Tales from the Morgue

1904: Happy Hooligan Samuel Baker

July 10, 1904

Well known to police, is fired at by woman

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She alleges that when she saw him he was in the act of carrying off a pair of shoes belonging to one of her roomers.

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Early yesterday morning, while passing along the hall in the upper part of the Welcome saloon, Samuel Baker was twice fired upon and later struck several time be the clubbed pistol in the hands of Mrs. Harris, the proprietor.

Mrs. Harris claiming that Baker was trying to burglarize her house and that he even had a pair of shoes belonging to a roomer in his hand when she shot at him. Baker was immediately arrested and landed in the city jail charged with attempted burglary. His case did not come up in the recorder’s court, however as Mrs. Harris appeared before Judge Marshall shortly before 5 o’clock and swore out a complaint against him on the same charge. His examining trial will be held Monday.

1891: A Railroad Center

April 1, 1891

And “The Liveliest Town in Texas” – A Visitor’s View of Us

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A staff correspondent of the San Francisco Chronicle, writing to that paper from this city, has this to say of El Paso:

With the following morning comes El Paso, the terminus of the Pacific system of the Southern Pacific railroad, as well as several other lines leading through all sections of the great southwest, making El Paso a railroad center and decidedly the liveliest town in Texas. There is a day to spend here, the trains for Mexico not leaving till 6 p.m., and it may be a valuable one. The great American boomer has been here, and although the winds at some seasons do not leave much real estate permanently located, yet titles have nearly all passed out of their original Mexican or Texan hand and very substantial improvements have been made in the way of public buildings and commercial blocks. There still remains a large contingent of Mexican population, and the “panaderia” and the “French bakery” flourish side by side.

Horse cars – no, street cars – connect El Paso with the Mexican town on the opposite side of the Rio Grande, formerly called El Paso del Norte, but to avoid confusion the name of the Mexican town has been changed to Juarez City. Passengers enter the cars at El Paso and are trundled along by mule power along the Rio Grande over the bridge without any aid or interference from a conductor, but as the car reaches the Mexican side it is boarded by a brigand in appearance, and there is an involuntary movement anticipating the cry of “Hands up!” But notwithstanding his grizzled visage, the huge sombrero, his rich lined cloak and exposed revolver, this person is not a brigand, he is only a collector after the 10 cents for your passage, and that accrued he leaves the car, which then pursued its way to Juarez without further attention.

1902: With A Smile Of Confidence

April 15, 1902

El Paso’s Candidate For Congress Confident He Will Win At the Finish

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46 INSTRUCTED VOTES

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Mr. Dean Says the Outlook Is, That He Will Go Into the Convention With “Large Sufficiency”

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El Paso’s candidate for congress arrived in the city Sunday night and will remain a few days with his family before renewing his canvass of the Jumbo district.

Mr. Dean is all smiles, as he confidently believes that he has the political plum, for which he is seeking, grabbed.

Regarding the present outlook, yesterday afternoon Mr. Dean said to a Times reporter:

“This is sure enough a jumbo district, and I have made no effort to canvass counties where I felt absolutely certain would go to one of the other candidates.

“However, in all counties where I considered there was a fighting show I have made as thorough a canvass as circumstances would permit.

Favorable Outlook

“The outlook now is that I will go into the convention with forty-six instructed votes, two more than necessary to nominate. I did not have my name placed on the ticket in Eastland county at all for the reason that there were a peculiar factional fight on in that county, which would engender great bitterness and the effect of securing the vote of that county neutralized by the votes of the adjoining counties which would be largly affected thereby.

“As the matter now stands, with the counties still in doubt between Smith and Maxwell, I am on good terms with all parties.

“The bulk of the vote of the district will be held later. A large number of the counties will not hold their conventions until June. Some of the counties south of the T. & P. hold their conventions in May.

“I have not seen Mr. Maxwell, and do not know whether he proposes to continue the contest or not, except as to Eastland county, where the primaries were held on April 5. The executive committee April 12, and I understand relegated the question at issue between Smith and Maxwell to the county convention, which is to meet at a future day to be named by the executive committee, from the decision of which either party may carry the matter to the congressional convention. Smith people claim the county by a majority of thirty votes and Maxwell by a majority of fifty. What merit there may be in the contention of either I do not know.”

After remaining a few days in the city Mr. Dean will leave for a further canvass of the counties along the T. & P.

1903: New Library Building

May 16, 1903

PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE PRESENT SITE

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Librarian Read Gives Reasons Why He Does Not Think That the Suggested Change Would Be Desirable or Practical

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A petition is being circulated asking the city council to fill up the excavation for the Carnegie free library building in Buckler square and to erect the structure on the lots which the city recently won in a lawsuit.

Albert C. Read, city librarian, was called upon by a Times man and asked for his views regarding the proposed change. Mr. Read has had an extensive experience in library matters and has devoted much time and study to ascertain what is requisite to make a free library a success. He regards the selection of a suitable site as of paramount importance and thinks that the library should be erected at the place chosen.

“The site was selected,” said Mr. Read, “with an eye to the future. The time is coming when El Paso will require a larger library building. With the city’s present rapid growth and bright prospects the fact can safely be assumed. The proposed structure according to present plans, can readily be enlarged when necessity requires. But this could not be done if the site was changed. Again, the present location is in an accessible place where persons who patronize the library will come. A short additional distance sometimes makes a very material difference, especially if you have a hill to climb. The persons who simply congregate at a library as a loafing place would still hang around while the patrons who drop in when going to and from their work for an hour’s reading would be kept away. The location decided upon is just conveniently situated as regards the street cars. It is far enough away to be separated from the noise of the passing traffic and still the cars are near enough to be used by those who want to go to the library.

“I do not know,” continued Mr. Read, “what it would cost to fill up the excavation and have the same amount of work done in a new location, but a rough estimate it would be at lest $2,000. It would seem that this money, or whatever the amount is, could be utilized to greater advantage in improving the lately acquired lots for park purposes. Under existing arrangements, the work already done on the site would not be lost, or would the building to be constructed become practically useless for library purposes when El Paso requires a larger structure.”

1909: Discuss Opening Magoffin Avenue

July 29, 1909

Council Must Secure Right of Way for Connection With County Road

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MAYOR A BUSY MAN

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There is nothing out of the ordinary booked for the city council to consider this morning unless it might possibly be the matter of opening up Magoffin avenue through to the county road.

City Needs Right of Way

It will be necessary for the city to secure by purchase or by condemnation proceedings right of way through several blocks in East El Paso in order to open the street.

The county commissioners court cannot prepare plans and specifications for the paving of the street east from Cotton avenue to a point on the county road east of The Half Way Inn, until the city provides right of way and gives the county the survey and the grade.

Park Proposition Up

It is also probable that the big park proposition will be brought up by the mayor.

When Mayor Sweeney reached his office in the city hall yesterday at 8:30 he locked himself in with his stenographer and refused to see anyone until he got through with his accumulation of mail.

Friends Extend Congratulations

At 11 o’clock his friends began dropping in to offer their congratulations and there was a continuous stream of callers until noon. R.F. Burgess, Park Pitman, C.E. Kelly, Alderman Blumenthal, Alderman Clayton, Abe Silverberg and a Times man were among the first to call and the mayor remarked on the fact that all of his married friends were greeting him while the old bachelors wee keeping out of sight.

1941: Lions Club Revolt Threatens Over Jaycee Bowling Match

June 20, 1941

rouble was brewing Thursday among the Lions Club bowlers from which a team is to be selected to take on the Junior Chamber of Commerce pinbusters in a series of three games to be played on the Five Points Bowling Lanes Tuesday night for benefit of The Times Baby milk Fund.

Some members of the Lions Club were up in open revolt against Louis Ivey, bowling team manager, and insisted that he be fired and that Henry Burton be made manager.

“Ivey brags too much, and we’re in this thing to bowl, not brag,” Leon Strelitz said. “From what some of us hear that team which the Jaycees plan to pitch in against us is not made up of a bunch of Minnie Mouses. Ivey – Poison Ivey, that guy. We doubt if he can lift a 16-pound ball for a foul.”

In the Jaycees camp, Bernard Fischbein, manager, announced his tentative lineup for his second team. He refuses to reveal who will swing balls for the first team, other than to say that Goober Wright, average 140, will be one of his best shovers. There are others on the first team, Mr. Fischbein said, who have a much better score, but Mr. Wright has promised some of his trick blowing for the occasion.

There also was some dissension reported in the Jaycee camp. Alderman Brooks Travis, Jaycee president, and one of the city’s most eligible bachelors, wants to bowl on the first team. Jaycee bowling mangers insist they won’t let Mr. Travis even come in the front door, or even put him on as an alternate on their third string. Mr. Travis was reported as pouting like a child when he heard that his name wouldn’t be on the Jaycee bowling list. “We want bowlers not bachelors,” a Jaycee remarked.

The Optimist Club, aroused because it hadn’t been consulted in the preliminaries for the Jaycee-Lions skirmish, issued a challenge, through L.V. Jones, for a team from his club to take on the winner of next Tuesday night’s matches, proceeds of which also would go to The Times baby Milk Fund.

The Jaycee lineup for their second team: Harry Walker, 121; Grady Waldon, 129; Bill Himel, 138; Bernard Fischbein, 183; H. Stallman, 140; alternate, R. Shaw, Ovie Franik and Chuck Roberts.

Second team lineup of the Lions was announced as follows: Ted Cottie, 128; Guy Frazer, 131; Jules Carline, 126; Rev. Malcolm Twiss, 118; Leon Strelitz, 105; John Hall, 119.

Managers of both teams said they were withholding names of their first team players. Each manager accused the other of attempting to import professionals, and several star bowlers from Chihuahua City Lions Club are said to have offered their talent to the local Lions in the belief that the El Paso Lions aren’t strong enough to pit their skill against the Jaycees.

In any event, the babies who benefit from the game can’t lose. Admission to the contest is free.

1945: Civil Service Commission Drops Police Inquiry

January 9, 1945

By JOHN B. HUDSON

The Civil Service Commission of the City of El Paso decided Monday night that it was without legal authority to conduct an investigation into complaints “of misconduct and of inefficiency” of the police department unless specific charges made under oath are first filed by a reputable citizen.

This decision, by unanimous vote, was taken after receipt of a formal opinion filed with the commission by James F. Hulse who had been employed by the commission to investigate complaints of brutality made by the El Paso Herald-Post.

Mayor J.E. Anderson said Monday night that the commission’s decision will be placed before the city council members at a meeting to be held Tuesday. There were strong indications Monday night, however, that the question of a police department investigation was a dead issue in the current movement.

Chairman Joseph L. Dunigan of the civil service commission announced that the proposed commission meeting called for next Wednesday night was being cancelled.

“We have no formal, sworn charges of misconduct or inefficiency before us for investigation,” said Chairman Dunigan.

Agitation for the investigation came to a head several weeks ago when the wife of a Marine sergeant was taken into custody by veteran Policewoman Callie Fairley in a downtown beer tavern when in company with her husband. The young wife was released soon after being carried to the police station.

The civil service commission also had originally intended inquiring into police activities at the South El Paso riot several months ago when a fatality occurred.

“We have no legal authority for holding the investigation,” said Chairman Dunigan. He was joined by Secretary Malcolm Johnson and Commissioners Sam Cohen, F.A. McCollom and W.T. Ponsford. Commissioner George McCann could not be reached for the hurried commission meeting held in the law offices of chairman Dunigan.

“Any citizen may file a sworn statement of any charge he wants investigated,” said Chairman Dunigan. “When and if any such charges are filed the commission is ready to hear them. But in view of the opinion by our attorney, acting as our counsel, in which he states that we do not have any such authority, we do not feel we have a legal basis upon which to hold an investigation.

“Therefore, unless such sworn charges are filed with us, there will be no investigation,” said Chairman Dunigan.

The commission had been formally requested by Mayor Anderson and the city council to conduct the inquiry. The commission at first agreed to begin hearings, and sought counsel to have charge of the investigation. Joseph Bennis was first approached for the task, but declined the appointment. Then, the commission retained Mr. Hulse.

Mr. Hulse in his opinion pointed out that the civil commission’s functions was to hear complaints against civil service employes, and to mete out disciplinary action, and also to hear appeals made from any disciplinary action taken.

Should the commission discover wrongdoings and recommend disciplinary action, Mr. Hulse wrote, then the employe charged with the wrongdoing has the legal right to appeal to the commission.

“Thus, on the appeal, the commission would be inquiring into whether its own findings in the investigation were true,” wrote Mr. Hulse.

Mr. Hulse declared in his opinion that he had reached the conclusion “that the purposed investigation and hearing would violate the constitutional requirement that a hearing which may result in disciplinary action against some one must be held in accordance with due process of law.”

The purpose of the investigation, he said, “is to inquire into charges of misconduct and of inefficiency in the police department.” The commission’s findings, based upon evidence adduced, would be incorporated in a report to the mayor and city council, in which report the commission would find either that the charges were true or false.

“If the charges should be found to be true, disciplinary action against those responsible or guilty is to be taken by the mayor or by the chief of police,” reads the opinion of Mr. Hulse. The person disciplined has the right of appeal to the commission.

“The hearing on appeal could not be a fair and impartial hearing,” decided Mr. Hulse, “as it would be merely a reconsideration of questions of fact therefore decided by the commission in connection with this investigation.”

Mr. Hulse said the inquiry would have been made pursuant to the provisions of Article 1, section 6 (f) of the Civil Service Amendment. “The language of this section refers only to the function of the various operations of civil service provided for in the civil service amendment,” wrote Mr. Hulse.

Should this section be interpreted as authorizing the investigation, Mr. Hulse said, and a report made finding the accused person guilty, it “would be void, as contrary to the right to due process of law.”

1949: Army Drink At El Paso Protested

March 13, 1949

By SARAH McCLENDON
Times Washington Bureau

Washington – Protest from El Paso and Greenville about drinking on Army posts have prompted Sen. Tom Connally of Texas to request the War department for an explanation.

This is the second such protest received recently about Fort Bliss. Biggs Air Base, El Paso, also is mentioned in the complaint.

A preliminary report on El Paso post situation has been sent to Connally already but another and final report now is being prepared for him, the Army replied.

From Greenville came a protest from Methodist young people of Wesley Methodist Church. They did not specify which post, but complained in general “about drinking on Army posts.”

The latest protest involving El Paso area came from the Rev. B.F. Bennett of Immanuel Baptist Church. Previously the complaint of a resident there was partially retracted, Connally’s office said, in a report to Dr. Herschel Ford, president of El Paso Ministerial Alliance.

In its preliminary report, the Army denied that there was excessive drinking at Fort Bliss and referred the Biggs matter to the Air Forces.

The Army said it was much better to permit drinking, done only in officers’ clubs and non-commissioned officers’ clubs, on the post where the amount and personnel could be controlled than to prohibit its use and thus encourage person to go across the border into Mexican night clubs to indulge.

The Army also replied that no hard liquor was served in post exchanges on Army posts but only beer, porter, and ale of 3.2 per cent alcoholic content.

1949: Directory Lists 67,432 Names

December 20, 1949

A total of 67,432 names of residents and business and professional concerns occupies 776 pages – between “A & A Grocery” and “Joseph Zijacz” – in the 1949 El Paso City directory, issued recently by the Hudspeth Directory Co.

The directory this year has 1129 pages. Besides the alphabetical list of names, the book contains a directory of householders, buyers’ guide and classified business directory. Six hundred and sixteen classifications are included in the business directory.

Estimate of El Paso’s population is given as 135,000, not including Fort Bliss, compared to 125,000 in the 1948 directory.

1958: EP Gunman Robs Driver, Gas Station

January 5, 1958

A bandit, armed with a .38 caliber pistol and masked with a silk stocking or scarf, early Saturday, robbed a cab driver of $8, stole his taxi, and then used the auto as a get-away car minutes later after robbing a service station of $38.

The Terminal Cab Co. driver, Bill Hazelton of the Angles Hotel, stopped a passing motorist after the “youngish medium-sized man” forced him out of the taxi far out on the Carlsbad Highway.

Hazelton got out at the Standard Service Station at Trowbridge and Montana Streets, as the bandit fled after having robbed the attendant, N.S. Bean, 25.

Both the cabbie and the attendant were unaware of each other’s robberies, but after hastily comparing notes, they called police at 4:30 a.m.

CALLS TWICE

Hazelton told police he was dispatched to pick up the bandit at Chelsea and Stephenson Streets. The cab company dispatcher told officers the man had called twice, each time asking for Hazelton.

The hold-up man said to the dispatcher his name was “James Keegly.” The cab driver said he did not know anyone by that name.

The bandit then drove at high speeds west on Montana, according to several milk truck drivers beginning their morning routes. The abandoned cab was found 10 minutes after the station robbery, abandoned at Chelsea and Stephenson, the same place Hazleton met him.

The cab was checked for fingerprints, and a half-dozen prowl cars combed the area searching for the bandit.

Both Hazelton and Bean said he appeared young, about 25 to 27. They said he was wearing a gray coat, brown hat and brown shoes. He weighed about 160 pounds and was about 5-feet-10, they said.