The Revolution initiated by Francisco I. Madero against the Diaz regime was the signal for uprisings, and in the course of a few months bands of rebels were terrorizing the inhabitants and ravaging the country far and near. The strong arm of Diaz had been successful in times past in terminating speedily any political disturbances that had arisen and the feeling was current among those familiar with Mexican affairs that the "grand old man" would likely be successful in riding any political storm that might gather and in striking a death blow to any counter movement against his authority at its first appearance.

But the unexpected thing happened. The strong hand that had ruled the Southern Republic for so many years had become palsied, letting fall the saber which had held in check fifteen millions of people for well nigh a third of a century.

The success of Madero in the overthrow of the Diaz regime cannot be attributed to a strong personality nor to unusual ability in the field of military strategy, for Madero possessed neither. Rather must his success be attributed l. largely to the conditions of the times. The masses were ready for revolt against a power which had kept them in thralldom to a privileged class until life to them had become intolerable.

Leadership was the thing needed and that leadership was supplied by Francisco I. Madero, a born aristocrat whose family was counted among the small group of multi-millionaires of Mexico. Fortunately, however, much of his educational training had been received in the colleges of the United States, where he imbibed a large measure of sympathy for the masses. It is idle to assume, however, that the blow struck by Madero was motivated entirely by a spirit of altruism, for he had a private grievance to settle and he had a strong desire to rule.

The Revolutionary leader had little difficulty in securing a following. All it needed was to insure his men a substantial living and the promise of a few acres of land at the close of the war. The followers of Madero could scarcely be called an army. They were little more than a mob. Many were without uniform and some of the Indians from the mountains were a spectacle to behold with their straight, black hair streaming wildly down their backs and with not a stitch of clothing on save a cloth girdle about the loins.

The Commander-in-Chief of the army was Madero himself, but a large measure of the responsibility of conducting the war was shifted to the shoulders of General Garibaldi, a grandson of the "red-shifted knight" of Italy, a soldier of fortune, and later a distinguished general in the World War. Others associated prominently with Madero were his brothers, Raul Madero and Ernesto Madero. The place selected for the opening shot was the town of Casas Grandes, long known in history as being the birthplace of more revolutions than almost any other place in the republic of Mexico. Very little resistance was here offered the forces of Madero, but a few casualties were reported, among them being the rebel chief himself, who received a bullet wound in the hand. From Casas Grandes the army pushed on to Cuidad Juarez, a distance of 175 miles, where a stiffer battle was fought, but again the Revolutionists were victorious. Northern Chihuahua was now in their hands. With his army augmented by the thousands who had deserted the Federal cause, Madero was encouraged to strike at the City of Mexico more than eight hundred miles to the south. The journey thither was a triumphal march in which city after city capitulated to the forces of Madero and upon reaching Mexico City, the Revolutionists found a people ready to receive them with little opposition. The rule of Madero, covering a period of only a few months, proved disappointing to the masses. His promised reforms did not materialize as speedily as was expected and this gave rise to a general spirit of discontent that furnished opportunity for political aspirants to obtain

In the North many of the malcontents rallied to the standard of revolt raised by Pascual Orosco and their movement became known as the "Orosco Revolution."

A detailed consideration of the rebellion is important because of its intimate relationship to the future status of the Mormon colonies in Mexico. At the time of this uprising there were six principal colonies in Chihuahua, Colonia Diaz, Colonia Juarez, Colonia Dublán and the "Mountain Colonies," Colonia Pacheco, Garcia, and Chuichupa. In Sonora, Colonia Morelos was the only settlement of much importance since Colonia Oaxaca had been almost completely washed away by a flood.

During the Madero Revolution certain demands were made on the colonists for leather goods and other materials needed by the revolutionary bands for which receipts would be issued, with the understanding that the colonists holding the receipts would be reimbursed in case the revolutionary cause succeeded. Naturally the colonists objected to parting with their goods on such terms, but their protestations were usually met with grim threats. The policy then was to give as little as possible, making sure to get a receipt in return. In a few instances these receipts were accepted in payment for taxes due from the colonists, but in most cases the Mormons still hold these papers from which they have never realized anything. In justice to the federal authorities it can be in truth said that they made no exactions upon the Chihuahua colonies during the Madero revolution.

Upon the initiation of the Orosco Revolution the rebels increased their demands upon the colonists. On February 5, 1912, Enrique Portillo, Presidente of Canton de Galeana, with headquarters at Casas Grandes, came into Colonia Juarez at the head of twenty-five men and made unreasonable demands of the citizens. In the name of his superior, General Jose Inez Salazar, he demanded of the colonists twenty-five guns and an equal number of horses and saddles, together with a quantity of food supplies. Naturally enough the people refused on the grounds that they were foreigners and as such had no right to interfere in what they deemed a family quarrel. An attempt to enforce the demands resulted in Benjamin L. Croft, of Colonia Juarez, being placed under arrest, he having refused to part with his gun, while Loren Taylor, a fellow townsman of Croft's went into hiding to escape having to turn over to the rebels his gun and pistol.

At this point in my narrative I pause to introduce to my readers the ecclesiastical head of the Mormon colonies, Junius Romney. Young Romney had succeeded to the presidency of the Juarez Stake four years previously when Anthony W. Ivins, who had presided over the Colonies for thirteen years had been advanced to the Apostleship. At the time of his appointment to this position Romney had not yet reached his thirtieth year but he was far beyond his years in the rich experiences which had come to him in the various responsibilities under which he had labored. He was admirably fitted to guide the destinies of the colonies ecclesiastically as well as in a material way. By nature he was fundamentally spiritual and this natural bent was reinforced by a splendid training in the doctrines of his church. His training in the business world was thorough and his knowledge of men was unusual. Added to these qualifications was a fluent speaking and writing knowledge of the Spanish tongue, intensely important in a land where Spanish is the dominant language.

President Romney made a fine choice in the selection of his two counsellors, Hyrum S. Harris and Charles E. McClellan, both of whom were men of striking qualities.

Hyrum S. Harris had been a resident of Mexico for several years, much of his time having been spent in Mexico City where he went at the request of the Presidency of his church to study Mexican law and to acquire the Spanish tongue. It was felt that he could be of great service to the colonists in the event of difficulties arising between them and the native population. For a number of years he had presided over the Mormon missionaries who were proselyting for the Church in and around Mexico City and even in distant parts of the Republic.

Charles E. McClellan had gone to Mexico in his early teens and here he had grown to manhood rich in the ex­periences common to a life of service devoted to the build ing of settlements and the redeeming of waste land areas and making them fruitful fields. At the time of his eleva­tion to the Presidency of the Stake he was a professor of English at the Juarez Stake Academy and was second only to President Guy C. Wilson of that institution in administrative functions. For years his influence among the youth of his people as a leader had been potent.

Recognizing the injustice of Porillo's demand upon the colonists President Romney, accompanied by Messrs. Joseph C. Bentley and Guy C. Wilson, had an interview with the Presidente during which they notified him that the citizens of these colonies did not propose to give up a single gun, even if they "had to use them to retain them;" that they proposed to test whether an American citizen had a right to have in his possession a gun for the protection of himself and his family; that they regarded "a request to surrender arms at such a time as equivalent to a request to surrender all that makes life worth living; that the Revolutionists having obtained arms, their next demand would be for property, that if they ran their natural course, they would next burn and plunder, outrage our women and murder those who sought to protect them." Following this protestation Croft was released.

The day following the above interview, February 6, 1912, President Romney addressed a letter to the American Consul T. D. Edwards, stationed at Cuidad Juarez, in which he narrated in detail the grievances of the colonists, most of whom were American citizens, and requesting that he address a letter to Presidente Portillo informing him that the United States would not tolerate a continuation of such proceedings. In response to this communication Mr. Edwards addressed a letter to Portillo as follows:

"Sir: "I have the honor to communicate to you, in keeping with the instructions of my government, regarding the protection of a large number of American citizens residing permanently in the District over which you have the responsibility and honor to preside, and to notify you officially as such Presidente that you will be responsible for any damage or injury to person or property of said American citizens that might come by reason of political disturbances or by failure to enforce the law. "I have been officially informed that your people have demanded of the Americans that they deliver their fire arms, which are their private property, and which they need to defend their homes, etc., and which I am informed was resisted by the Americans. "I cannot see any good reason for such demand, on the part, of your people; and that the government of the United States will sustain said citizens in remaining entirely neutral and also in refusing to deliver their arms at this critical time, I am positive." "I have the honor to be, Sir, Your attentive and sure servitor T. D. Edwards, Consul."

On the same day that Romney wrote the letter to the American Consul he, accompanied by seven other colonists from Juarez and Dublán, called on General Salazar and Mr. Portillo, at Casas Grandes, relative to the rights of the colonists during the civil strife. The committee received assurances from Salazar that the colonists would be unmolested so long as they remained neutral. Speaking for the committee, President Romney requested a written statement and order to that effect and sufficient copies thereof to supply each colony with a copy to present to any of the Rebels who might attempt to interfere with the colonists' rights.

Salazar granted the request by issuing the following order:

Casas Grandes, February 6, 1912 "To the Chiefs and soldiers of the Liberal Party. "To whom this statement may be presented. "You will kindly respect in every way the neutrality of the members of the various Mormon Colonies and in no way molest them. Liberty, Constitution and Justice El General, I. Salazar."

On the day of the issuance of this order the Rebels in Casas Grandes were distributing beef by the wagonloads to those who came for it, the beef having been appropriated from the Mormons without any compensation. At this time there were fully 250 rebels camped at the Dublán lakes about five miles east of Dublán who made themselves free with colony beef cattle and also looted the "Ketelsen and Degetaus' " place of business at Neuva Casas Grandes, taking with them $500 cash and thousands of dollars in merchandise. At Colonia Diaz similar acts of robbery were being enacted. Merchandise in large quantities was seized as well as ten horses and eight saddles for which no compensation was tendered the colonists.

On February 16, Salazar ordered the heads of the Union Mercantile, Farnsworth and Romney, and Ketelsen and Degetaus, leading mercantile establishments in the colonies, to meet him at Casas Grandes. There they met him at the Public Square. In an address to his soldiers present Salazar declared that they intended to respect the rights of foreigners. Four days later the Union Mercantile Store at Dublán was looted to the amount of $1500 in merchandise; the Farnsworth & Romney store of about $800 in merchandise; and many horses and cattle of the people were driven off by the Rebels and a considerable number of beef cattle were slaughtered. Again the Rebels raided the mercantile establishments of Farnsworth and Romney and took $800 in merchandise and from the Union Mercantile, they helped themselves to $1000 worth.

Persistent rumors among the Mexican people of intervention by the United States roused the natives to such a pitch of anger that Americans, other than colonists, left the country in large numbers. It was felt by the leaders of the Mormon colonists, however, that conditions were not serious enough to justify a general migration to the United States.

Several reports appearing in the El Paso papers concerning various indignities which had been inflicted upon the colonists proved irritating to Presidente Portillo and resulted in his requesting an interview with the ecclesiastical head of the Mormon colonies. On March 5, Messrs. Romney, Harris, Thurber, and Call, visited Mr. Portillo at Casas Grandes and had a lengthy interview with him. Mr. Portillo said he expected the Mormons to deny that any outrages had been perpetrated against them, to which the Mormon committee replied that they had given no information to the press and that they would not deny the truth.

Confirming the newspaper reports, Mr. Romney called attention to several outrages suffered by his people at the hands of the Rebels and stressed particularly the case of one Toribio Lara who had been convicted of thievery three different times and each time was released without punishment; and at that very moment he was committing depredations against the people of Colonia Juarez; that only recently he had returned from Casas Grandes to Colonia Juarez under the influence of liquor and attempted to break in the door of the home of a widow and had threatened to kill her unless she gave him $100 and a gun and ammunition. These malicious threats would likely have been executed but for the intervention of neighbors who seized the criminal and turned him over to the Mexican Presidente of Colonia Juarez, an appointee of Mr. Portillo, who in turn, released the culprit at once with the statement that "he had no jail in which to confine him."

On March 14, Mr. Romney addressed a letter to Consul Edwards giving in detail an account of an attack upon a young Mormon boy of Colonia Juarez by three Mexicans. The account is so thrilling and sheds so much light upon the general state of affairs that I submit the letter in full.

"I feel that I should report to you an occurrence which took place in the streets of this (Juarez) colony this evening which will serve to show you the terrible conditions which surround us, and how absolutely destitute of protection we are with existing conditions. "A group of our school boys, of perhaps fifteen years of age were passing along the streets to their homes when they met three Mexicans, one of them our only policeman, another a grown man and the son of our presidente here in the colony, and the other a man with a family. The first is named Juan Trebizo, the second Florencio Acosta and the third Jose Torres. All the Mexicans were mounted. "When the Mexicans saw the boys coming down the street they rode over to the sidewalk and Acosta reaching over caught Eugene Taylor, a son of E. G. Taylor, an American citizen, by the throat and making threats he would kill the boy, he took from his pocket his pocket knife but in attempting to open it and hold the boy he dropped the knife to the ground. "My brother, George S. Romney, happened to be passing along the street with his wife and rushed over to the rescue of the boy, and seeing that Acosta had dropped his knife, George picked it up and began an argument with the Mexicans to induce them to release the boy. "Acosta said he had lost some horses and felt sure the boy knew where they were and was going to kill the boy unless he should tell where the horses were. "When my brother picked up the knife Acosta demanded it to carry out the threat he had made, but George told him that he would return the knife only after the release of the boy. Torres then demanded that the knife be given to him. When my brother replied that he would give it up only on condition that the boy should first be released, Torres struck George in the face three times, inflicting a wound on the cheek. George carried in his hand a short single tree and could easily have defended himself even killing the man if necessary but he realized how far­reaching the results of attacking them would be and desisted, preferring to endure insult and even injury rather than to precipitate trouble by retaliating unless the matter should become even more serious. "By this time the policeman, who was armed with a pistol, and had been a short distance away, rode up and demanded that George hand him the knife, at the same time ignoring the fact that the Mexican had the boy by the throat. Feeling that the policeman was in sympathy with the actions of the other Mexicans inasmuch as he had neither interfered in behalf of the boy, when he was attacked, nor in defense of George when he was struck in the face without provocation, he refused also to surrender the knife to the policeman except he should first order the release of the boy. The policeman was in the act of drawing his gun when another witness, an American, named William Walser, stepped up and George handed the knife to him. Finally the Mexican let the boy go and the three rode off with a threat that they would kill the boy. "Acosta is one of the three witnesses to a lie in connection with the killing of Juan Sosa during the Madero Revolution, by which action a persecution was brought against four of our number for the simple performance of their duty under the direction of a Mexican Presidente. One of these four was the father of the boy attacked tonight and as a result of this persecution the father has had to be in hiding for many months now. "It now develops that the father of the boy had been notified by one of the other boys, and from the window of a neighboring house witnessed the performance with his rifle levelled on the Mexican making the attack, prepared to make a corpse of him if the thing had been carried just a notch farther. "Now what are we to do? It seems that our only move is to go and make an appeal to Enrique Portillo, who belongs to the same party and was elected largely as a result of the effort of the Presidente here, who in turn is the father of one of the participants in the outrage, and placed the present policeman in the position which he occupies. "I tell you if conditions continue long as they are there will be a reign of terror here such as you can hardly imagine. "We have endured a great deal in the way of property loss as you have been informed and now it is getting to be a very common thing for threats and even attacks to be made against the persons and lives of our people. "I think I reported to you that a short time ago a confirmed thief made an attack on the house of a widow and her family and threatened to kill them if they did not give him $100 and a gun and that though all this was done in the name of the Revolutionists and this man was taken into custody by our own men who came to the rescue of the family, he was promptly turned loose to carry out his threats against us by the political authorities to whom we delivered him. So far as I know, nothing has been done to him to date, so you may imagine with what assurance I undertake the mission before me tomorrow, namely, to report this affair to our political chief at Casas Grandes. "There are plenty of witnesses to the outrage committed this evening but this makes no difference in Mexico at the present time. "Only the other evening my attention was called to a group gathered on one of the street corners at night, drunk, with one of them declaiming loudly against our people and foreigners in general. With such things as this going on I regard it as absolutely dangerous to go to the home of the Presidente at night to make a report, and even if such an affair were reported there would be nothing done for our portection, judging from our past experience. "Only a short time ago I had occasion to go to the home of the Presidente to report a matter to him at night, and on my arrival I found the Presidente about half intoxicated and the policeman and a number of other Mexicans who had congregated there entirely so. "When I left the house and started home I was followed up the street by the policeman and two Mexicans engaging in loud conversation which revealed anything but a kindly spirit toward us. The Policeman kept firing his gun, I suppose into the air. He fired in all seven shots between his own home and the Presidente's a distance of five blocks, and that right through the middle of town. "What are we to do under such circumstances? We have done everything possible to keep from provoking trouble which would bring on international complications."

Reference is made in President Romney's communication to Consul Edwards and the killing of Juan Sosa. This event had such far-reaching consequences as to justify, in some detail an explanation of the affair. For weeks prior to the killing of Sosa certain citizens of Colonia Juarez had complained that clothing and other articles about the home had been disappearing and that suspicion pointed at certain local Mexicans as being guilty of the thefts. An investigation was instituted with the result that several of the natives were apprehended and placed under arrest.

Among the number implicated in the theft was Juan Sosa at whose home some of the stolen articles were found. In the temporary absence of the Mexican Presidente of Colonia Juarez, Charles E. McClellan, acting presidente, issued a warrant for the arrest of Juan Sosa.

The chief responsibility for making the arrest fell to Guy Taylor a peace officer who in turn deputized three or four other citizens of Colonia Juarez to assist him. Sosa lived near the outskirts of the colony and at the time the officers went to serve the warrant he was irrigating his field crop adjacent to his home. To reach him the officers must climb through a barbed wire fence. A man by the name of Frank Lewis was the first to reach the fence and while in the act of squeezing between the wires he was struck a terrific blow over the head by Juan Sosa with the edge of his shovel blade, inflicting a horrible scalp wound which, at the time, had the appearance of being very seri­ous. In self defense the men were ordered by Taylor to fire. Simultaneously several shots were fired and when the smoke cleared away the Mexican was seen stretched dead upon the ground.

Notwithstanding the men were in the strict line of their duty and shot only in self defense, they were placed under arrest by order from officials of Casas Grandes, to be held in custody to await trial. Since the colony had no jail, the men were taken to the tithing office and placed in the same room with a half dozen Mexicans who had been charged with stealing colonists' property. Mexicans were deputized to guard the American prisoners while Americans stood guard over the Mexican thieves to prevent their escape. The tenseness of the situation can be appreciated fully only by those who were eye witnesses of it and were cognizant of the pent-up feelings of the two groups. An unwise move on the part of either and a bloody battle would have ensued.

At this juncture, it was deemed expedient by the ecclesiastical authority of Colonia Juarez to send a cornmission to interview General Creighton in charge of the Madero forces at Pearson, seven miles distant, relative to what appeared to be an impending crisis, and to ask for the liberation of Taylor and his men. It fell to the lot of Professor Guy C. Wilson to fulfill this delicate mission and a happy selection it was. Since it would be unwise for him to make the journey alone I was asked to accompany him. We found Mr. Creighton domiciled in one of the substantial adobe houses at Pearson. As we came into the presence of this young adventurer from Texas we were impressed with his abundant nervous energy and the highly emotional state of his mind superinduced by the tenseness of the situation. At any moment he might be attacked by opposing military forces and at the slightest suspicious sound from without, his hand instinctively grasped the handle of a revolver of which he had two swinging from his belt.

He politely and sympathetically listened to our message and when we had concluded, he addressed a note to the presidente of Colonia Juarez demanding the release of the American captives. Constitutionally he had no right to issue such an order since the colonies at this time were under civil law, but should the Madero Revolution be successful even civil authorities who disregarded the mandate of the invading army would be liable to summary punishment. Pleased with our success we returned to the colony to make our report. Our exultation was, however, of short duration for the order was not carried out. A few days thereafter, Professor Wilson and I were on our way to Nueva Casas Grandes to intercede with General Francisco I. Madero for the release of Taylor and his companions. The journey was made in a one seated, black topped buggy belonging to the Professor. While he drove the team I kept an eye open for any unusual happenings that might arise resulting from the whole country being infested with roving bands of malcontents. But nothing of an unusual nature happened to hinder our progress.

Upon our arrival at Nueva Casas Grandes we immediately went to see General Madero to whom we were permitted to deliver our message. At this time the General had his arm in a sling, he having received a bullet wound in his wrist a few days earlier while storming the old town of Casas Grandes. We were impressed with the fine appearance of Mr. Madero. He was immaculately dressed and the affability of his manner made us feel at ease in his presence. He was short of stature and this would have detracted from his power but for the dignity of his bearing, which seemed native to him. He was most considerate in his attitude toward us and at the conclusion of our interview, he gave instructions to have the Mormon prisoners brought to Nueva Casas Grandes to have a hearing before him. We at once telephoned his message to Colonia Juarez with the result that on the following morning early, the prisoners arrived in Nueva Casas Grandes by team. The streets of the town were thronged with Mexicans, both local and rebel, and as the wagon bearing Taylor and his companions passed down the principal street, the occupants were recognized by some local natives who spread the news among the rabble. A crowd rushed for the wagon and with guns drawn threatened the lives of the prisoners. As I stood looking on I shuddered lest a bloody massacre should occur that I was powerless to avert. The seriousness of the situation impelled Professor Wilson to rush to the headquarters of General Madero for assistance. A brother of Madero was dispatched at once to the scene of the trouble who gave orders for the crowd to disperse and at the same time instructed the colonist prisoners to make their escape from the town as quickly and secretly as possible. No second invitation was needed and without delay Taylor and his party shook the dust of the little city from their feet and were on their way back to their homes by the mesquite and cactus route.

Such an order, coming as it did from the head of the Revolutionary forces, was tantamount to a final pardon. But with the withdrawal of the Madero forces from the region of the colonies to make an attack on Cuidad Juarez nearly two hundred miles distant, agitation against Taylor and his colleagues again become rife. Threats against them impelled the men to go into hiding.

Finally, when it appeared that no permanent settlement of the case could be reached outside of the courts, Leslie Coombs, a member of Taylor's party, consented to give himself up for trial. It was felt that Coombs could easily be cleared of culpability for the killing of Sosa since he had not fired a shot. With a verdict of not guilty for Coombs the Attorney for the defense surmised that the remainder of the group would automatically be freed.

Coombs was placed in jail at Casas Grandes to await trial before the civil court of that city. There he sweltered for several weeks and there he would likely have remained indefinitely awaiting the slow movements of a Mexican judiciary had it not been for an attack on the city by a band of rebels. Fearing for their lives the officials of the municipality fled from the approaching enemy but not before they opened the door of the prison. Coombs with the other prisoners, made his escape and a short time thereafter he left Mexico to live in a more congenial clime. The other members of his group remained in hiding for a number of months and then finally fled from Mexico with the other Mormon colonists at the time of the general exodus.

These incidents and others of a similar nature induced the head of the Mormon colonies to call together leading colonists from Colonia Dublán and Juarez to consider the matter of importing from the U. S. arms and ammunition to be used by the colonists in self defense. Such an expedient was thought necessary by him because of the limited supply in the colonies and most of the guns owned by the colonists were of short range. The group of leading men who met in conference upon invitation of the President, to take this matter under advisement, after due deliberation, responded unanimously to Mr. Romney's suggestion, and accordingly Orson P. Brown a representative of the colonists in El Paso, Texas, was authorized to make the purchase and arrange for the importation of the arms into Mexico.

Mr. Brown referred the matter to the Mexican Consul at El Paso who, in turn, laid the case before the President of Mexico. The President ruled that the Mormons should not be permitted to import their arms, notwithstanding the Federal Government was powerless to protect the colonists against the depredations of marauding bands of rebels infesting the whole of the territory occupied by the colonists. About a month later, April 11, 1912, Mr. Brown wrote a personal letter to President Madero setting forth the precarious condition of the colonists and asking for the authority to import into Mexico 24 Mauser rifles; 20, 30-30 rifles; 10, 30-40 rifles; 4 shotguns, calibre 12 and 25,000 assorted cartridges.

Mr. Brown's letter was referred by the President to the Department of War and Marine for disposition, and Mr. Brown was informed by that department under date of April 30, 1912, that, "the President of the Republic has been obliged to decide that it is impossible to permit the importation of the arms and ammunition to which you refer."

"The situation was so tense and the danger so imminent," said Mr. Romney, "that I determined to import the guns without the authority of the Mexican government, and indeed, without waiting for their final refusal as set forth in the letter of the Minister of War and Marine of April 30."

Accordingly an order was placed for a considerable amount of ammunition and largely the list of guns as previously made out by Mr. Brown and in a short time the shipment was brought safely over the international boundary line and distributed among the several Mormon colonies in Chihuahua. These guns were not distributed to individauls but were held as community property to be used only in cases of emergency under the direction of the military commandant of each colony.

An unfortunate incident occurred at Colonia Diaz, May 2, 1912, which very nearly catapulted the colonists of Diaz and the Mexicans of La Ascension into a life and death struggle. It happened this way: Two Mexicans at night broke into a store at Colonia Diaz and in so doing awoke Frank Whiting who lived not far away. He turned in an alarm which resulted in several armed colonists appearing on the scene. The Mexicans, bearing about $500 in merchandise, were commanded to halt but instead mounted their horses and fled the scene. As they did so one of the colonists fired a shot into the air thinking to frighten the thieves. By this time nearly the whole town was awake and presuming it to be the beginning of warfare, some of the colonists fired at the fleeing figures with the result that one of the Mexicans was slain. Pandemonium prevailed in La Ascension when the news reached there of the killing of the thief and immediately dire threats were made against the Mormons of Colonis Diaz. Apprehensive of the outcome of the trouble a courier was dispatched from Colonis Diaz to Cononia Juarez, a distance of 75 miles, to confer with President Romney as to what should be done in the matter. Immediately upon receipt of the message borne by the courier Mr. Romney in company with three Mexican officails, set out for the scene of the trouble.

In the meantime a brother of the slain thief set out for the Mormon colony to wreak vengeance for the death of his brother. It mattered little to him who paid the penalty so long as he was an American. On his errand of death as he was approaching the outskirts of Diaz he saw a colonist by the name of James D. Harvey. Approaching him the Mexican threatened his life and being unarmed Harvey sourht to escape by running behind the house. He was finally overtaken, and shot down in cold blood. The situation grew still more tense and when Romney and his party arrived on the night of the killing, war between the two communities seemed inevitable. It was only by bringing together officials of both settlements and getting them to agree to certain compromises that the threatened storm was averted. It was agreed that the four men implicated in the killing of the thief should in the course of two weeks surrender themselves to be tried at Casas Grandes, the seat of the District. The men were tried and acquitted but the murderer of Harvey was never brought to justice although well known in the vicinity and he continued to live openly. But this invasion of the law and escape from punishment by the offender was common in Mexico. Not one of the assassins guilty of shedding the blood of nine colonists over a period of years was ever brought to justice notwithstanding all were known and remained in the localities where the crimes were committed.

The assassination of another colonist on July 2, 1912, brought forth a letter from Romney and Harris addressed to the Municipal Presidente at Casas Grandes, Mr. Enrique Portillo. Attention is called to the "assassination of another American colonist, William Adams, in the door of his own home" at Colonia Diaz. Continuing, the gentlemen wrote: "During our residence in the colonies of the country, we have suffered a total of nine assassinations in cold blood and not in one single case has the criminal been chastised, although several times we have delivered the guilty parties to the authorities and in all cases we have appealed to the respective competent authorities * * *during the conflict which exists in this country we have maintained strict neutrality * * * leaving the solution of political questions to the natives of the country * * * but as before said we look with alarm that they injure us not only in material interests; but that they have been allowed to kill our colonists without restriction, which offense seems unnoticed." An appeal is thus made for protection against such abuses and a wish is expressed that criminals shall be brought to justice. Upon the advice of General Salazar this communication was never presented to Portillo since by this time the whole country was under military law thus making null and void the civil authority held by Portillo.

President Romney also wrote the following letter to Consul Edwards at Cuidad Juarez:

"We are just in receipt of news from Colonia Diaz to the effect that a Mexican yesterday shot down another of our American colonists in his own door yard.

"Last evening fifteen armed men went to Colonia Juarez and spent the night trying to capture E. G. Taylor. "The Rebels yesterday forced fifteen sacks of flour from Farnsworth-Romney and Company of this place.

"A commission waited on Salazar yesterday and protested against such things, and today we go up again to present to him a written statement of which we enclose you a copy.

"Although we feel that our conditions are perhaps the most critical that they have been at any time since the beginning of hostilities and it is difficult to tell just what the end will be, we hope for the best. We hope you will keep in close touch with the situation and that the United States will be solicitous for our welfare.

"We have suffered much wrong and prefer to continue to do so rather than be the means of trouble of an international character, but if things do not change for the better soon we are unable to say how long we can endure it."

It is evident from this communication that conditions were growing worse for the colonists, and the events of the next few days were to confirm the fears expressed. On the date that the above letter was written, Salazar and Emilio Campo were reported at Casas Grandes at the head of 700 men and others were expected soon.

Merchandise was taken from the establishment of Ketelsen and Degetaus by Rebels who also looted the Union Mercantile.

Daniel Skousen, owner of a grist mill at Colonia Juarez, was ordered by Salazar to grind no more wheat belonging to Mexicans under penalty of having the flour from such wheat confiscated.

Rebels wandered about the streets of Dublán begging food and stealing fruit from the orchards of the colonists. Joseph A. Moffett, a citizen of Dublán, rebuked them for their thievery, whereupon one of the Mexicans aimed his gun at Moffett and threatened his life.

General Hernandez made a requisition for 100 sacks of flour to feed his men and gave receipts for the same.

D. V. Farnsworth interfered with some Mexicans who were taking horses belonging to James A. Young. One of the men drew a long dagger on Farnsworth and threatened his life. Young, witnessing the incident from within his house, was ready to use his gun in defense of his friend should the exigencies of the case require it.

But most menacing of all was an order from Salazar addressed to President Romney asking him to furnish a list of all the arms and ammunition belonging to the colonists. Romney informed the General that the arms were private property and did not belong to the colony as a whole, therefore he could not secure the information. Salazar maintained that he did not intend taking the colonists' arms but that the information asked for was necessary to enable him to locate smuggled arms and ammunition. Salazar was so insistent that Romney finally agreed to send runners to the various colonies for the information.

The following day the President dispatched men to the different colonies with instructions to get the information desired by the General but while Salazar had asked for hurried information Romney instructed his men "not to expedite their report." "I wished merely to be in the position," said Romney, "to report to Salazar that I had immediately sent men to secure, if possible, the informa­tion he desired."

On July 5, 1912, the Associated Press received the following report from Casas Grandes: "Rebels under General Salazar, commanding the vanguard of the insurrect army have begun to terrorize this region. Tension among the Americans and foreigners was increased today with the imprisonment of C. E. Hollingsworth, manager of the general store of Ketelsen and Degetaus here. When he re­fused to give the rebels supplies, they looted the store. Demands have been made upon Mormon colonists for horses and provisions. When the main portion of the rebel army overruns the region it is feared trouble will result. Five hundred cattle already have been confiscated by the rebels from residents along the entire Mexican Northwestern railroad. Where the rebels now are gathered, there is a conspicuous feeling of nervousness as it is not known to what extreme the hungry rebel army will go in its looting."

A most drastic step was taken by a rebel leader calling himself Colonel Arriola at Colonia Diaz on July 12, when he confiscated all of the flour from the grist mill and then demanded all the arms and ammunition belonging to the colonists to be delivered to him on the following morning at ten o'clock. A courier was immediately sent with a report of the affair to Mr. Romney at Colonia Juarez, 75 miles away, where he arrived about 9:30 p. m. of the same day. Without loss of time Romney and Harris left for Casas Grandes in a buckboard to interview Salazar. They reached Casas Grandes about 11:30 that night and drove immediately to the Cuartel. The Americans were escorted to a house some distance from there where Salazar was asleep and upon being awakened the General listened to the report of Romney. At the conclusion of the report Salazar uttered a tirade against the Rebel leader who had made such drastic demands of the Diaz colonists and added that written orders had been issued by him that no such demands were to be made upon the colonists-- todavia no" (not yet). Then he checked himself, according to Romney, "as if he had inadvertantly made a disclosure he had not intended to make and then went on discussing other matters."

Later in referring to this incident Mr. Romney gave the following statement: "I may observe that up to this moment of time it had never crossed my mind that the colonists would have to leave Mexico, but from this moment I was perfectly convinced that unless Salazar changed his attitude toward the colonists there would be nothing for us to do but to evacuate the country, or in the alternative, actually fight the revolutionists. His manner and expression were such as to convince me that he had already formed a definite plan for the oppression, if not the extermination, of the colonists."

The conference ended with Salazar giving the Committee an order to the Rebel officer at Diaz to desist from further molestation of the colonists. From this interview Messrs. Romney and Harris went to Dublán where they arrived about 3:00 a. m. and dispatched a courier to Diaz with the order from General Salazar. A meeting was then held with leading citizens of Dublán, all of whom expressed themselves stoutly against the idea of giving over their arms and ammunition to the rebel forces.

At the close of the meeting a disclosure was made to Mr. Romney by Bishop Thurber of Dublán to the effect that a friendly Mexican (Toribio Galindo) had recently informed two reliable citizens of the colony that a plan had been well laid by the Rebels to loot the Mormon colonies of everything for which they could find use, including their arms and ammunition, and then flee from the territory upon the approach of the Federal forces. The informant said he obtained this information at Rebel conferences where he posed as a Rebel, while at heart he was sympathetic toward the Federal cause. The looting he declared was to take place within ten days.

The events of the past few days were so serious that the head of the colonies left for El Paso to consult church and government authorities relative to the impending crisis. Salazar was on the train that bore Romney to El Paso and they two spent the major part of the time in conversation. Salazar demanded that Romney make representations that would induce the United States to change its attitude toward the Rebel cause. He stated that the Rebels had given every kind of guarantee to foreigners and particularly Americans and in return the United States had taken sides with Madero through the laying of the embargo on firearms into Mexico. "If the Americans are determined to kill us," said the General, "we will force them to come out and take their chances by bringing on intervention." He then added, "La intervencion ya es un hecho." (Intervention is already an accomplished fact).

Upon arriving in El Paso, Mr. Romney consulted with Anthony W. Ivins, who had been sent there as a representative of the Church authorities on the border. A telegram was then sent to the Church authorities in Salt Lake City in which Romney set forth clearly the impending crisis which seemed inevitable within the next few days and with the further observation "that to attempt to retain our arms and ammunition, meant to engage in an armed conflict with the rebels with odds of twenty to one against us; and that to surrender our arms meant to have our families at the mercy of demons." An answer to this telegram came the following day bearing the information that Mr. Ivins, Mr. Rom­ney and the other leading men of the colonies were to assume the responsibility of deciding what was best to be done in the matter. Immediately President Romney returned to the colonies and was followed five days later by Mr. Ivins.

On July 20, Ivins and Romney went into conference with the leading colonists of Dublán and at about the same time General Rojas and Colonel Jose de la Torre brought in a force of rebels from the north by train and unloaded them at the stockyards in the north end of the town. At once they proceeded to appropriate to themselves all the horses and saddles they could find as well as anything else they fancied. Discovering that they were powerless to stop the depredations being committed, Messrs. Ivins and Romney returned to Colonia Juarez intending to take up the matter with superior military officers. On their way they were overtaken by a messenger bearing an order from General Castillo, who was located at San Diego, with a force of 600 men, to the effect that Mr. Romney was to come to him the following day, at 10 o'clock, with "horses and saddles, guns and ammunition, cash, merchandise and anything else that might be of use to his forces."

The next morning, July 21, Messrs. Ivins and Romney were at San Diego at 10 a. m. in harmony with Mr. Castillo's orders, but without the things he had demanded.

Mr. Ivins interviewed the General while Mr. Romney remained with the buckboard to see that nothing was stolen. During the interview that ensued Castillo reluctantly acknowledged to Mr. Ivins that he was subordinate to Orosco who was the Generalisimo of the revolution. He also promised not to force his demands until Mr. Ivins had opportunity to get in touch with Orosco at Cuidad Juarez and obtain his orders. From San Diego they drove to Casas Grandes where they found things in an uproar. Salazar was just preparing to send a large body of troops against a Federal force at Ojitos under Generals Sanjinez and Blanco. As the two Americans entered the office of Salazar he turned on them and, in an irritated tone of voice demanded, "What do you want?" Mr. Ivins proceeded to explain the object of their mission but was rudely interrupted by the General who savagely ordered them to "Get out in the street; when I want you I will send for you." They obeyed, and later were granted a brief audience with the officer but got no satisfaction from the conference. The only thing left for them was for Mr. Ivins to interview Orosco upon his return to El Paso.

Following Mr. Ivins' return to El Paso, Mr. Romney received a letter from Orson P. Brown informing him that he and Mr. Ivins had been conferring over conditions in the colonies and he (Brown) had come to the conclusion that it would be well "for every man to hide in a good safe place, at least a majority of his better arms and ammunition, for it is just possible that an individual search of every home may be made for these materials * * * it appears to me * * * that the very last thing that we want to do is to precipitate an armed conflict with this overwhelming multitude of rebels."

"I have reported our condition to the Mexican Consul, and as in the case of the people in Sonora, he advises that if we are in danger, that there is only one thing for us to do, and that is to move out of the country until the danger is past and that the government will pay all damages. * * * I am sure that the present U. S. administration have no intentions whatever to interfere in the Mexican situation, if it is possible to avoid it, but still feel that the inevitable is coming regardless of their dilatory action."

On July 26, 1912, President Romney received an order from General Salazar through Colonist Henry E. Bowman to meet him at Casas Grandes for an interview. In company with Guy C. Wilson, J. C. Bentley, H. E. Bowman, Hyrum Harris, and A. D. Thurber, Mr. Romney appeared in Casas Grandes at the appointed time. It was decided by the group that only two of their number should be present at the interview with the General and that Romney and Bowman should have that responsibility.

Passing by the guards the two gentlemen were ushered into the presence of the Mexican officer whom they found to be in a turbulent mood. His opening shot was to the effect that he had determined to withdraw all guarantees heretofore given the Mormon people and that no longer would he give protection to their lives or property. Mr. Romney called his attention to the many guarantees both written and oral that the General had given him and that he had always believed them to be valid. Salazar retorted, "Those are mere words, and the wind blows words away."

He went on to explain that following his consultation with General Orosco it had been decided to take from the colonists all their arms and ammunition. Mr. Romney pointed out the grave dangers such an action would bring to the colonists with 2000 rebels in the neighborhood and other thousands coming this way, but it was all to no purpose. The General was adamant. Romney then requested that they be allowed to get their women and children out of the country before giving the General their final answer relative to their firearms. Salazar insisted that there was but one thing to do and that was to deliver over their guns and ammunition at once and threatened, if that were not done, to "take his vengeance out upon our women and children by removing all restraint from his soldiers and turn them loose upon them." The president of the colonies then asked for time to see Orosco, to which the General responded: "No, we have been acting the fool by giving guarantees to you people as long as we have. These orders have to be carried out right now. Furthermore, we cannot permit Americans to have arms in our territory because intervention is now an established fact."

"Well, I will go and consult with the people and see what they say about giving up their guns," to which Salazar immediately replied, "No, you cannot leave here until that order is complied with. You remain right here until it is complied with." "That means then," said Romney, "I will be with you a long time, because it will never be complied with. I cannot give any order to the colonists to bring in their guns and deliver them. We have no military organization. What few guns there are belong to the individuals. They have bought and paid for them, themselves. They are their own property. I have no authority to order them to bring them in."

The suggestion was then made by Demetrio Ponce, a lieutenant of Salazar, that all the General wanted was for Romney to make a suggestion to the colonists that they deliver up their arms and that would result in the colonists turning them over to the Rebel army. Romney replied that he would refuse to even suggest such a thing, explaining that they would think him a traitor and in league with the rebels "for," said he, "When you some time ago, demanded a list of the guns I told them that you had given your word of honor that you would not interfere with their guns. In these circumstances, I cannot issue the order, and I do not intend to; I will stay with you and you can do with me as you please."

In the course of the conversation, Romney told the General that he was not afraid of him or what he would do to him. This statement angered the General and aroused his pride. Well, you can go home to the colonists, neither am I afraid of you. I will come and get the guns no matter where I have to go for them. If your guns and ammunition are not delivered to us we will attack you in the same manner that we would attack the Federals. * * * We will consider you as our enemies and will declare war on you immediately."

Mr. Bowman in reporting the above interview confirms Mr. Romney's narrative throughout. These are his words: "On Saturday last, Salazar sent for the leaders of our colony. He told our leaders that among others he wanted to see Junius Romney, the ecclesiastical head of our Mexican colonies. * * * He stated that Orosco and his advisers had decided that the Americans had done everything they could to harm their cause. They demanded our arms. President Romney refused to issue such an order. He told Salazar that the Americans were not a military organization; that he could not issue such an order. "Issue an order at once for the men in the colonies to give up their arms," was Salazar's edict. President Romney refused to do so. "You can stand me up right now and begin to shoot and kill me," was Romney's reply. "I will not issue such an order."

Recognizing the imminent danger threatening the wives and children of the colonists and the widespread destruction of property that would result unless some conciliation were granted the rebel forces, President Romney concluded it was best to make at least a show of complying with their demands, for the thought uppermost in his mind and that of his associates "was the safety and protection of our women and children, the situation of whom was becoming gravely and increasingly dangerous."

It was therefore arranged between Salazar and Romney that Demetrio Ponce with twenty men should accompany Romney to Dublán to receive the arms and ammunition of the colonists.

Upon arriving at Dublán it was discovered that the town was wholly occupied by Rebels and that they were actually looting the stores at the time that President Romney and his group arrived.

A meeting was arranged for at once, to be held at the home of Bishop Thurber, to which the leading men of the colony were invited. Ponce evidently intended being at the session as he marched into the room with his gun in hand, but at the request of Mr. Romney, he retired. He immediately placed a guard about the house making it impossible for any of those in attendance at the meeting to escape without permission.

At the meeting certain colonists of Dublán pointed out the impregnable position held by the Rebel forces in and about the city. At the northeast of town a small battery of cannon and machine guns were trained on the town and was supported by cavalry; farther east was an­other detachment of cavalry; at the south and west sides of town there were other cavalry forces, so that the place was entirely surrounded by rebel troops. Against such a force it would be useless for a handful of colonists to contend in battle array. To make a show at giving up arms was the only thing left to do. Those present at the meeting were, therefore, instructed to go out among the residents of the colony and explain to them the seriousness of the situation and ask them to bring their old guns and short ranged guns, (and nothing but these), to a central place, the school house, where they would be delivered over to Salazar's representatives, with Mr. Ponce at their head. Such an arrangement was thought by the colonists to be better than to have each house visited for the firearms by the rebels, and to this arrangement Ponce agreed. The colonists responded by bringing to the school house 81 guns, 15 pistols and a quantity of ammunition for which a receipt was issued by Salazar's representative.

From Dublán President Romney telephoned the people of Colonia Juarez the procedure at Dublán with reference to the giving over to the rebels the arms and ammunition of the colonists and informed us that he would be at Colonia Juarez in the evening to attend a meeting to discuss the policy that would be adopted by the citizens of that place. At the time we received his message, practically all of the mature male population of the colony were under arms at the tithing office and one or two other central points, prepared to meet in combat the Rebel forces whom we had occasion to believe might come at any time to demand our firearms. For a month or two past we had been organized into military companies and under this organization we had been drilled in military tactics to prepare for a crisis which seemed inevitable. In harmony with the accepted policy of the entire group of Mormon colonies we had agreed to turn the other cheek to the enemy in the event of them demanding our substance, such as grain and cattle, but we would resist their taking our arms and ammunition to the death, if necessary. Imagine our feelings, if you can, when we learned that Dublán had capitulated to the enemy and had given up their firearms. We felt that it would be suicidal to attempt to hold at bay the thousands of rebels who were invading the territory in which our colonies were situated especially since Dublán had decided not to fight. But on the other hand, to surrender our firearms to the Rebels meant that ourselves and wives and children would be at the mercy of those whose debased natures would tempt them to prey upon the inno­cent and defenceless, meting out such outrages as they would deem expedient to reach their nefarious ends. Truly our predicament was appalling.

A meeting was appointed, to be held in the Church in the evening, in harmony with instructions received from President Romney. Practically every adult male member of the colony was present, and a serious body of men it was who met to discuss one of the most far-reaching problems of their lives. The meeting was in process when President Romney arrived rather late in the evening. Upon his arrival he found all the male colonists in conference except four or five men who stood guard on the outside to prevent any surprise attack from unfriendly Mexicans. One Mexican who was found eavesdropping was forced into the meeting house to hear first-hand what was said. There was lack of unity in the audience at the outset relative to the policy that should be adopted largely due to the lack of knowledge of the details of the true situation. When, however, they had been supplied by Mr. Romney and others familiar with conditions it was unanimously agreed that we would follow the example of our sister colony in giving up our arms and ammunition to the rebels with, of course, certain reservations. It was also decided at the meeting that all of our women and children would be sent to El Paso as soon as arrangements could be made for their transportation. The gathering adjourned at 2:00 o'clock in the morning and the balance of the night was spent in making preparations for the move.

Copyright 2001 www.OrsonPrattBrown.org