Roll of Honor
Incident
The El Paso Salt War began in the late 1860s as a political struggle between one faction desiring to acquire title to the salt deposits at the foot of Guadalupe Peak, 100 miles east of El Paso, and another faction wanting the salt flats to be remain open to the public. Feeling between the two factions broke into open warfare in 1870. In 1872, Charles Howard tried to claim ownership of the salt flats. This act outraged local citizens who seized Howard and released him on bond if he left the state.
On October 10, 1877, Howard returned and killed a rival political leader. On November 11, 1877, Lt. John B. Tays took command of newly organized Company C of the state ranger forces. Howard was arraigned for the murder and admitted to bail. He was being guarded at some abode houses the rangers were using as quarters in San Elizario. A mob gathered and a detachment of U.S. troops soon arrived, but were told by the mob to mind their own business, so the troops returned to El Paso. The mob roped former El Paso County Sheriff Charles Ellis, who was a Howard associate, and dragged him through the streets, slashed him to death with knives, and mutilated his corpse.
On December 13, John Atkinson, an ex-El Paso police lieutenant and San Elizario businessman, managed to get through the mob and into the ranger quarters with a trunk containing about $11,000. Ranger Sergeant C. E. Mortimer was walking between the buildings when a single shot from a sniper passed through his body. Mortimer staggered a few steps; then crumpled up quietly in the middle of the road. Lt. Tays ran into the street and carried Mortimer inside. Mortimer died just before sundown. The rioters charged several times, but were beaten back.
On December 17, Lt. Tays met with the ring leaders who advised the rangers to surrender Howard or they would blow up the ranger quarters. Howard was not fooled by guarantees of his safety, and against Tays' advise, he agreed to surrender to save the rangers. Atkinson offered the mob the $11,000 to save Howard and Ranger Sergeant John E. McBride, who had been acting as Howard's agent in San Elizario prior to his enlistment. The ring leader agreed and swore to uphold his end of the agreement. Atkinson returned with a flag of truce to the ranger quarters and told the rangers Tays had ordered them to surrender. They agreed and it was only time in history that Texas Rangers had surrendered.
Lt. Tays was not aware of this, and when he saw the rangers file out unarmed, he was furious. The mob decided to execute Howard, Atkinson and McBride despite guarantees not harm them. Each man was executed by a firing squad and their bodies were stripped, mutilated and thrown in a well. The mob then wanted to kill the 20 or so rangers, but the ring leader regained control of the mob, and the rangers were released on December 18. Four days later, rangers, U.S. troops and a sheriff's posse descended on San Elizario, killing four or five men and wounding several others. The leaders of the mob and many of their followers fled to Mexico. Indictments were made out against some of them, but no one was ever arrested or brought to trial.
No personal information is known about either Mortimer or McBride.
On December 13, John Atkinson, an ex-El Paso police lieutenant and San Elizario businessman, managed to get through the mob and into the ranger quarters with a trunk containing about $11,000. Ranger Sergeant C. E. Mortimer was walking between the buildings when a single shot from a sniper passed through his body. Mortimer staggered a few steps; then crumpled up quietly in the middle of the road. Lt. Tays ran into the street and carried Mortimer inside. Mortimer died just before sundown. The rioters charged several times, but were beaten back.
Your heroism and service is honored today, the 132nd anniversary of your death. Your memory lives and you continue to inspire. Thank you for your service. My cherished son Larry Lasater was a fellow police officer murdered in the line of duty on April 24, 2005 while serving as a Pittsburg, CA police officer.
Phyllis Loya mother of fallen officer Larry Lasater December 13th, 2009
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Tributes
149 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Fourth Sergeant Mortimer served with the Texas Rangers.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Fourth Sergeant C. E. Mortimer is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Texas Rangers, 104 of 122 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. C. E. Mortimer's cause is highlighted.
How C. E. Mortimer Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. C. E. Mortimer is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. C. E. Mortimer was killed by rifle.
Others Who Wore This Badge
121 officers from Texas Rangers are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
