Tales from the Morgue

1973: Sun Carnival Parade Gets First Route Change Ever

November 8, 1973

El Paso Times -

The route of the New Year’s Day Sun Carnival Parade will be changed for the first time since the parade’s inception in 1935; it has been announced by Herb Klapmeyer, Sun Carnival vice president.

The change involves a complete reversal of direction and the elimination of two sharp turns. According to Klapmeyer the new route calls for a starting point at Copia and Montana and movement westward on Montana to Kansas where the units will disband. The parade formerly stated Downtown at Texas and Campbell, moved up Texas to Mesa, up Mesa to Montana and then east on Montana to San Marcial.

“The old route has two 90 degree turns, one at Texas and Mesa and one at Mesa and Montana,” said Klapmeyer. “The floats have been getting longer each year and have been experiencing some difficulty negotiating these turns.”

Klapmeyer said Montana has a slight uphill grade when moving from west to east. This, coupled with the slow speed of the units, has often caused the gasoline engines that power the floats to overheat. The downhill route is expected to put less strain on the floats.

“The parade committee has been considering a change of this type for some time,” Klapmeyer said. “I think the fact that the Aniversario parade last summer went so smoothly influenced our decision greatly.” The Aniversario Del Paso ’73 march also moved west on Montana.

Photo gallery: Sun Carnival / Sun Bowl Parade

Readers submit their JFK stories

Over the weekend we asked readers to submit their memories of President John F. Kennedy. Here are the responses:

I was a sophomore playing for Coach Don Haskins; it was Coach's second year at the school.

While the country canceled athletic and similar events to mourn the loss, we, that is the team, loaded up in cars and drove north to Lubbock, maybe Albuquerque, I have long since forgotten where, to scrimmage with Texas Tech.

Some might think what that day was disrespectful. Coach didn't! And although we youngsters may have wondered about Coach's sense of priorities -- with hindsight, the Bear knew best. Get to work --keep focused on what have control over -- and honor this President by moving forward with life and its responsibilities.

I suspect President Kennedy might have been proud of the Bear; because with that kind of focus and dedication, for 2 1/2 years later the Bear and his 1966 team changed the face of college sports forever, winning the national championship in College Park, Maryland, starting 5 blacks, playing 7 in its win over the legendary Coach Adolph Rupp and his Kentucky Wildcats on March 19, 1966.

Steven B. Tredennick

I was 12 years old when I got to see President Kennedy on Montana.  I was returning from swimming at Memorial Park when a saw a big crowd and asked what was going on.  I was told that President Kennedy was about to pass in his motorcade. I started working my way to the front and will never forget the day I saw our President waving at all the crowd, I felt as though he was just waving at me.  I was standing there in my bathing suit with a towel wrapped around me.  I will treasure that memory forever.

Elsa P. Marquez

I was only four years old at the time, but I do remember watching the motorcade on television. It was live and I remember seeing Kennedy get shot and all of the commotion that the announcers were making.

My grandmother Imelda was in the kitchen cooking. She asked me what was going on and I told her that the President had been shot. That memory still is and always will be on my mind. The assassination and my grandmother crying I will never forget. We all loved him because of his age and the fact that he was Catholic.

Fred Camarillo

I was sophomore at Ysleta High School, sitting in Ms. Stewart's biology class, when the intercom announced the death of President Kennedy. I can recall the moment as if it was yesterday. Young eyes searched others in the classroom as if to gauge what we should be feeling. No experience had prepared us for this reality. Adolescence gave way to the adult world and innocence was lost.

Peggy Nelson

More stories:

Estella M, Donald Oneill, Antonio R. Munoz

Joanne Herendeen

Jeanne D. Hendricks, James Neesom, Norma Rivera

Mark Leibson

Victory lets J.P. Hayes relax

June 19, 1989

By Bill Knight
El Paso Times

 Just a little over two weeks ago, J.P. Hayes was a frustrated golfer. He was still confident, but frustrated, nonetheless.

Today, he is relaxed, confident, keeping his game honed over at the El Paso Country Club, checking out the U.S. Open on television.

Life has changed dramatically for the former UTEP golfer in those two weeks. Finally, it all clicked. And last Sunday, he became a winner on the PGA Tour - joining a very exclusive group, taking home a $324,000 paycheck and, more importantly, a two year tournament exemption on the tour.

When Hayes was rolling in that final putt at the Westchester Country Club in New York to win the Buick Classic, his wife Laura was back here, a bundle of nerves, watching on television. And his friends were watching from the El Paso Country Club grill, going nuts.

"I'll never forget that moment," said the soft-spoken Hayes. "The moment when I finally won. It was great."

Laura Hayes said, "It was just so great to see that smile on his face."

Cameron Doan, also a former UTEP golfer and now head professional at EPCC, said, "I just knew that anyone who chips and putts the way J.P. does always has a chance out there."

Finally, his chance came. And he calmly took it by the throat, shook it and made it his. But, not too long ago, he was wondering if maybe this chance would never quite be within his grasp.

"When I left home two weeks ago, I didn't want to go," he said. "I was frustrated. I felt I was playing well.

But I was not getting results. I was just wondering how long I could put up with the constant disappointment."

Laura Hayes said, "We talked about how things can change. I know he was a little down."

Hayes, who has his 33rd birthday coming up Aug. 2, came to El Paso and to UTEP in 1984 from Appleton, Wis. Former UTEP coach Cricket Musch, the man who brought Hayes here, remembers:

"We were trying to build a program that would contend nationally," said Musch, who is now a representative for Ping. "John had all the qualities in a high school and junior player you could want. He won the state junior title and won the state high school title. But he didn't play a whole lot for us his first two years.

"I don't know if he remembers this," Musch added. "But I called him in after his second year and told him I was going to take a hard look at how he progressed over the summer. I told him I might have to re-evaluate how much scholarship I would give him. He went home and won the state amateur stroke and match play and played really well in the U.S. Amateur. He really stepped it up for us those last two years and was one of our top players. He just got his mind focused on what he needed to do."

Hayes remembers college as a fun time: "I wasn't a world beater in college. I did my part on the team. The national championships were always fun. In fact, I wish I could go back. It was a great time. Golf meant nothing more than having fun."

After college, Hayes played on the PGA Tour in 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997 and now. He was a Nike Tour member in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1996. Hayes made $160,722 last year, coming up with one top-10 finish. His total money winnings coming into this year were not much more than the check he brought home from New York last Sunday - $351,898.

But, finally, last Sunday in New York it all came together.

"I was confident going in," he said. "I felt like I'd played well the week before, even though I missed the cut. I did some things that made me very confident. And it carried over."

Hayes, in fact, was probably the calmest member of family and friends on that last Sunday.

"My stomach was in knots all day," said Laura Hayes. "Two of my friends came over and we tried to play gin rummy until the television coverage came on. Usually, I follow his scores on the computer, but that Sunday I couldn't get the connection. So we had people calling every 15 minutes to tell us where he was. Once the TV coverage came on, the gin rummy stopped. Everything stopped.

"But it was just so neat watching him," she added. "I know he'd been frustrated and you could just see he was enjoying himself out there."

Doan said, "It was great to see because he's worked at it hard. He's always had a good short game. But his long game has improved a bunch. It's something he's worked hard on."

Musch said, "J.P. has steadily gotten better over the years. But this was something that was just great to see - because J.P. is such a good person, such a nice guy."

And the frustration ... well, that is just a memory, a thing of the past.

1st kidney transplant in El Paso

September 29, 1987

By Benjamin Keck
El Paso Times

A kidney was transplanted Monday into a patient at Sierra Medical Center, the first time a major organ transplant operation has been performed in El Paso.

A second kidney transplant could take place at Sierra within weeks, said Mark fry, administrator of the Central El Paso hospital.

“Several patients and family member donors are being evaluated,” Fry said. “But first we want to get) Monday’s recipient) well and taken care of. We want to take our time and do it right.”

Sierra’s new transplant program could be expanded in the near future to include other major organs, especially bone marrow and the pancreas, Fry said.

He said the kidney transplanted Monday was taken from a living relative of the patient. The operation, including removing the kidney from the donor and putting it into the patient, took about 3 1/2 hours.

Fry said the family asked that no personal information be released and that he not give names, ages, addresses or gender of either the donor of the recipient.

“Both are in critical but stable condition in (the intensive care unit),” Fry said Monday evening, several hours after the operation was completed. “That is all I can tell you at this time.”

An El Paso television station, however, reported that the donor and recipient were a brother and sister from Las Cruces. That could not be confirmed late Monday. It was not clear which was the recipient.

Marelena Sykora, a registered nurse and transplant coordinator at Sierra, said the kidney was removed from the donor in one operating room and taken immediately to the recipient in an adjacent operating room.

It took about 35 minutes from the time the kidney was removed until it was connected to the recipient, she said.

The kidney was taken from the donor and washed in what Sykora called a “slush solution” of fine ice, much like a Slurpee. The solution contained a number of nutrients to keep the kidney functioning until it could be connected to the recipient.

The original kidneys were left in the recipient.

“They are left in unless they cause repeated infections or uncontrollable high blood pressure,” Skyora said. “Some transplant centers require that the native kidneys be removed, but we don’t require it here. They don’t have to be removed.”

Kidneys are in the upper abdominal cavities. A transplanted kidney is placed below the cervical bone below the waist, either on the right or left side.

There are two kidneys in the body, but people can function normally with just one.

Fry said the transplant team Monday was made up of a dozen people, including nine physicians. Among the physicians were Dr. William Graham Guerriero, ch8ief of urology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and R.. George Noon, a thoracic surgeon and instructor at Baylor.

Guerriero has performed more than 500 kidney transplants in 17 years.

The doctors were not available for interviews Monday, but Fry said a briefing by Dr. Alfonso Chavez, medical director of Sierra’s dialysis center, is scheduled for Wednesday.

Plans for Monday’s transplant had been in the works for months, Fry said. Planning for a transplant program at Sierra started about two years ago.

“We decided to go ahead with it because there is a need for this type of medical care in El Paso,” Fry said. “In 1986, 33 El Pasoans went elsewhere for organ transplants. Through Sept. 18 of this year, we discovered, only eight El Pasoans had gone elsewhere for transplants, even though thee are the same number of people on waiting lists as last year.

“That led us to believe that going great distances for this type of care was a financial hardship and that patients were going without needed care.”

Fry cited statistics showing that the annual median income in El Paso is $8,175, compared with $10,858 in Lubbock, which at 382 miles away is the nearest place in Texas where kidney transplants can be performed.

Mia Divorces Frankie In Juarez

August 17, 1968

By RAMON VILLALOBOS

Looking lean and hungry and with apparently a heavy loss of sleep, Maria Mia Farrow, wife of Frank Sinatra, flew from New York to the border to obtain a Chihuahua “quickie” divorce Friday.

Surrounded by three burly bodyguards who claimed they were attorneys, the young actress was whisked through the noonday divorce proceedings which lasted less than 30 minutes.

Judge Lorenzo Holguin Cisneros of the 1st Civil Court accepted her divorce petition presented by Miss Farrow’s Juarez attorney Carlos Anaya Montanez and Juarez divorce consultant Ronnie Delgadillo.

In her petition the frail looking daughter of actress Maureen O’Sullivan charged her millionaire crooner husband with cruelty and incompatibility. She also petitioned the court to restore her maiden name. The court accepted the charges.

Modestly dressed in a par of oversized slacks and wearing a green print blouse, Miss Farrow looked as though she were exceedingly nervous during the proceedings. When she was taken to the Municipal Palace to officially register her petition, she could hardly hold the clerk’s pen and nervously signed the official book. Her hands were trembling as she scrawled her signature.

A battery of Juarez newsmen and photographers who had been alerted of her presence, greeted the shy Miss Farrow at the Municipal Palace. The three bodyguards shoved newsmen from her path leading to the courtroom and stood in front of her to prevent pictures being taken. They also stopped reporters from interviewing her and did not let her speak a word.

In her petition, Miss Farrow informed the court that she married the 52-year-old Sinatra July, 1966, in Las Vegas. She was 21 at the time. She charged that her life has been unbearable with her husband. It said both agreed to separate August of this year and agreed to the divorce.

Although she flew from New York she gave her legal residence as Cathedral City, Calif. She also charged that in the tow-year marriage, which raised the eyebrows of the entertainment world, there were no children.

“We haven’t lived as man and wife since December, 1967,” her petition read.

Miss Farrow did not utter a word during the court proceedings. She just nodded to questions put to her by the court clerk, Rodolfo Silva.

After her divorce was granted she was rushed to an awaiting automobile outside the courtroom and whisked to El Paso. Her Juarez attorney said she was flying to Hollywood.

The young actress’ mother, Miss O’Sullivan, gained film prominence in her parts as “Jane” in the Tarzan pictures. Her father was the late John Farrow, who also was a well known movie director and producer.

Prior to his marriage to Miss Farrow, Sinatra held a worldwide romance with actress Ava Gardner. The slender crooner separated from his first wife, Nance in 1951.

CARE Box Dispatched by Coldwell

04/21/1948 - BUY FIRST CARE PACKAGES - The Rev. B.M.G. Williams (left) and Mrs. Alice Barry (right) were the first to purchase CARE packages from Mrs. Estela Leyva at the special CARE booth at the Popular Dry Goods Co. Mr. Williams sent his package to England and Mrs. Barry sent hers to the Island of Cyprus. Urbici Soler, sculptor, the third customer sent one to Bavaria.


May 6, 1948

Coldwell school teachers recently sent a CARE Box, containing food and supplies, to a 13-year-old school girl in Gottingen, British Zone, Germany, through the local headquarters of CARE (Co-operative for American Remittances to Europe, Inc.) in the Popular Dry Goods Co.

The box was sent in response to a letter written in German by the girl’s father and received by A.H. Hughey, superintendent of schools. The letter was translated by a student at El Paso Technical Institute and forwarded to Coldwell.

Other recent local CARE contributions include a box sent to a refugee family in Schmitten, German, by the priests of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and monthly gifts by Urbici Soler, art instructor at the College of Mines, who sends the boxes to personal friends living in the American Zone of Germany.

Mrs. John G. Barry, local CARE secretary, has on file at the headquarters booth names of several families known to be in need of CARE assistance. Boxes may be sent to any European countries not under Russian domination.

B.M.G. Williams is president of the local CARE group.

Veterans March Through Business District Before Carnival

November 12, 1935

Thousands of persons lined the route of march of military and veterans’ organization when they paraded along downtown streets last night at 7 p.m. as the semi-final feature of the 1935 Armistice Day program.

Led by the Seventh Cavalry band from Fort Bliss, veterans’ organizations marched as nits from North Mesa Avenue through the business section to disband at Liberty hall, where Armistice Day celebrators gathered for a dance and carnival, terminating the memorial day schedule.

The Parade

Units in the parade included the Fort Bliss band, national guardsmen, the Marcus B. Armijo Post and Davis-Seamon Post, V.F.W., Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, College of Mines Band, the El Maida Shrine and Salvation Army drum corps. E.E. Wiseman, department commander, V.F.W., was parade marshal.

The Armistice Day program got under way at the El Paso High School Stadium at 11 a.m. yesterday with the assembly of units, some of which participated in last night’s parade, in the stadium.

Dr. D.M. Wiggins, president of the College of Mines, principal speaker, voiced the hope that nations would “some time meet around a conference table to adjust weighty matters,” without resorting to war.

His Opinion

“I do not believe there ever will be an end to conflict between nations but I believe we may hope for the end of physical conflict,” Dr. Wiggins said.

Fourteen El Paso war Mothers, among guests of honor on the speaker’s platform, and the war dead were eulogized by Dr. Wiggins.

Col. George Tyner, Fort Bliss, and Wiseman were other speakers on the program. Col. Tyner, referring to unsettled conditions in Europe and Africa, warned that “no one knows where the present conflagration will lead.” Commercial and colonial expansions underlie the present armed conflict, the officer said. “The struggle for world trade and commerce is acute,” Col. Tyner said.

Wiseman asserted that veterans are opposed to further wars and urged preparedness as the best method to avoid conflict.

First Veteran To Be Buried In Cemetery

March 6, 1940

Body of James F. Featherstone, 63, Sioux City, Ia., veteran of three wars who died in an El Paso hospital Tuesday, will be the first to be buried in the recently-opened Fort Bliss National Cemetery.

Mr. Featherstone was a veteran of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, and the first World War. He had been an El Paso resident for three months.

Mr. Featherstone is survived by three sisters, Mrs. Margaret Crady, Palo Alto, Cal., Mrs. May Pendleton, Sioux City, Ia., and Mrs. Elizabeth Watkins, Guthrie, Okla., and three brothers, John Featherstone, Kansas City, Mo., W.R. Featherstone, Los Angels, Cal., and Andrew Featherstone, San Antonio, Texas.

Funeral services will be held in the Kaster and Maxon Chapel at 2 p.m. Wednesday with Chaplain A.H. Parker officiating.

Members of Hamilton Fish Camp No. 2, United Spanish War Veterans, American Legion Post No. 36, Disabled American Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars will serve as escort from the mortuary to the cemetery.

SEVENTEEN AMERICANS KILLED BY MURDEROUS VILLA RAIDERS IN SAVAGE ATTACK ON COLUMBUS

March 10, 1916

Invaders Driven Across line into Mexico leaving Upward of One Hundred Dead on Field of Battle; Pursuit by American Cavalry Without Result

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Descent on Sleeping New Mexico Border Town Carried out With Cruelty and Ruthless Cunning Unknown in United States Since Days of Geronimo.

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Among the Villa raiders killed was Pablo Lopez, second in command, the man held personally responsible for the Santa Ysabel massacre. The fact that he was with Villa indicates that his chief planned the murder of the Americans who were en route to the mines of the Cusi Mining company.

Reinforcement Depart

A battalion of the Twentieth Infantry left El Paso last night for Columbus to reinforce the Thirteenth cavalry. It included companies A, B, C and D of the First battalion, and the soldiers will reach Columbus early this morning.

Five companies were held in readiness here last night in case of emergency. A double provost guard patrolled the city and detachments of soldiers were thrown out along the river.

Car service to Juarez was discontinued during the night, but will be continued today.

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COLUMBUS SPENDS SLEEPLESS NIGHT: ANOTHER ATTACK FEARED

Special to the Morning Times

Columbus, N.M. March 10 – Columbus was a-quiver with excitement late tonight when it was reported Villa planned to make another attack on the town early Friday morning. Strong guards have been placed around the town, consisting of the Thirteenth cavalry, members of the Deming national guard and armed civilians.

Sent Fake Report

Villa sent what is believed to be a “faked” report that he had reached Nogales, Chihuahua, about fifty-four miles to the east of Palomas. It is not believed that he could have traveled so far after the fighting.

Coffins have been ordered from El Paso to bury the dead Americans. The bodies of a number will be held here until advices are received from relatives in other cities.

The bodies cremated in the Commercial hotel, which was burned to the ground by the raiders, have been identified as Charles De Witt Miller, Albuquerque; Dr. H.M. Hart, cattle inspector of El Paso, and W.A. Davison, a member of company K, Texas national guard of El Paso.

Fire Destroys Buildings

Practically the entire business district was destroyed by fire. The villa soldiers had cans of gasoline which they poured on the buildings and then set them on fire. The three men cremated in the hotel were caught like rats in a trap and unable to escape.

Major Tompkins was in charge of the troops that invaded Chihuahua in pursuit of the Villa bandits and directed the attack on the rear guard. The majority of Villa soldiers killed were shot during the running fight across the boundary.

After the American troops had followed Villa for about eighteen miles the bandit threw out a strong rear guard, which met the advancing cavalry and a sharp fight followed. The chase was then abandoned by the American troopers.

Attack Unsuspected

The attack on Columbus was wholly unsuspected, and Villa was in the town before any one knew of his presence. His soldiers cried "Viva Villa” and “Death to the gringos.” They shot every American civilian who was on the street and then shot through the windows and doors of the residences.

Villa was in the center of his men urging them on. He told them to give the Americans no quarter and to kill men, women and children. He was identified by many residents of the town. Villa was attired in his military uniform and waved a sword.

When his men started retreating he flew into a frenzy and stabbed and slashed at those near him, telling them to continue fighting. But they retreated, and when the line was reached Villa was leading.

His men and horses are in good condition. They spent several days at the Palomas ranch resting up before attacking Columbus.

Since leaving Casas Grandes Villa is believed to have killed approximately fifty Americans, including those who were murdered at Columbus.

Seventeen Americans, eight soldiers and nine civilians, including a woman, are dead as a result of the attack on Columbus, N.M., early yesterday morning by Francisco Villa and his raiders, numbering fully 1,500 men. In the fight that followed the bandits were driven across the line, leaving fully 125 dead on the field of battle. The Mexicans were pursued by four troops of cavalry and a running fight followed. The chase was abandoned by the American cavalrymen after the Villa raiders had fled to a point 15 miles south of the boundary line.

The list of American dead follows:

Dr. H.M. Hart, El Paso, veterinary.

W.H. Davidson, trumpeter, El Paso National guard.

W.T. Ritchies, Columbus.

J.T. Dean.

C.W. Dewitt Miller.

J.J. Moore.

N.R. Walker.

Unidentified hotel guest.

Sergeant Mark A. Dobbs, M.G.T. 13th cavalry

Sergeant John Nievergalt, band.

Corporal Paul Simon, band.

Corporal Harry Wisewell, Troop G.

Private James Butler, Troop F.

Frank T. Kindvall, Troop K.

Private Fred Griffin, Troop K.

The wounded:

Corporal Michael Barmazel, M.G.T.

Private Jesse P. Taylor, Troop F.

Private James Venner, Troop M.

Private John C. Yarborough, Troop K.

Private Theodore Katzorke, Troop L.

Lieutenant C.C. Benson, wounded in arm.

Captain G. William, Adjt., flesh wound.

Villa used his old cunning n attacking Columbus. He planned to attack the garrison March 1, according to Mrs. Maude Wright whom he took prisoner in the Casas Grandes district and brought to the border, later releasing her.

The bandit chieftain waited until 4:30 before crossing the border. The raiders dismounted near the edge of the sleeping town and, crawling up the main street, opened a deadly fire on the citizens and soldiers who were sleeping in their tents. The fighting in the town lasted nearly an hour before Villa and his followers were driven across the line.

Last night there were rumors of another attack and Columbus was aquiver with excitement. A strong guard of soldiers, members of the Deming National guard and civilians was thrown around the town to prevent Villa from making another surprise attack.

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ESCAPE FAILS AS PRISON BREAKS ANKLE

Aug 3, 1949

A County Jail prisoner, awaiting transfer to the state penitentiary to serve a life sentence under the habitual criminal act, failed Tuesday in an escape attempt.

The prisoner, 23-year-old Juan Valenzuela, of El Paso, broke his right ankle in attempting to climb down a rope made of blanket strips from the fifth floor to the third floor of the courthouse.

Deputy Sheriff Jimmy Hicks said Valenzuela and 19 other prisoners were removed from the tank on the fifth floor Tuesday afternoon to a sun porch to enable jailers to make their regular search of the tank for concealed weapons.

Hicks said Valenzuela broke a bar with a loose piece of lumber and began to climb to the roof of the third floor of the courthouse. His ankle was broken in the drop from the rope to the floor.

District Clerk J. C. Orgain notified the Sheriff’s Department when he noticed the blanket strips from the window of his third-floor office.

Valenzuela was under guard at City-County Hospital Tuesday night pending an operation on his ankle.

No other prisoner attempted to escape, Hicks said, but the building was surrounded by sheriff’s deputies after the first alarm.