Forty years at El Paso, 1858-1898; recollections of war, politics, adventure, events, narratives, sketches, etc., by W. W. Mills. Page: 139 of 163

                                
THE CARDIS-HOWARD FEUD-THE MOB AT
SAN ELEZARIO, I877.
In 1877 but before the coming of the first railroad to
El Paso and when the population had increased but
little beyond what it was in the "sixties," there arose a
bitter feud between two remarkable men, Lewis Cardis
and Charles H. Howard, which resulted in the killing
of both leaders and many other tragedies and agitated
the people of the valley as nothing else ever did before
or since.
Out of this local trouble evil-minded persons sought
to manufacture excitement in Texas and throughout
the country about a "war of races," "organized invasion
from Mexico," and to involve the two countries in war.
Cardis was an Italian who had served as an officer in
Garibaldi's army in his youth, and had resided for several
years at El Paso as a merchant and contractor, and
knew the Spanish language and the Mexican character
perfectly. He had been my lieutenant in political affairs
during the sixties and early in the seventies
he had, with my consent, succeeded me as the friend,
adviser and leader of the Mexican people of the valley
but was not so successful with the Americans.
Howard had come later from Texas. He was a
lawyer and had served in the Confederate army. He
was a man of imposing appearance, powerful physique
and wonderful determination and courage, or rather
recklessness. A friend of mine recently told me that
the first time he saw Howard, although he knew nothing
about him, he feared him. Howard's chief charac142