The Hebbronville News (Hebbronville, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 8, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 26, 1927 Page: 1 of 4
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Cattle, Cotton, OH
Volume IT, Number t.
THE HEBBHONVILLE NEWS
Oranges, Grapes
Fruit, Grapes, Figs
B EBBRONVILLE, (JIM HOCG COUNTY, TEXAS. Wednesday, January 26, 1927.
SUBSCRIBE NOW.
Once Famous Home
(Brownsville Herald)
Had Generals Zachary Taylor,
Robert E. Lee, U. S. Grant and
numerous other notable!*, includ-
ing Porfirio Dias been alive and
present in Brownsville the past
week they would have witnessed
the destrucction of a certain build
ing with regret.
The old Cowen home, at which
they spent many pleasant occa-
sions before they became generals
and great leaders of men, is now
no more. It was the oldest brick
building in Brownsville until it
was torn down to make room
for a filling station and apart-
ment buildings.
Some of the men were here
during and immediately after the
Mexican war. General Zachary
Taylor, for one, made his head-
quarters at the Cowen home,
which, according to directions
in the modern city of Browns-
ville was located at the /corner of
Elizaberth and 14th streets.
The Cowen home was the ren-
dezvous for the young men
brought to this section by the
fortunes of war and destined t(
gain fame and influence in the
future. Mrs. Isabel Cowen, owner
of the residence until it was sold
to a petroleum company recen-
tly, is 89 years old, but hale and
hearty in spite of her age. Her
mind is clear, in fact, vivid, with
memories of those early day.
when hers was the only brick
house in town. It was a gay place
indeed, the gathering place of
young American officers, sur
geons and others who were to
become famous later in life and
to become inseparably linked
with the history of the nation.
One of the most brilliant fig-
ures at that time, of course
was that of General Taylor, who
made the house his headquarters-
for a while. He continued to be
a frequent visitor in the Cowen
home even after he changed his
headquarters.
Of course, Lee and Grant were
visitors to the home. Lee was
lieutenant colonel with a com-
mand at Fort Ringold and Grant
was a lieutenant of infantry.
Later they were to oppose each
other as leaders in the Civil War
But while they were ip Browns-
ville they availed themselves of
the Cowen hospitality, and like
Taylor, were frequent visitors at
the residence. n
All the gay visitors in the early
days were not American, how-
ever. There was Porfirio Diaz,
who cut a brilliant figure both in
Matamoros and on this side of
the river in the middle “70’s”,
lie moved about prominently in
social circles, inaugurating the
old Casin0 Union in Matamoros
before organizing his historic fili
bustering expedition into Mexico.
The opening of the Casino was
one of the grand occasions of the
time. It had been organized by
Louis Cowen, Sr., Rafael Solis,
San Roman, Pat Milmo and other
well known men of the day. Mil-
mo was an ancestor of the bank
ing family of that name in La-
redo and of the Milmos now
livSng in Monterrey. Ancestors
of Ferdinand Hurt and Lucian
LaCoste of San Antonio were
among the people that figured
in early Brownsville society.
One- of the men not remem-
bered well, but who also was
stationed here at one time, was
George B. Magruder, who later
became a general.
Some famous surgeons also
have been stationed here at va-
rious times. One we" Of. Gorgas
who later won fair •*** ♦he Pans
ma Canal Zone fi hting the
mosquito—ridding the country
of the insect whir’- prevented the
French from bul1 Mr*? the water-
way. George Torney was sta-
tioned here at one time, later
becoming chief surgeon of the
United States Armv and phy-
sician to President Grover Cleve
land. Surgeon General Weyman
also was stationed here at one
time. ip I H
Most of these are no longer
living, bnt one of the later resi-
dents of Brownsville who be-
came prominent was General
Judge Advocate Enoch Herbert
Crowder, retired.
Crowder first oame here at a
lieutenant of cavalry in 1881,
soon after leaving West Point.
He got much of his law train-
ing in the office of the laic
James B. Wells. So diligent
were his studies in the Browns-
was made major judge advocate.
He rose in the rank until he
became general judge advocate
and was sent on various special
missions abroad.
The Cowen home was familiar
to all of these men. It has seen
many men come and go in this
manner, but in spite of its great
age it was in splendid condition
when torn down. Most of the
lumber in it was of mahogany,
floated down Mexican rivers
into the Rio Grande and down
to Brownsville. The timber was
-.haped into lumber by hand
here and fashioned into the re-
sidence. It has been standing
once 1842, when George Kings-
bury, father of the late Martin
B. Kingsbury, former Browns-
ville citizen, who died recently
n New Orleans, laid the founda-
tion.
In 1844 the home passed into
he hands of Mrs. C. Maxan and
in the early “50 V it was pur-
•hased by Isabel Neale. The ro
mantic version of the story is
that it was given to her as a
wedding present when she mar-
■ied Mr. Cowen, but this is de-
tied by her son, Rafael Cowen.
The old home yielded maho-
gany lumber, pickets and* other
material which is being used
iow in rebuilding other struc-
'ures in the city. It seems in al-
nost as good condition as when
t was first put into the orig-
nal structure. A pocket knife
? eveals the mahogany grain
unldomeath tjie weather beaten
iurface, but it is sound, never-
heless.
(The Herald overlooked one
very famous character of the Old
Brownsville Days, who with Lee
and Grant, was also a young
lieutenant at the time—Jefferson
Davis, who saved the day for
Taylor at the Battle of Buena
Vista and in later years became
President of the Southern Con-
federacy. Just prior to the Mex-
ican War, L.eutenant Davis had
run away with and married the
daugther of General Taylor and
at the time Taylor was in Browns
ville he was not on friendly terms
with the young Lieutenant, whose
marriage to his daughter he
opposed. He received Lieutenant
Davis when he came to make
his reports to his commander
and Lieutenant Davis also at
tended many of the social func-
tions given at the the old Cowen
home, After the Mexican War
was over, General Taylor, wh(
appreciated the splendid work
of his son-in-law at Buena Vista,
made up with him while the army
was at Point Isabel awaiting em-
barking for New Orleans. Ar
eye-witness to the reconciliation
was a Mr. Humphreys, a Veteran
of the Mexican War who died in
Beeville a good many years ago
and who once related the incid-
ent to this writer. Mr Humphreys
said he was not close enough to
hear what passed between the
two officers, but that a comrade
who was near said General Tay-
lor walked up to Lieutenant Tay- j
lor and extending his hand re-
marked : “Lieutenant, give me
your hand. My daugther was a
better judge of a man than I was
of a soldier.” From that time
on and to the day of his death
General Taylor was very fond
of his son-in-law, who later be-
came Secretary of War and
later still President af the Con-
federacy. Gen. Enoeh Crowder,
who studied law under James B.
Wells, was admitted to the bar
at old Hidalgo by Judge John C.
Russell, who was holding district
court there at the time and the
event was followed by a big cele-
bration at night which General
Crowder always referred to with
great pleasure and pride. John
Closner, now a resident of
Brownsville, was sheriff at Hi-
dalgo at the time and took lend-
ing part in arranging the cele-
bration >-Editor Newa.)
BOLSHEVISM
Tribute to a Friend
Winter raina make summer
eropa. • •
The New York World rushes
to the defense of Calles, jumps
on Secretary Kellogg for stating
the facts regarding Bolshevism
in Mexico, and says “there is no
shred of evidence submitted to
show that President Calles subs-
cribed to the Bolshevik resolu-
tions or agreed with them.” It
may interest the World to h rn
that a few years ago Calles stu-
died Bolshevism for three years
with Lenine and Trotsky in New
York City. It is also known thut
for years he was the head of the
Third International in America,
and he may be that yet, for all
that we know. It is also known
that before Lenine’a death, ami
when Calles knew that he would
succeed Obregon as President,
that Calles visited Lenine ami
Trotsky in Russia and got the
“Latest” on Bolshevik govern-
ment. On his return to Mexico,
soon to become President, Calles
made known through his Red
lieutenant, Morones, what his
ultimate object would he when
iie assumed the reins of govern-
ment, And when he became Pre-
sident and began outlining his
policies those who were acquaint
with the situation were not sur-
prised, although many, especially
:he Catholics, had hoped that he
would at least modify his views
concerning religion. But they
toped in vain and it did not take
‘hem long to discover that in
.'rafting Bolshevism on Mexico
Calles, with the aid of Morones,
was going to greater extremes
■ven than did his fellow students,
Lenine and Trotsky, in Rod Rus-
ia. Mexico under Calles has a
soviet government in everything
>ut name, and it would bo so
proclaimed outright wore Calles
tot afraid the United States
would withdraw recognition
and that, he well knows, would
mean a sudden ending to his
reign. It is known to Americans
iving in Mexico, as well as to
he State Department at Wash-
ington, that Russia has sent
money and propagandists to Mex-
ico to be used in Bo’shcvising
Central American States, the
ultimate object being to make
if Mexico and the Central Aim r-
ean States a base for Bolshevists
'rom all parts af the World and
'o establish Red governments in
hese States, which could be
tothing more or less than a ine-
lace to the United States. Ami
vhile the proof may not be
ibsolutely at hand, vet it i*
believed and with just cause that
:n these Bolshevistic movements
lapan is and has been playing a
ilent but effective part. The
lussian Embassadress to M<*x c
vho was denied admitanco to th<*
'nitod States, was welcmi d
vith great acclaim in Mexio » and
today is shown far more honors
by the Calles Government than
‘s shown to the representative
'f any other fareign government
She has a retinue of I2f> active
workers and their chief work i*
preading Bolshevik propoganda.
These things are known to our
State Department, but with men
;n our Congress to defend Bol-
shevism and the menace' to the
noace of our country that are
forming in the Latin American
Countries to the south of us it is
to be hoped that the President
will not be deterred in liis duty
by the tirndes of the Borahs, the
Wheelers, the Heflins, the Hud-
dlestons and their kind. Since the
arrival in Mexico City of the
Russian Embafisadre-s, the CnPes
Administration has learned a few
moves that it never before at-
tempted. One of these is the print
ing in the Mexican language of
school hooks that are said to he
largely a reproduction of the
Bolshevist school books used in
the schools of Russia and send-
ing them to the United States for
the use of Mexican children in
this country. How manv of these
Bolshevist school books have been
brought into the United State*,
we do not known, but we do
know that one shipment, consist-
ing of 150 books, consigned to a
dealer in Georgetown. Texas,
was stopped in Laredo bv Cus-
toms House officers and Washing
ton notified. These hooks are
shrewdly edited, and their chief
import is to implant into the
minds of children the idea thutj “He was a man, take him for
the United States is their enemy jail in all, I shall not look upon
If the apologists in Congress for I nis like ngan.”—fetiakcspemv.
Calles and his Bolshevik Govern I A good man has gone to his
ment could know conditions as :ast reward and a community has
they really exist in Mexico, they1
would, perhaps, be lesi apt to
criticise the President for his ef-
fort to protect American life and
property in that country. Our
country, it is true, is strong ami
powerful in comparison with
Mexico, but if we continue to sit
idly by while Mexico is breed-
ing Bolshevists and daily gather-
ing strength and force from the
ranks of the discontented millions
of the Old World then we are
permitting the creation of a
menace at our very d* ors that
will eventually give us trouble
The Old World Nations, with the
possible exception of England
have no love for us in their hearts
and they openly encourage any
move the Latin countries may
make that will cause trouble to
the United States. World ag-
gression by our Morones Doe-
trine, yet the milk-and water
pulley our country has adopted
toward the countries of these
Latin Americans, aided by out-
bursts from certain Members of
Congress, has drawn upon us th1*
contempt of these people and
their hatred of us becomes mor
intense as the years pass by. We
do not want or expect any w r
with Mexico, nor will war he
necessary if our Government will
withdraw recognition from Mex-
ico and adopt a firm policy to-
ward that and the other La in
countries and demand of them
fair treatment of our Nationals.
The withdrawal of rccognit on
would soon drive (Vies and ;
Boshevistic crew out of Mexico,
and, with the riddance of that
vicious element, Mexico wodd!
soon right herself and the Unit-
ed States eou'd then assist in
restoring peace and bring'ng
order out chose.
silently into “that land from
whose bourne no traveler re-
turns." Dr. (,'udiimn was a man
whom to know was to love honor
ami esteem, and those who knew’
him best loved him nest T trough
the many years of Our acquain-
tance he ua» been my friend,
and even before we knew each
other personally we had corres-
ponded With each other for years
and when we met for the first
time it was not in mere acquain-
tance hut as friends. Dr. < ulluiuu
was not perfect, for that no
man can be, hut he was decidedly
human and humane as well. And
he was si nearly perfect that
even “his failings leaned to
virtue's side", and his faults in
comparison were so small that
you scarcely noted them. “Ilia
life was gentle; and the elements
WHITHER ARE WE DRIFTING <* mixed in lnm that Na me
could stand up and say to all tin*
i's head how i d in sincere sorrow
lie di«l not die from lingering
illuess, thus giving his loved ones
time for the coining blow, but
like a thunderbolt lrom a clear
sky death come to him without
warning and when he set tned in
the full enjoyment ot life. On
Thursday, •January 20, last In*
celebrated his (>2-nd hritiuluy and
received the eoiigriltututions ot
hi. family and of friends troni
far and near. The next morning,
about the hour of thre ■. without
hardly a strug.-U* the spiiit oi Dr
Michael Bat rick t ullimiu pa- ed
into the Land Beyond, pas ed
Tlic lion. Alejandro B. Uurtjio,
Consul General for 'I ex.is undo:'
tl * Calles Aummist a.ion, ni-
tended the iiitmgU’iatmn of (. iv-
einor Mo .dy and just prior
tie i
world, “THIS WAS A MAN.”
In paying this poor tribute t » my
old and (‘steamed friend. 1 am at
a loss for words to expre a all
that I feel. We wore hern in dif-
.• oral ecreirilinies was! Lunuit faiths, roll riously rnd po-
riRST WOMAN PRESIDENT.
For the first lime in tin* history
of the Corpus Christi Chamber o'
Commerce, says Corpus I'hrst
Caller n woman has been elected
to the presidency of the organiza
Lon. Mrs. Lorine Jones Spoonts
was chosen at a meeting of the
hoard of directors yesterday* af
ternoon. Sin* is probably the onD
one of her sex in Texas wh » holds
the highest office in a coniine: ei I
body. So far as is known, :-«ti i
Ralph Bradford last nivlit. Mrs
Spoon*s is the only woman pn*
sident of a Chamber of Commerce
in the United States. In th elec
♦ion e'f Mis. Spe.ontx, she ha
-hntfered the second precedent
within the la^t year. A year age
she was elected a member of the
board of directors, proving tha*
a woman could . erve in the di
rectory. At the* annual hauqin t
held recently she was re elected
a member of the hoard and at
the first annual meeting of tin
hoard of directors she was made
president. In ocknowled .ing the
honor thus conferred upon her
Mrs. Spoonts sail:
“I am touched by the confi-
dence reposed in me by the men
who constitute the hoard of de-
tectors, hut I am not inclined to
deceive invself as to the burden
of responsibility that has been
placed upon me Ijy their action.
An.v good citizen ought to !•<*
proud to he president of mr
splendid Chamber of Commerce:
nevertheless, it is n rfosit:on flint
gains added responsibilities pack
year, and it is only bonne* 1 f el
■keenly the dutv of public service
that I owe to this eit.v that T hnw
nccepteel this position.
“I believe that everv no on
who lives in er 'derives. Id 1 v
ing from a c< mmnnity m n
debt to the cnmrpnmtv wb;eh •• n
be paid only in public ser.d *<*.
Every such person h u’d gi*e
liis or her time anil money r
the general good. With t!i',,'"n >
port and counrlof n fin** Vce -T
of director* end with spleTtd’ 1
staff management of the organi-
zation assured 1 shall do mv
best to make 1927 a "rent y-ar in
the history of Corpus ChrLU and
and ia that of the Chamber of
Commerce.”
permitted to itddrt* tin* House
of Representative, hi lie* course
of his remarks. Hr. < r.rUo, with
great animation, said:
“The great pe*o, 1 * of the* Unit-
ed State s know and feel that True
i:- UselesH. At tills hi tor <• oeril
si m 1 bring tee Texas and tlie*
United S1.it s the cordiality,
g Kid will and fri *nd hip of my
<• .untry, my government and
my people.”
Why and how is it that the
\ (‘Mean ( insul Gen r d. w ho
represent^ Mexico through the
grace* of the Bolshevistic At'iui-
n;strntion of Blutarco Llias <'al-
les, the friend and follow *-1n-
d lit of Lenine and Trotsky ami
for years the head of the Third
Intermit i nnl in America—why
and how is it that li" is proe aim-
ing n an American city, to Amor
iiiiies, wh it the sentiment of the
United States is touching the
west ion of war?
Did he add that, niicIi being
m* ease, tin* < ’idles Governme nt
ntends to continue* to flout and
ncer at this country; to tike
liWny with impuinitj. certain
rf being undisturbed, if not
uphel 1, anything an American
may posses, ill Mexico which
tempts the* covetousness of the
Calles followers? How came this
representative of a government
hat is ns absolute in its Bol-
hevisin as Red Russia is in
litieally, hut this in no manner
whatever disturbed our friend-
si ip or over caused the* least
shadow to conic between us in
the many conversations we had
and enjoved. Dr. Culli ian was a
devout Co liolii* and to bin his
Chun li was. his Mother—that
te tulor. loving Mother in whom
lie found e.nmf <rt and consola-
tion wh* n<**■*•>* grief or so: row
oppressed. He stood for the* best
in life* and his work was always
for the betterment of mankind
and for the building up of tin*
community in which he live 1.
lUs home was his castle* and his
family the jewels that adorned
his hone*. Some there are* who
felt thut I s religious view's were
narrow,- but that was not the*
truth. H** was sincere in his eb*-
votion to his own Church, but
lr* was tf leraat of the* reiLlous
va-ws of others and accord <1 to
them the right to worship God
in their own way. In polities, he
was a Republican, and yet many
of his closest pers >nhI friends
ptofetsed a diffeicnt po’itical
f- ith. His acts of charity were
almost un imiteid, and if for his
every k ndly deed a rose were
placed upon li is y -ave, they
would make a monument so high
that it would touch the “pur-
pling clouds. ” There* w ere* old
men and old women from whose
eyes tears silently flowed as
e cas] e**
her’s—how canto In* t e be* in- gaz*-d upon th * <■. e*1 w lieii
‘erpreting American sentiment contained all that wa mor . I of
V> Americans in the* Capital of j this good man. A nd the ■ e-e t
i ie St at of Texas’ , concourse of people who cam* to
Dr lias ihe American news 11*11.' ^ i at the
•apers which publish** 1. with ,',,"r,*h »"d at the g ave bowed
corning pride, tin* recent inci-j osL-ein in ub <*li Dr. < nU i n
.■•lit at Austin received at last "aH h*dd by tlios" win
•ibver tion which this time* was
delayed? Whither are we drift-
ing, anyway?
THE BOOTLEGGERS ESCAPED
•lack Webb, Frank Sm th. Wi!
Cotulla, Tim Odetn Jo in B<*1'
Moore nnd Tom Brady of th
Customs Service, and Clin*. Wal
lace and DnnOillan of th* Ini
migration Service, trai'ed a hiinc'
of bootleggers a day and hall
but onlv Hticeeded in v.ipturi ig
two horses and J00 e inert bottle
of tequila. The h(W>tlepg<*rs mad*'
their escape, with U> hor es and
much of their liquor, and ma
raged to g t hack ncre*s^ the Iti
Grande. The bootleggers, sip
posed to number 8 or 10, wer
well mounted and tli eroughly
••eopainted with th • eonidry
which was covered with heavy
undergrowth. •
CATTLE LOOKING GOOD.
kne*w him
ill life. He* b ved his poiui rv t el
his patriotism was heart felt and
sincere. He was a Texan by ad p-
1 on. hll? lie loved lii.S ad pled
State with all the fe v r of his
generous nature. “He was mv
"rjenel. fa'thful and .just to me,”
tnd as such I mourn him and
shall always cherish his memory.
J. M.
T< tn Fast, who is spending
most of his time on his Sun Ai>-
‘oi’io Vie'n ranch just now wa*
in ‘own Monday and reported tin*
country looking fine out h s way
with cattle in good comb ion.‘The
Kr t Texas cattle moved »>n his
ranch s mie tltir* since, have »ni
proved so much he saya, th«
th ir former owners wouldti tj',rn,nt*
reeevnizc them as th>- NQH|c cat
tie Mr. KaD. who is a leael'n
cattlemen, thinks the market*
will be good thia spring for al-
most any kind of cattle.
WAS ARRESTED IN SEATTLE
Sheriff Bel Harbiaon may go
to Seattle to bring ba k J. \V.
Blower, who was indicted by 1 lie
lim Hogg Coupt.v grand jury for
fraud. Blower spent five or
six months in H 'bbronvillc l.i t
year und vioiimized several peo-
ple by ir ving them cheek- u
**anks in which he* never had an
account, his graft amounting
to seve*riil hundred dollars. B'o-
we*r, who had at one time been a
Mason. Went* a Masonic pin nnd
was a smooth talker. From here
he went to Dallas, where he v*o-
timized <>ther peop’e and later
•in went to El Ba-n ami Lrs t'rn-
ees N. M„ and from there ho
jumped to Seattle, but not until
the El Paso Masons got in behind
hiai nnd wen* close oa bis ‘rail.
At Seattle he was arretted for
I violating some Federal law end
j is being held th*re by the Go-
lf El Bas-i off:crrs do
not go after him. Sheriff llar-
hison will do ao and mav be
able to pei'Huuda the Federal
officers to let him bring Blower
back to T«xa* to be fjrat trietj*
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The Hebbronville News (Hebbronville, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 8, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 26, 1927, newspaper, January 26, 1927; Hebbronville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth979247/m1/1/: accessed July 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .