Tales from the Morgue

Newman, Texas, bar regulars watch city grow closer

April 4, 1990

By Daniel Perez
El Paso Times

Newman, Texas, is the town that never was.

The former stagecoach stop in the northeast corner of El Paso was designated as a townsite in 1922, but never attracted a population of its own.

It’s a place where people work and drink, but no one lives. The El Paso Electric Co.’s Newman power plant has about 45 employees, and the rest of Newman’s “residents” are the regulars of the town’s two bars: the Last Roundup Bar and Club 54.

“This is an out-of-the-way place where you can relax, play a game of pool. Police don’t bother you,” said Robert Kindrick, a Chaparral, N.M. resident who comes to Cub 54 several times a week.

However, civilization has begun to rear its municipal head in Newman, which is about 20 miles from Downtown El Paso. The state has paved a new road just north of Club 54 – and that angers some of the bar’s clients, including Doug Mills, a bar regular for almost 20 years.

Mills, 40, said people often use the discarded movie theater seats outside the north wall during the warm evenings to down a few beers and watch a few trains chug along.

“That was a time when ‘country’ meant something. Now it’s being threatened,” he said in reference to the paved Second Street, a frontage road that will connect U.S. 54 with Chaparral.

“I’ll throw up on the fist car (from the frontage road) I see drive up here,” Mills said.

The Texas Highway department completed the paving project recently, said Steve Coleman, an urban planner for the city of El Paso.

Club 54 co-owner Dick Selmon isn’t quite sure what effect the new road will have on his business or his property values, but he’s not upset about it.

“I have no idea what’s going to happen, so I’ll just sit back and see what comes,” he said.

When Newman was designated as a townsite, Coleman said, the initial intention was to keep it a separate town. The town wasn’t considered art of El Paso until it was annexed in October 1978.

Some of the last original buildings include the two bars, which were built in the 1940s when Newman was a railroad community. The town was named after rancher Henry L. Newman, who owned the area in the late 1800s.

One of the people who worked on the railroad track gangs in the 1940s was Northeast city Rep. Arves Jones Sr.

“There’s not as much there now as there was then. There used to be a post office there, but now they just have some rinky-dink bars,” he said.

Bartenders at both bars claim about 30 to 50 regular who visit the bars at least once a week.

One of the semi-regulars at the Last Roundup is Don Haskins, head basketball coach at the University of Texas at El Paso.

“He gets a low-neck Bud,” said Ruth Higgens, who said the bar has a family atmosphere.

Nobody bothers me here. Besides, (coming here) is better than sitting at home watching television,” she said.

Other than Haskins, the bar’s main claims to fame are brief appearances in “Bad News Bears” (1976) and a Clint Eastwood film.

“I don’t remember which one,” said Sue Waldroup, owner of the Last Roundup Bar.

The bars don’t get a lot of business from the employees of the Newman Power Plant because the plant is somewhat isolated from the community, said Carlos Samaniego, a plant shift supervisor.

“There are not a lot of close ties (between us),” he said.

Samaniego chuckled when he was asked if the two bars along U.S. 54 where the back of the community.

TWO MEN SHOT BY JIM DWYER

November 8, 1905

As the result of a quarrel over politics in which a stranger was brought to participate, J.R. Murdock, a brother-in-law of Alderman Joseph Grant, is at the latter’s home, 801 Wyoming street, with a bullet wound in his left thigh and James Dwyer, corporation court clerk, is under arrest charged with assault to murder.

Charles White, a witness to the shooting, has a bullet wound in one of his feet, which was made by a stray shot from Dwyer’s gun.

The shooting occurred in the Coney Island saloon at about 12:15 o’clock last night and was witnessed by ten or twelve men.

Dwyer has a severe cut over his right eye, which he says was made by a pair of knucks or some weapon and he says he shot in self defense. Two policemen, Officers Scott and Mulhern, were with him when he entered the saloon a second time and did the shooting.

According to eye witnesses to the affair, the fight started after a discussion as to the campaign for sheriff, when it is alleged that Murdock, upon being introduced to Dwyer by Alderman Grant, refused to shake hands with him.

Alderman Grant, Henry Kelley, Tom Powers, Dwyer, Ralph Hunt and others were standing at the bar drinking when the affair started. Upon being introduced to Dwyer, Murdock is said to have withdrawn his hand, saying that he could not shake hands with such a man.

At this Dwyer took offense, it is said, an asked him (Murdock) if he had insulted him.

Murdock is said to have replied that he could not insult him, and upon being pressed for a reason said that because it was not in him to insult a man.

At this time Murdock, who is from New York, observed that Dwyer had a gun and asked him what he carried it for.

Dwyer replied by showing his star and said that he carried it for protection, and that no one but Mayor Davis could get him to give it up.

Dwyer Claims That Murdock struck First Blow

Murdock somewhat questioned this sentiment when Dwyer laid his overcoat on the bar and the men mixed. Who struck the first blow is not known, but Dwyer says he was hit first. Dwyer suddenly drew his gun but it was knocked from his hand by Ralph Hunt and the men fought across the floor in a fist fight, Murdock getting the better of it, it is said. Dwyer finally ran out of the front door and disappeared.

In about ten minutes he returned with Police Officers Mulhern and Scott accompanying him. As he entered the door he pointed out Murdock, saying, “There is the man who hit me.” Witnesses say that at the same time he drew a gun and said to Murdock “Now hit me.”

Murdock rushed at him, striking the revolver with his hand, and the first shot struck Charles White, a bystander, in the foot. As the revolver was raised for the second fire the bullet caught Murdock in the left thigh, plowing downward.

Dwyer was then placed under arrest by the two officers who accompanied him to the saloon, and he was taken to the police station.

When seen at the police station Dwyer made the following statement:

“I was in the Coney Island taking a few drinks with Tom Powers, Joe Grant, Henry Kelly and others, and the question came up as to the next sheriff’s race. I told Henry Kelly, the county treasurer, that anyway that Mayor Davis stood politically I would stand by his endorsement, regardless of Jenkins or Chief Hall, as he had been my friend. We had a few drinks and I retired to a toilet room for a few minutes.

“When I returned Grant called me and asked me how I stood. I told him I was with Davis. Then he said he wanted me to meet his friend, who wished to talk with me.

“This man, whom I did not know then said to me, ‘You are an enemy of Mr. Grant’s.’ Then he hit me. I reached for my gun, believing my life was in danger, but some one knowing I was an officer, had taken it from me. I believe there was a frame-up to murder me. Then the man assaulted me and I left the saloon.”

Dwyer says he then went to the Pullman saloon and telephoned the police and also went into the Parlor saloon and borrowed a gun.

When the police arrived he told them he had been assaulted, and took them to the Coney Island, saying he would point out the man.

“When I entered the Coney Island I pointed out the man to Scott,” said Dwyer, “and without any provocation this man made a desperate rush at me and hit me with knucks or some other weapon, and believing my life was in danger, I fired.”

Alderman Grant denied last night that they had been discussing politics and said that the trouble came up because Dwyer became offended at something Murdock said. He said that when Dwyer came in the saloon that last time he reached for his gun on entering the door.

Murdock is a brother-in-law of the Alderman, having married the latter’s sister, and with his wife he has been visiting at Grant’s home. He is said to be a solicitor for an Eastern railroad.

Dr. W.H. Anderson was called to attend Murdock in a back room of the saloon, but after failing to extract the bullet, he had him sent home. An operation will be performed to extract the bullet today. The injury is pronounced not serious. Although Murdock was the name of the man given by Alderman Grant, it was said at the saloon that his name was understood as either Joseph Murphy or Murrine.

Justice of the peace Marshall was awakened last night after the shooting, and upon complaint being made before him, fixed the bond at $1,000, which Dwyer furnished, and he was given his liberty.

Another Fortune in Spain

April 9, 1911

Mexican Machinist Notified of inheritance at Barcelona

Antonio Saurez Solis, a Mexican mechanist employed in this city, has fallen heir to the sum of $12,500, or at least a message has been received from Barcelona Spain, to that effect. The message did not come to Solis, but was received by Manuel E. Flores, who succeeded in locating the heir after a three weeks' search.

Solis left Barcelona, where he was born, many years ago and went to Mexico, where he resided until about six years ago, when he came to El Paso. He is said to be related to several wealthy families in Spain and presumes that one of his distant relatives has died, leaving him a small fortune.

This may be, however, a repetition of a hoax which was widely worked several years ago when hundreds of citizens of this country received letters telling them of large fortunes left them and that would be secured for them if they would send the attorneys' fees. Those who sent the fee required did not receive any response, and it is thought that the writer of the letters made a small fortune for himself at the expense of those he gulled.

David Wood indicted in desert deaths

Ramon Renteria reported today that David Leonard Wood , who was convicted of killing 6 six young women in 1992, has been scheduled to die at the state prison in Huntsville.

Convicted rapist now in state prison

By Gary Scharrer
El Paso Times

Convicted rapist David Leonard Wood was indicted Friday in he murders of six girls and women whose bodies were found almost three years ago in shallow graves scattered around the Northeast El Paso desert.

The desert bodies case had horrified El Pasoans and frustrated police since the first two bodies were found in September 1987, although officers considered Wood, 33, a prime suspect almost from the beginning.

Wood – serving a 50-year sentence in a state prison at Huntsville for a 1987 rape near where the six bodies were found – could face the death penalty if convicted. He was charged with capital murder in a six-count indictment returned by an El Paso County grand jury.

“Unless he gets the chair, I won’t be satisfied,” said Hope Frausto, whose daughter, Angelica Frausto, was among the desert bodies victims.

El Paso District Attorney Steve Simmons, who plans personally to prosecute Wood, would not discuss evidence. Nor would he characterize the strength of his case, except to say: “We don’t take any case to the grand jury unless we have the sufficient elements to prove the case.”

The grim discoveries in the desert began when El Paso Water Utilities workers stumbled across the first two bodies Sept. 4, 1987. The other graves were found during the next few months, as police and volunteers searched the area on foot and in helicopters.

Wood, who has maintained his innocence, filed a $20.5 million lawsuit against El Paso police this year, contending he had been harrassed by detectives investigating the desert bodies case.

Wood, was arrested Oct. 23, 1987, after police saw a pickup truck matching the description of one used by a man who had picked up a prostitute two months earlier and raped her in the same area of desert where the bodies had been found. It was that rape, which occurred before the first of the bodies was found, for which Wood was convicted in March 1978.

Police originally had considered Wood a possible suspect in the desert deaths because of a history of sex offenses, but they would not confirm that publicly. He had been paroled in January 1987 after serving seven years for raping a 19-year-old and a 13-year-old in 1980.

The years of waiting for the slayings to be solved have been agonizing for the victims’ families.

Marcia Wheatley’s 15 year old daughter, Desiree, disappeared June 2, 1987.

“This is what I’ve been working for, is to get the one responsible indicted,” she said. “This is step one. It has been 3 years, one month and 11 days.”

Desiree’s body was found in one of the desert graves Oct. 29. 1987.

Wheatley since has dedicated her life to keeping the investigation moving forward.

“I couldn’t say, ‘OK, she’s dead. That’s it.’ I had too make sure the one responsible wouldn’t be about to do it again to somebody else, and that’s what I’ve been fighting for,” Wheatley said.

“I never gave up hope. Hope was all that I had. It’s hard to give up the only thing that you have going for you.”

The indictment alleges that Wood used “the same scheme and course of conduct” to kill:

Ivy Susanna Williams, 23, May 30, 1987.

Desiree Wheatley, 15, June 2, 1987.

Karen Baker, 20, June 5, 1987.

Angelica Frausto, 17, Aug. 8, 1987.

Rosa Maria Casio, 24, Aug. 12, 2987.

Dawn Marie Smith, 14, Aug. 28. 1987.

The indictment lists a cause of death only for Williams. The grand jury alleged that Wood killed her by stabbing her “with a sharp instrument.”

In the five other cases, death was attributed to “some manner and by some means, instrument or weapon unknown …”

Tried to steal a kiss; In jail

April 9, 1911

Hilario Rand, who was before Judge Lea in police court yesterday charged with fighting, was given a fine of $25, in default of which he was placed in the city jail. According to the police, rand attempted to steal a kiss from a young Mexican girl on Stanton street yesterday, when the young lady suddenly knocked him in the head with a club. This did not end his troubles, as the employer of the girl appeared at this moment and administered a beating. The man was then arrested and fined in police court yesterday afternoon. On top of all his troubles, he was placed in a solitary cell last night by the officers who could not stand to have him pounding on the jail door every ten minutes.

Price's Dates Back To Turn Of Century

25 JUN 1950 -  Wesean's Norbeau's Waldo, a young bull from the Western Consumers' Guernsey Dairy Herd, has been purchased for $600 by Price's El Paso Dairy and is being held by Stanley Ridge, dairy manager.

June 11, 1974

Price’s Creameries, one of the oldest businesses located in the Five Points shopping district, was established in 1906, with the purchase of one crossbred Jersey-Durham cow by Mrs. Mary S. Price, whose sons delivered milk from a hand express wagon.

By 1918, Price’s Creameries had grown and operated with two horse-drawn delivery wagons and a Model T truck. The dairy had also increased in size to 90 milking cows, and a modern pasteurizing plant was built in 1921 at 620 N. Piedras.

Between 1929 and 1934, expansion for Price’s began with the purchase of the former El Paso Dairy at 7345 North Loop. Then in 1929 Price’s Dairy Company merged with Desert Gold Dairies, Inc., Velvet Ice Cream Co, and J. R. Butler Ice Cream Company to form Midwest Dairies, Inc. This corporation later became Price’s Creameries and subsequently a subsidiary of Creameries of America, Inc.

NEW PLANT – Shortly after the merger, a new plant for the creameries was built at 600 N. Piedras in the Five Points shopping area. All El Paso creameries operations, which were previously house in three plants, were now housed in one building.

When the creameries were completed in August 1933, several of the original tenants in the Five Points area had provided some professional service in the building of the new facility. Reynolds Electric Company installed all of the electrical fixtures in the building and El Paso Building Materials Company, Inc., supplied all of the brick, mortar, rolling steel doors, over head steel doors, cement, and cement coloring used in construction of the plant.

Price’s Creameries boasted the newest, most modern milk processing plant in the Southwest. An “amazing” stainless steel raw milk container and a new, completely automated milk bottle washing machine “almost as big as a printing press,” were among the “new” equipment installed at the creameries.

SERVED PUBLIC – Between 1933 to 1969, Price’s was unique in offering over-the-counter sales to the public at the Creameries. Here ice cream, milk and other dairy products could be bought at the creameries as well as from grocery stores. Another service exclusive at the creameries for many years was a “hostess” service for planning menus, providing recipes and serving meals was available for the asking to organizations and housewives.

In 1953 the creameries experienced another change. Price’s Creameries merged with Beatrice Foods Co. of Chicago. Then in 1969, under court order, Beatrice Foods sold their interest in Price’s Creameries to Coldwrap Foods, a subsidiary of Sea Containers, Inc.

In 1971, the Price family purchased full ownership and control from Coldwrap with Robert B. Price, Jr. as president of Price’s Producers, Inc. and Don Anderson vice president and general manager for the Creameries.

For 41 years, Price’s has remained in the Five Points area and the year 1973 again brought changes in the plant. The holding milk cooler was expanded and modernized. Prior to November, the cooler’s capacity was only 17,250 gallons of milk. When the new cooler was completed in April of this year the unit tripled the milk storage capacity by an additional 30,000 gallons, and a new conveyor loading system was installed.

The processing of milk was modernized with the installation of a new mill separator machine in the filling room. The milk separator skims the cream form the raw milk which is then standardized to the proper fat levels requirements for each type of milk processed at the creameries. Approximately 20,000 pounds of milk are processed in one hour, a little over tow and one half times the amount previously separated.

A new “shrink wrap” machine to facilitate the handling and packaging of ice cream and ice cream novelties has also been installed. The new process wraps six half-gallon cartons of ice cream or 12 boxes of six-pack ice cream novelties in a clear polyethylene film.

In order to insure Price’s customers of a continuous operation of milk processing, an underground diesel fuel tank was recently installed. Due to the shortage of natural gas last winter, an alternate method for operating the creameries boilers used at the creameries have an additional burner that can be operated with diesel fuel.

Price’s products once found exclusively in El Paso, are available from El Paso to the Midland area of West Texas, throughout New Mexico, Las Vegas, Nevada and California.

Price's photo gallery

Ascarate To Enforce Ordinance

May 12, 1948

Ascarate Township Tuesday decided that the ordinance against allowing livestock near residences will be enforced. A rehearing followied complaints from residents of San Juan.

The township also voted to buy a second fire truck, a war surplus pumping model, for $3500. The volunteer fire department goes into operation Wednesday and will be bolstered in the near future by the new equipment.

“We feel that the two trucks, plus the new fire plugs we are installing, will give us the fire protection needed to get a downward revision of fire insurance rates.” Mayor M. C. Tracy said. “We are going to ask for an early review of the local rates by the Texas Insurance Commission.”

A Border Butane Gas and Oil Co. plant will be erected on Mrs. Josephine Clardy Fox’s El Paso Drive property, if the Texas Railroad Commission approves. The council granted permission for the structure after permission was obtained from owners of adjoining land.

The council also approved asking the county to repair bridges on Second Street after Alderman W. A. Adams, Jr., reported that the bridges will not sustain fire trucks safely.

Gene Autry Visits EP To Inspect Site Of Airport Resort Hotel

February 22, 1973

Famed movie star Gene Autry, acclaimed by a generation of western movie fans, arrived in El Paso Wednesday to inspect the site of a proposed 250-room resort hotel at International Airport.

He was accompanied by Mrs. Autry, Clair Stout, his chief legal counsel, and Art Steel, vice president and general manager of Gene Autry Hotels.

On hand to greet the party on their arrival from Los Angeles, Calif., were Mayor Bert Williams, Airport Board Chairman William Squires Jr. and Airport Mgr. Walter Jones.

The proposed resort to be built by Autry will be located adjacent to a planned 27-hole municipal golf course immediately east of the airport terminal.

Autry, who has been a frequent visitor to El Paso in the past, expressed an interest in the layout of the course, that will include another nine-hole par three lighted course, with the 18th green adjacent to the resort complex.

His visit indicated final signing of a 30-year lease agreement may be imminent, contingent, Autry said, on a mutual agreement of plans for the resort hotel that will include a heated swimming pool, tennis courts, banquet facilities and other appurtenances of a first class establishment.

The lease has been under negotiation for the past several months, with City and airport officials traveling last month to Palm Springs, Calif., to iron out details.

Construction of the golf course, to be built with airport revenue at no cost to taxpayers, would start immediately after formal lease signing, officials indicated.

Autry, in good sprits despite an unseasonably chilly and cloudy day, said he had felt the tremors of an earthquake that shook the Los Angles area Wednesday morning but again fell asleep and later thought it was a dream until hearing radio reports.

“We sort of get used to them,” Autry, who lives in North Hollywood, said.

April 2, 1881: Around Town

Here is a list of happenings published in the first El Paso Times April 2, 1881.

Fare to Chihuahua $25.

Distance there 318 miles.

Population of that city nearly thirteen thousand.

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Five American families, more Germans and a few French, constitute the foreign population, with Ketelsen & Degetau doing at present the bulk of international banking and goods business.

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J.B. Sampael, the Texas Pacific contractor, has left for Mesilla.

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Wm. E. Ross, Cordova, Md., has strayed this far west from the lands of the Calverts.

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Those people who propose to keep up with the times will subscribe to the Times.

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English Kitchen, kept by Mrs. Maxwell. Meals at all hours. Head of San Antonio street.

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Wm A. Lessing, the district Attorney of this baliwick, was in the city this week on legal business.

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Mr. J. Grove, division engineer of the Texas Pacific was in town this week. He lives with Dougher when here.

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Mr. Charles Oates, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was registered this week at the Central. He didn’t sow any.

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W. Croucher, Esq, of San Antonio, is here and praises every body for its kindly hospitality in Dougher’s Central.

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Foul’s day was Thursday last, and yet Hal Wagner can’t convince the hotel people that the Mayor of Fort Worth was in quest of him.

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Mr. Earhart, at Manning’s place is a gentleman naturally without effort – just like his brother at Socorro, N.M. Good stock, both.

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Mrs. H.S. Scotten, of Kansas City, is among our late arrivals. She rejoins her sons here, and will make El Paso her future home.

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Those desiring something neat in the way of clothing should not fail to examine Joseph Schutz’s stock before purchasing elsewhere.

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Rev. Mr. Carter of the Methodist denomination preached a carefully prepared sermon to a crowded audience at Masonic Hall on Sunday evening last.

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In connection with his other business, Henry Raymond has a hotel, where the transient public can be accommodated at reasonable rates.

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Mrs. T.G.A. – No thank you. Spring poetry not received in payment of subscription at this office. It’s too difficult to make the exact change.

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No bailes now in the Old Town for the gratification of American Strangers. – Cause – (Quaresma) Lent – to the Lord and no other security.

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Dr. A. White, the famous druggist on the other side, is just in receipt of new drugs, and would be pleased to see those wishing anything in his line.

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Gen. G.M. Dodge says that at least 8,000 miles of new railroad track will be laid in the United States and Mexico within the next twelve months.

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Don Jesus Escobar, contacted with the Mexican embassy at Washington, is discharging his duties as Mexican consul here. Salary $100 per month.

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What agitates the business mind of our Mexican neighbors most now is, will the railroad cross the Medanos, (sand hills) or swing around by Guadalupe?

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Vendors of the ardent have returned to their old prices of twenty-five cents per drink. It most emphatically “takes money to buy whiskey” here.

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Hickey & Gist have just moved into their new building on Overland st. opposite new postoffice and are now prepared to do all kinds of blacksmithing and repairing.

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The Speigelbergs of Santa Fe, have their business eye on this city with a view of opening a wholesale house. Their representative has been sojourning here the week past.

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Mr. J.G. Woodward, wife and child, (the much admired Arthur,) of Boston, were obliged to remain over till next week’s stage, so crowded was the diligencia for Chihuahua.

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Dr. Alexander has orders to ship east all the wine he can make, upon the completion of the Santa Fe road to the river. There are fortunes numberless for the grape growers here.

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Messrs. Shields & Slocum of the Ojos Calientes ranche near Carrizal, Mexico, have contracted to sink the shaft in their mine forty feet deeper. They have refused a recent offer of sixty thousand dollars for it.

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Moody & Sankey are said to have just closed a successful revival in San Francisco. But we fail to observe the names of any of the bonanza kings or railroad pirates among their list of converts.

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Clinton Rice, Esq., of Washington, D.C., the big mine speculator, accompanied by his private secretary, hailing from the foreign state of New Jersey, left here a few days ago, to inspect this Mexican mineral purchase.

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Who will guard the guardians? is the prime consideration in selecting a suitable Marshal to police the city from the numerous applicants for that position. We want him sober and discreet as well as fearless.

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Capt. H.C. Logan, freight agent of the Southern Pacific, gave us a pleasant greeting, an ad, a prepaid subscription and lots of news concerning his road. We shall always “mourn for Logan” in wishing to find more like him.

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Messrs. L.T. White and A. Lairmore (the latter now en route from St. Louis) will shortly commence the manufacture of adobes on an extensive scale. Adobes “are in pressing demand already, and the building season scarcely begun yet.

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The Lone Star Salon, on El Paso street is one of the best placed in the city to procure first class accommodations for the dinnerman. John Doyle the proprietor caters to the wishes of his customers in a style unsurpassed by any other house in the city. See another column.

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Drummers for California houses are competing from store to store with Chicago and St. Louis agents. With rival markets to buy from, and rail roads obliged to soon begin a campaign of “cut rates,” one will shortly live as cheaply here as on the Atlantic sea board.

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See big ad of the St. Paul, Minn., PIONEER PRESS in another column. It is the ablest conducted paper in the north-west. Mr. Jos. Wheelock, its chief editor, has more square inches of newspaper judgment under his hat than any man we can now recall. It is instructive to read after him.

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The ribbon’s are within any boy’s grasp who desires to go bowling along behind a six-horse team to the end of the S.P. track. It leaves daily at 9 a.m. Seats can be secured by getting acquainted with the only Ross who never got lost – except Charlie. He is the best boy in the country and clerks for the Central Hotel.

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The relentless rivalry between Wells Fargo’s express company and the Adams express management has so reduced rates that their low charges on the line of the Santa Fe look like ordinary freight bills.

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The Health of El Paso was never better since the GLOBE RESTAURANT of Cummings & Co., began its appetizing course of meals. You are invited to inspect their kitchen. It is as clean s a government envelope.

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What “mischievous spirit or elfin prank” mismanages express matter en route her? Dick Hardy has had a package plainly addressed, two months on the road from Denver. He is not the only complainant.

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The money order business at the Post Office here has averaged during the past three months $4,000 per month. But the introduction of banks here will cut this down, to the grateful relief of our Post Mistress.

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Mr. S.P. Young of the Bank of El Paso and his assistants have received permission from the Comptroller of the Currency to organize The First National Bank of El Paso, which they will do at no late date.

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Reber & Co., have removed their business to the new store room on El Pas Street next to Palace Drug Store, where they will be glad to welcome their friends and former patrons. Their stock of Stationery Periodicals, Sodawater, Sarsaparilla etc., will be increased and their facilities for handling the same greatly added to. Call and see them.

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The S.P. Railway

Will soon be here, and then all things will be cheaper. Mr. R. Priest, the Pioneer Merchant Tailor, has taken time by the forelock however, and proposes to make the noblest suits in town at bed rock prices. See his advertisement in another column.

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Messrs. Harrell & Hart would respectfully invite the attention of the public to their new house, the “Bank Exchange.” They keep all known Mexican beverages, such as Agua-ardiente, Tequila, Whiskey and Wines. Also the best brands of Cigars.

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The erection of a Catholic church during the summer months is being canvassed by the members of that denomination here. Padre Ortez of the other side, though belonging to a Mexican diocese, will co-operate in a substantial manner to effect this end.

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Dr. Nicolls, our old time friend whom we have known for years as plain “Al.” Purchased on Wednesday last a fine lot on San Antonio street opposite the Custom house, on which he will immediately commence the construction of a handsome business house. The lot is sixty-two and a half feet deep.

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Dr. H. Dickenson, a distinguished chemist and mineralogist of Boston, in company with F.B. Cotton Esq., of the same city are stopping at the Central with a view to Mexican mining interests as well as Texas lands and city real estate. They have made friends so fast that it is hard to convince us they are not candidates for office already.

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Sgt James Gilletto arrested the second of the murderers of Editor Conklin of the SOCORRO SUN the early part of this week at Sarragossa and took his prisoner to Socorro. He will probably for better protection from sudden violence, be sent to join his partner in crime to Santa Fe.

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Travel to this city is something almost unprecedented. Coaches, lumbering wagons and the odds and ends of all sorts of vehicles, the very bric-a-brac of transportation are running almost hourly to the end of the track, bringing in crowds of new residents and visitors. And the rush proper has not begun yet.

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The new chief of the Lord’s navy here is the Rev. Richard Walsh, and no doubt under his guidance the Baptist church will thrive. Mr. W. is a gentleman of fine attainments, and brings his ordination papers from the college presided over by the distinguished Spurgeon of London. Water as an element of saving grace is something new here, and so far is not subject to any tax.

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We are always glad to note any evidence of energy and enterprise on the part of our citizens, and hence take pride in chronicling the fact that Mr. R.H. Brown, proprietor of the Senate Billiard Hall, who was one of the first to begin improvements in our midst, was the first man in town with a brick wall, shingle roof and brick sidewalk, His house is a model and we commend his spirit of energy an thrift to the public generally. With such men as these in our midst who says that El Paso will not be THE TOWN?

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There is unanimity of feeling which would carry the active support of every citizen here as well as of the American population on the other side, if necessary, in retaining Hon. Chas. Richardson as U.S. Consul there. His open handed hospitality, as well as his kind offices to every American who approaches him, have endeared Charlie to an army of unalterable friends. We but express the universal sentiment, that if any one is to hold a corner of the old flag over American interest across the river, Col. Richardson is the gentleman to do so.

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The EL PASO TIMES makes its initial bow with an issue of 5,000 copies. Outside of regular subscribers, the demand is caused by hundreds of letter of enquiry concerning El Paso and its prospects, and to which the TIMES is sent in response thereto, as well as by the desire of our citizens generally to shed light abroad through this facile medium concerning themselves and the city of whose adoption they are so proud. The personal gratification and business advantages which must result from the TIMES thus acting as master of ceremonies in so extensive an introduction to the outside word, are incalculable.

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N.B. Bear in mind, and paste this in your bonnet for future and correct reference that this is not Franklin, that we don’t live in Franklin and that Franklin so far from being the correct appellation of this city is as dead at the illustrious Benjamin F., he of the electric and printing press. This place is called El Paso officially and municipally. If on the Mexican side, one mile from us, they have an El Paso, that shows their prophetic foresight in adopting our name. Franklin, Texas is the name of a Post Office in Robertson county and as the crow flies is seven hundred miles from El Paso. Hence to reach the seat of trans continental empire build up your letter heads in glaring characters “El Paso,” and receive your returns accordingly.

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We congratulate Dr. Grady upon his recent appointment as Post surgeon at Fort Bliss. The Doctor comes out of the medical colleges of Philadelphia, Pa (a city so celebrated in this department) with blushing honors. His new appointment will not interfere with his city practice.

P.S. since writing the above we learn that Dr. Grady has resigned his position at the post, owing to the fat that his large and increasing city practice would not admit of his being absent from town.

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“My name is Joe Bowers,” etc., in an old song from the classic land of Pike, and we take this occasion to remark that it never was intended to commemorate our Joe Bauer, he of the brick fronts, butcher shops, sate lines water carts, adobe yards, and lodging tent. Mr. B. leaves for St. Louis today.

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It tried hard to rain this afternoon and – drizzled.

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At a called meeting of the City Council last Friday night, two petitions very generally signed, were presented, urging the appointment of Mr. Studemeier and Mr. True for the post of city marshall. The consideration of the matter was deferred till the next regular meeting. A petition was also read from many of our citizens on the subject o the acequia, and Juan Ochoa was appointed to solicit subscriptions from our townsmen to keep the acequia in constant running order.

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Don’t the reader observe that we have no space to waste in display heads.

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Frank Gates’ “trick horse,” from Ottawa, Kas., the subject of so much legal inquiry, would bring a handsome price in this land of mustangs.

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Mules and horses in urgent demand. There is the nest egg to a fortune for any stock man who will supply the market at once.

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The Methodists with their usual aggressive vigor in new missionary fields, will shortly begin the erection of a new church and parsonage, Rev. Mr. Carter, the paster, having just received satisfactory assurances from headquarters of this character.

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The opal cactus are blooming.

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Hugh O’Rorke is on watch as night clerk at the Central. Hugh has made hosts of friends here just as he did at the Fran Central Santa Fe.

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“Father Duchene, on the other side, found in his till an old Spanish real of 1744, with the legend circling it of Frederic V, king of Spain and the Indies.

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Jack Lawren, rises to remark that the multitudinous breeds of bugs famished and fierce, that infest the plazas of nights will learn from his “persuader” if the need be urgent.

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The Banco Luceno mines in Old Mexico will be the gold and silver country of the future. Prospectors can receive full particulars f the rout and their mineral richness at this office.

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“Boss” Shephard of Washington is said to be the model American gentlemen for hospitality in Old Mexico. He is one of the owners of the famous Battopilas silver mine over in Chihuahua.

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The agency of Wells, Fargo & Co., express has been established at the house of Wm. B. Hooper & Co., where Mr. J. Julian can always be found, to attend to the business of the company.

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We don’t like Sec. Blain’s mournful telegrams of nonsensical condolence over the death of that Czar who has now nearly one half million of his subject, untried and unconvinced judicially in Siberia.

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But we do like Blain’s snub of the British Council at Philadelphia, who asserted officially to a syndicate of which he seems a speculating members, that all American hogs now being exported are never diseased with trtohvua.

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Mr. Henry Lyons (“Dublin”) left a few weeks ago for San Francisco and we regret to state has been seriously ill though now recovering. Tucson will be his next abiding place. There are few in the wary turning “department so amiable, big hearted and intelligent as “Dublin.”

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Capt. G.W. Thomas, from San Francisco, and the bosom of his pleasant family, will return here in a few days. We advise him to pack his right arm in a sling before reaching here, as a warning to his innumerable friends not to shake it off in greeting him.

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Maj. N. Rand and his associated from Boston, in Company with J.A. Camerford leave on Monday to inspect the mines and mineral discoveries, what the latter gentleman in connection with Col. Marr has made it the Banco Lucero region of Old Mexico. They will be gone ten days. Dr. H. Dickinson will accompany them to make a successful report.

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Some official noodles on the Mexican side are short-sighted enough to sound the curfew bell at ten o’clock in the evening, and thus place an embargo on any one desirous of coming over here, till eight o’clock the next morning. A town thus kept in a state of siege, will always be a commercial laggard. This freak is more Moorish than anything else. Nevertheless let the stranger distinctly understand that between the hours above mentioned there is neither exit nor entrance to the old town.

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Ed. Copeland is making daily improvements around his saloon, next to this office. He calls it the Occidental. The cool, tasteful archways now being erected at the broad front portals will render this retreat, fashionable as it is inviting. Our Philadelphia friend Thompson (always spelled with a p.) can be banked on at any hour of the day or night to put his patrons in a seventh heaven of amiability.

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Titles to real-estate here are perfect and complete. All the old suits which from time marred the completion of titles have been compromised and satisfactorily arranged so that abstract to title now is as direct, straight and indefeasible as any son’s recollection or history of his mother. No one thinks of property here without a warranty deed.

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President T. Jeff. Coolidge of the Santa Fe road accompanied by a number of the directors thereof and a body guard of handsome ladies left their special Boston car yesterday and drove around both the new and old El Pasos. The faith of such far seeing gentlemen as these experience unstinted capital has made the future of our city secure. Verily they builder better than they knew.

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The stage to Chihuahua is so crowded that passengers are obliged to lie over nearly every week. We know our compadre Provencio is an enterprising Mexican, and we trust he will soon begin running a semi-weekly line to the neighboring capital. It will pay and accommodate the public at the same time. Give us another outfit of ten mules and a carrajo stick, and the traveling public will then be reasonably served.

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Joe Bassett a “typo” and an obliging one at that, is officiating as jailor.

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That quiet, pleasant, business gentleman, W.H. Mitchell sq., of Dallas, came here to stay, and will soon open up a large wholesale house. Of such men are large cities made.

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Mr. Isaac Haas is a new comer of ample capital and has no nonsense about him. He has studied our city’s advantages for months past, and has concluded to open out in Bauer’s corner room, opposite the Overland building, a mammoth grocery store. We reach out both hands to Mr. H. and unreservedly commend him to public favor.

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Don Henry Nordwald, the enterprising merchant of Chihuahua, has been stopping on our midst for the past two weeks, renewing old acquaintances and seeing to the shipment of a heavy invoice of goods from Europe. Mr. Norwald went to Chihuahua in 1866 as a clerk for the old house of Amburg, and per force of business zeal, fair dealing and unpretentious courtesy, has risen to be the head and sole owner of the business. He left with us an order for fifty copies of our first issue for inland Mexican circulation. He turned to Chihuahua by the diligencia of Friday last.

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Our friend Newman, he of the “31” that was, has certainly a most inventive brain or else his correspondent at this place is the wrong man in the wrong place. In his issue of March 26, the following paragraph appears under the head of “El Paso Notes:” “The Mexican Central will go around the sand hills and is now graded to Guadalupe, 28 miles,” This is certainly news. The engineering corps of the above road has located the route to about Guadalupe so we are informed by one of the party, but the first shovel o dirt, in the way of grading, has yet to be thrown. The work will however be commences at an early day and pushed vigorously forward to completion. The other end of the line from the City of Mexico to this place has a large force at work and is coming this way very rapidly. We are sorry it is not as stated in the SEMI-WEEKLY. When the grading does begin, our readers will be informed of the fact and kept posted as to its progress.

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The order from the war department forbidding the sale of intoxicating liquors at military posts has paralyzed the post trade. Hereafter the post traders won't have so much money - and the soldiers will have more.

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The legislature of Arkansas has officially declared that the name of their state rhymes in the following:

The prettiest gall I ever saw

Was on the banks of the Arkansow,

- instead of in the manner indicated in this:

I never saw as pretty a lass

As the gal I saw on the Arkansas.

Now what will the legislatures of Texas and Kansas say to this?

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Joseph Schutz is offering goods at reduced prices to make room for his summer stock which continues to arrive daily.

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Up another column will be found the advertisement of Mr. W.B. Foster, who has opened, in the city of Paso del Norte, Mexico, an elegant saloon, where all of his friends are respectfully invited to call and see him. Mr. Foster has spared no pains to make his house a model of elegance and comfort and we cheerfully recommend him to everyone.

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That clever and genial stalwart of integrity, Father Duchesne, of the Mexican side, seems to possess an unbounded popularity here under his old rag, judging by the number of his cabinet photographs one finds here in the various stores. In these he looks like contentment in handsome repose, or a candidate for office, running solely on his good looks.

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Newman’s Semi-Weekly, of the 26th inst says: “Myer, the little Dutchman who came so near running the Rio Grande Hotel, of Las Cruces, into the ground, got into Bauer to the extend of $100, and then skipped.” Bauer says that’s a mistake and that no Dutchman, either by the name of Myer or any one else got into him for a cent.

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The public will no doubt be glad to note the fact that we will soon have a furniture house in our city. Mr. A.O. Robbins’ card announces the fact and as Mr. R. has been in the business for a number of years he will be able to select a stock which for low prices and good goods are not to be excelled.

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Ex. Gov. Anthony of Kansas, during his recent trip to Chihuahua speaks unstingedly of his reception by Gov. Terrassas, the sate officials and business men of that capital.

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And now the serious question for the diplomatic bodies at Washington is, will this be a hard cider or a Roman punch administration?

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Mr. Dunham is doing a first-class business in the brick line. He has on hand some 40,000, and a kiln of 150,000 burning.

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Kahn has been secured to fill a responsible place in the Quarter Masters department at the Fort K, is a good boy.

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Our population was 963 two months ago, as reported to the Council. We can claim now, with the increase of the past six weeks, at least 1500 of a population. Most of these have souls, and some, if they were to slide down a slick cross, wouldn’t have public spirit enough to mortgage their shirt tail for a personal notice in a decent weekly. The men who don’t advertise will find that Mexican proximity is not lie a mildewy eve, blasting his wholesome brother.

1951: Chief Woolverton To Retire After 40 Years City Service

March 7, 1951

Police Chief Willard Cline Woolverton, retiring after 35 years in El Paso Police Department, Tuesday put aside his guns, cleared out his desk and left for a delayed fishing trip to the Gulf Coast.

He is ending over 40 years of service with the city.

The 65-year-old executive, who had held the police chief post since 1949, will retire officially on May 1, but, meanwhile, is taking accumulated sick leave and vacation time for a fishing trip.

“It’s a thrilling job,” is the way Woolverton describes his long service with the department, 20 years of which was spent as detective division chief.

The officer first joined the police department in 1916, when he drove the department’s only patrol wagon, an old Reo.

“Fort Bliss then had around 65,000 state militia and around 30,000 regular soldiers, and they were a tough problem for the local police department,” he said. “The militia didn’t have much respect for the regular soldiers and the regular soldiers didn’t have much respect for the militia. We really had a hard time on the 3 to 11 and graveyard shifts.”

“The old Black Maria served as an ambulance as well as a patrol wagon. All the policemen were mounted on horses then, and posted at four sub-stations.

“It took the mounted policemen so long to get anywhere, that we nearly always took the patrol wagon out on all calls,”Woolverton said.

Quelling an uprising of 70 hobos who appropriated a freight train was the job on which he had most fun, Woolverton remembers. The hobos took over the freight some distance from El Paso and were bringing it into town when they were met by 20 or 25 policemen and stopped by a road block.

“They scurried up over the hill by the Smelter and the battle began,” Woolverton said. “It took about two hours to get them all rounded up. There was a lot of shooting, but only one man was wounded.”

His most exciting job with the department was arresting a man, wanted for murder in Montana, in a downtown El Paso hotel.

The incident occurred in 1932, when Woolverton was with the detective division. The fugitive had been tracked through the co-operative efforts of Montana and El Paso peace officers, to a local hotel, which he had listed as his El Paso address.

Local officers kept an eye for several days on the hotel, Woolverton said. When the wanted man finally called the hotel to see if he had any mail, there was no one available to make the arrest besides Woolverton.

WENT ALONE

Unable to find any help, he went alone to the hotel and found the fugitive standing at the desk with a gun pointed at the clerk. Woolverton walked up behind him, grabbed his gun and said, “I’m an officer, here to arrest you for stealing a car.” The man was relieved at the lesser charge and let Woolverton take his gun and snap on the handcuffs.

Woolverton is a native of Anderson County, Texas, and was reared in Uvalde. He attended school in Del Rio, after taking a business course in San Angelo. He came to El Paso in 1907 to work for his brother, who ran a local grocery store.

He first started to work for the city in the Fire Department and served as captain of East El Paso Fire station. With the Police Department he was first driver of the patrol wagon, later serving as jailer and sergeant of police. In 1929 he became captain and was in charge of the detective division for nearly 20 years.

He resides with his wife at North Kansas Street. He has a daughter, Mrs. Pat Cogswell of El Paso and a son, Willard, Jr., who operates Woolverton’s farm in Hudspeth county.