March 3, 1975

RE: ALPINE, TEXAS/CAZARES

Feb 25, mission fired to Alpine, Texas with major target to provide
documentation usable by Legal and Info of the facts surrounding the alleged
birth of Gabriel Cazares there in Jan 31, 1920 and with purpose of completing a
standard B1 investigation there to provide documented facts of use.

Feb 26 missionaire visited the Brewster Co. Clerks office and obtained a
statement that there was no record of Cazares birth in the county. Civil and
criminal records were checked back 70 years--no record of
Cazares family. (p. 8,1)

Missionaire visited with the Mayor who was cooperative and suggested
contacting city counselman Herman Gonzales, Justice of the Peace Hallie
Stilwell and checking the catholic church for Baptismal records. Mayo said she
had checked with city council and no-one on it had heard of Cazares. (p8,2 &3)

Missionaire visited the local Catholic Church had baptismal records checked
1926-1976 no Cazares, statemtn obtained from priest to that evvect. (p.9,1)

The doctor who has benen lontest in the area (Dr. Hill) was checked. His records
only go back to 1938. (p. 9,2)

Mrs. Chavez the earliest practicing Midwive located had never heard of the
Cazares family. (p. 9,3)

Affidavits were obtained from three long-time residents County Commissioner

Robert Valaisa, Manuel Gonzales and Herman Gonzales. xxxxxxxxxx. (p. 10,
1&2) (p. 11, 1)

The manger of the Trans-Pecos abstract co, Mrs. Hopson checked records there
and found no records on Cazares at all (would cover birth records) (p. 10,3)

Herman Gonzales who gave an affadavit said he would try to get birth records
checked in Chihuahua through a friend of his and wuld send the [illegible] any
data obtained. He estimated it would take 15 days. (p. 10,9)

Justice of the Peace Stillwell was approached. She gave a story [illegible] that
she had been in Alpine since 19x10 and did not know the Cazares.

Affidavit was also obtained from long-time resident Robert La [illegible], who
did not know the Cazares. (p. 12,1)
The Chief of Police in Alpine examined the documentiation and suggested
alerting the state police on Cazares as they might want to track him down. (p.
12,2)

Chief of police felt documentation would be enough to nail Cazares and felt
Cazares was a crook. Suggested contact Texas and Fla state Police. This was
not done. (p. 13,1)

Border Patrol was visited. Had no records back that far. (p. 13,2)

Mayor wrote letter stating that the full city council had been checked and no
knowledge of Cazares. (p. 13,3)

Local library was checked, and arti le was found showing the birth of a baby boy
on Jan. 30, 1920 to J. O. Cazares. Boy to be named "Alpine Bill." (p. 13x,4)

[two lines illegible]

On recheck at the library the microfilm of the newspaper with the alpine article
was found to be somehow misplaced and not locatable. (p. 14,2) ([illegible]
with proper search of the librry it could be found with [illegible])

The graveyard was checked-no cazares graves were found. (p. 14,3)

Mayor did state that it was not unusual for people in the area not to have birth
certs especially if born at home. Less unusual not to have baptismal cert.
Affadavit or some sort of proof such as this would be required to confirm birth
to get birth cert. (p. 15)

Cazares would have a tough time doing this. (p. 16)

List of docs obtained: 2 showing no birth cert; one showing no baptism; one
showing no death; 6 from residents showing no knowledge of Cazares-- long
time residents; newspaper article on Alpine Bill birth Jan. 30, 1920; book
documenting population of alpine in period 1914-1927.

Love,

Mike