Jorge Alaniz led fight against Garza and other cattle rustlers

As mentioned in my previous blog, the bandit Alberto Garza was involved in cattle stealing and skinning in the Duval County area in 1873. The first week of April found Garza and his men at Rancho Piedras Pintas. W. L. Rogers told the Corpus Christi Gazette that Garza was “employed in killing and skinning cattle, stealing and robbing generally.”

On Sunday, April 3, Garza and his followers surrounded Piedras Pintas, placed guards on all of the roads leading to the ranch and entered the ranch with 17 men. Six members of a posse were in possession of one the houses and barricaded themselves as Garza and his men entered the enclave. Garza indicated to them that he intended to hold Eugene Glover and Maurice Levy responsible for any interference by law enforcement and would burn Piedras Pintas to the ground.

Cattlemen decided to take action against Garza and his band. On Monday morning, April 14, Jasper Clark, James Scott and others left Banquete for the settlement of Lagartoville, where a squad of men from San Diego owing allegiance to Justice of the Peace James O. Luby was to join them. Luby’s volunteers, however, did not show. After a delay of 12 hours at Lagartoville, the party increased to 11 men and started for San Diego where another vigilante from Oakville joined them.

Judge Luby provided the posse with warrants for the arrest, dead or alive, of Garza and his men. Luby also provided the men with badges, after which the posse set out for the rancho of Jorge Alaniz, 30 miles west of San Diego. At the Alaniz ranch, the party got the services of a guide who took them “to the corral of Los Americanos,” some 25 miles away.

At the camp, Clark’s group camped for the night. The following morning they sent out a scout to reconnoiter. Upon his return, the scout said he had found a day-old camp with 80 carcasses of cattle killed and skinned with the hides left lying by the dead animals. The posse moved to find the camp and after traveling five to six miles, they engaged in a firefight with rustlers and captured seven horses, saddles, and bridles—including Garza’s mount. Neither side experienced fatalities.

Garza was not easily scared. After the encounter with Scott and his men, Garza’s gang returned to Piedras Pintas offering 200 hides for sale. Garza and his men had acquired new horses and arms. They had six-shooters, rifles and plenty of ammunition. Garza gave notice to Piedras Pintas residents that he had sent for reinforcements from the across the border and intended to burn Alaniz’s rancho for aiding the gringos.

Alaniz, a Mexican by birth and education, lived near where Garza was engaged in law breaking. Alaniz, reported a reader of the Gazette, opposed “brigandage and thievery and is always ready to serve as guide or director or in any capacity to rid the county of these thieves.” Alaniz was prepared to take on anyone, anywhere to stem cattle thieves or others engaged in breaking the law. He was the main source of information about the comings and goings of the bandit Garza.

Alaniz also served as constable under Judge Luby, who was more than willing to prosecute those engaged in skinning cattle. The judge, however, would not convict someone unless witnesses were willing to come forward. Luby released two alleged bandits brought in by Clark’s posse, since no one would testify against them.

On May 23, Nueces and Duval county pioneers met to come up with a plan of action to address the problem Garza and his type presented to the growing area. The meeting picked Martin S. Culver, James F. Scott and Alaniz to go to Austin and appeal to Governor Edmund J. Davis and the Legislature for protection. Others attending the meeting included T. H. Clarke, E. A. Glover, Rafael Saenz, Desidorio Salinas, Felipe Oliveira, Joe M. Valadez, Rafael Gutierrez, Leandro Bazan, Nicolas Ybañez, Mariano Garza, Marcial Hinojosa, Apolonio Hinojosa, Francisco Bazan, Ruben Curtis, N. J. Nickerson, and Tomas Lerma. Juan Gonzales, Jose M. Vela, H. B. Glover, William A. Tinney, Calixto Tovar, F. G. Flores, William Hubbard, Maximo Salinas, M. Villarreal, Juan Saenz, J. E. Singleton, Frank Byler, W. W. Wright, Casimiro Alaniz, Antonio Mirelez, E. Garcia Perez and Santos Flores were also at the meeting.

Soon the excitement caused by Garza subsided and the area continued on its march of progress.

OMMENTSON "JORGE ALANIZ LED FIGHT AGAINST GARZA AND OTHER CATTLE RUSTLERS" Clementina Pederson | December 7, 2015 at 5:08 pm | Reply (Edit) Thank you for the interesting article. Deciderio Salinas is my gr gr grandfather, and the Bazan brothers are gr gr. uncles. Deciderio married Alejandra Bazan, sister to Francisco and Leandro Bazan. You keep our history alive!! alfredo@mcmbooks.com | December 7, 2015 at 8:50 pm | Reply (Edit) Thank you. I’m happy you have been able to connect to the stories in such a personal way. Alfredo E. Cardenas | November 30, 2013 at 5:47 pm | Reply (Edit) Thank you for providing this additional info on Alaniz along with the citations. Alaniz was indeed and interesting player in the development of the county during its frontier days. Several readers have expressed and interest in him. Thanks again, Anonymous | November 30, 2013 at 5:43 pm | Reply (Edit) I would like to thank you for the article on Nov 7, 2013 about Jorge Alanis, he was my GG uncle, he served in the Confederate Army during the Civil war (1861-1865) under Captain Ware stationed at Galveston TX. Ref. U.S. Civil war National Archives. Ref: Oil, Mud and Guts publish 1973 Pan American University, Edinburg TX Jorge Alanis Pg. 33, 56. Ref. La Salle Co. Genealogy History Of La Salle McMullen Counties, Any more info or pictures of Jorge Alanis, would be very helpful. Thanks, Roy Olveda. email: royaolveda1867@yahoo.com