlooking the waters of the Bavispe, while the caravan moved on. At last the weary journey ended and the exiles passed under the protecting care of Uncle Sam and the good people of the city of Douglas. The men who had remained behind were hopeful that conditions would become settled but to their dismay, lawlessness increased and human life became exceedingly cheap. In the midst of these threatening dangers the only safety seemed to be in flight. Scarcely had the last of the colonists abandoned their houses when the Rebels came pouring in by the hundreds. Salazar with his rebel force entered Morelos on September 12, and soon thereafter came Rojas leading a band of 500.

The stores were looted, cattle were killed for beef and every available thing deemed serviceable was confiscated by these Mexican hordes. Several of the Colonists on their way to Douglas were held up by the Rebels and their belongings taken from them. Ed. Haymore, a merchant of Colonia Morelos, was on his way to the United States with $25,000 in merchandise with the thought of getting it to a place of safety when he was overtaken by Rojas and his men. The merchandise was seized and his team of six horses fell a prey to the rapacious greed of the Rebels and he himself was held a prisoner for three days. When at last he was given his freedom he was turned loose without food to make his way as best he could to a place of safety.

Three other colonists, Anderson, Jones and Nichols were driving a band of horses from the colony hoping to evade the Rebels who were infesting the country. Suddenly and unexpectedly they were overtaken by Salazar and his followers who seized all of their loose horses. These they immediately saddled, including the colts. Then they robbed the colonists of their arms and ammunition and ordered them back to the colony. As they journed toward the colony under guard Salazar talked freely with them and accused President Romney of being responsible for the removal of the colonists from Mexico and for the failure of the colonists to deliver all their guns. He said he was waiting for Romney's return to Mexico when he would "fix" him. The Rebel band camped near San Jose a few miles from Colonia Morelos and at once a foraging party was ordered to Don Rust's place to bring back chickens for the camp. At the same time fences were torn down and the horses were turned into Mr. Rust's growing grain.

The kidnapping of Haymore and other indiginities suffered by the colonists of Sonora induced President Romney, now at Douglas, to dictate a letter to General Sanjinez who was just across the Mexican boundary line at Agua Prieta. The letter calls the attention of the Mexican General to a petition made the day before by the American Consul and the father of the kidnapped man asking that troops be sent to the "Gallardo" Ranch to investigate the whereabouts of the missing man. The General is notified that C. W. Lillywhite and two brothers of Edward Haymore had gone to the Ranch in search of him and upon arriving there had found his two wagons abandoned with the majority of the harnesses strewn upon the ground. The merchandise had been stolen and a part of the clothing of Mr. Haymore was found hanging to the furniture in the wagon. A feeling is expressed that the rebels have assassinated him or that he is detained against his will and the General is requested to send troops immediately to the Ranch to investigate, and to look for the body of the colonist, Edward Haymore."

In conclusion Romney says: "The majority of the colonists including all of the women and children, have had to flee from their homes and are at the present time in this city without funds. As all our crops are abandoned and are in urgent need of cultivation and irrigation and as we have about two million dollars of property in the colonies of the State of Sonora without protection while our families are here suffering for want of the necessities of life, therefore, I petition you most earnestly that you will kindly take into consideration our conditions and send the necessary forces to our colonies to rid that region of Revolutionists and protect our properties and provide the necessary protection for our families who desire to return to their homes at the earliest possible date."

As indicated above Edward Haymore was released by his kidnappers and eventually joined his family in Douglas, but to his discredit, Sanjinez remained indifferent to the afflictions of the colonists.

On the last day of September, 1912, twelve male refugees returned to Colonia Morelos hoping to rescue a few of their hard-earned savings of a quarter of a century, but the sight they beheld where once a flourishing settlement had stood was indescribably painful. They found that every house in town had been looted; sewing machines and furniture in general had been smashed and musical instruments in numerous instances had been used for kindling wood. On one broken organ they beheld the inscription "Long live the Liberals and death to the Mormons." Carcasses of animals lay strewn about the streets and a few drunken Mexicans kept ribald watch over the dreadful scene. Like Goldsmith's Deserted Village, the colonies of Sonora had passed away perhaps never again to be inhabited save by an occasional ranchero or some wandering nomad.
 

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