The New York herald., 1879-07-08
POOR TRIMBLE's FATE.
HOW the Honest Farmer Was
~ OVerhauled and Slain.
AN EXCITING ARREST.
Texan Rangers Capture the As
sassins Across the Border.
SCAFFOLD DECLARATIONS.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
SAN ANTONIO. July Z, 1879.
On the 9Th Of July. 1877, Robert Trimble, young
farmer. living in Benton City. Attascosa county.
started from home with load of corn which he in
tended to sell in San Antonio He also had with him
draft for $400 He reached San Antonio in safety,
lSposed OF his load Of corn and made numerous
purchases of family supplies. He left San An
tonic the 7th, at about noon. for his home,
some thirty miles distant. He seen in his
wagon in good health about four or five miles from
the city He did not arrive at his home and on the
day following the apprehensions of an accident or
foul play were increased by the return Of the two
mules which he had driven in his wagon. The
brother and several other relatives Of the
missing man came to San Antonio immedi-
ately. and learning that Robert Trimble had
left town stated. followed the road
until they came to place about nine miles from
San Antonio called Indian Creek, where two-horse
wagon had left the road. They followed this trail
mp the creek. and at point about two miles from
where the wagon track left the road they upon
thu body of the unfortunate man. Attached
to- one leg rope thirty feet long. by
which the body had been dragged for
some distance through the thorny musQuit brush
and other underground, evidences OF which were
plainly visible on the face and arms Of the victim.
been indicted by two broad. deep knife stabs in the
heart. The expression of the features was nat
ural About fifty yards from the spot where
the body was discovered found
bag Of -four. covered with blood. that
had evidently fallen from the wagon. and memo
rxhdum book belonging to the deceased Here. too,
the practsed eyes Of the traers discovered that the
mules had been turned loose, pair of horses sub
stituted by the murdercrs and the wagon driven by
. crcuitous route back to tho road where the trail
could no longer be followed.
TRAGIC ARREST.
The friends OF the murdered man and the officers
Of the law made every effort to discover the criminal
or criminals. kilograms were sent to all the posts
and stations Oh the Mexican frontier, for 1t
shrewdly surmised that the robbers and murderers
the 12th of July four days after the murder
mtted, asquad OF Captain Dolans rangers overhauled
. party OF Mexicans about throe miles from the
town Of Uralde which is about eighty-fve miles
from San Antonio. They going to Mexico
This party consisted OF an old Mexican. Jose Cor
doba and his wife; also their sons jose Cordoba Jr
aged twenty-six years. and younger son, FeLciano
aged about seventeen years These in the wagon
Behind the wagon. mounted on ponies, were two
moro young Mexicans, Pancho Salcedo and henrique
Dtaz. Upon examining the wagon 1t found to be
the vehicle of the murdered Trimble and on it were
found the supplies aud other articles he had pur-
chased in San Antonio. The vehicle . PEE
culiar one, and was readily identified 1t was
. Whitewater wagon. but this name had
been disfgured with tar. 1t had broken tongue
aud there spoke missing in one OF the wheels
dertook to guard them back to the town Uralde,
three miles distant. One ranger guarding the
>on tho two horseback Suddenly Jose Cor
doba drew forth Winchester rifle that had been
concesied In the wagon ana hred on the ranger
him in the back and knocking him from his HORSE
inaicting severe wound. springing from the
ranger and shot his horse dead under him.
The two Cordoba brothers. accompanied
custody Of the officers When next heard from thcy
were safe in Mexico. large reward was offered for
across the boundary after them. but although
closely pressed. they MANAGED to make good
their credit be 1t said. afforded the officers
from this side Of the river every possible
fortunately. resulted in the killing in Mexico OF
perfectly innocent Mexican who mistak in the
dark for Cordoba The arrest OF the two was
finally effected by Mr. Mariana Garcia. q resident Of
San Antonio, and q Mexican by birth. who was well
acquainted with the Cordobas. He was assisted by
hve or six other Mexcans. and received much as
sistance from the Mexican authorities. The two
Cordobas were taken by surprise before they could
offer any resistance in little town Santa Rosa
Mexico Several attempts were made by the friends
of the Cordobas to release them. but in vain. The
arrest took place on the LIST of January. 1878.
JOSE CORDOBA TRIED AND SENTENCED.
The prisoners were brought to san Antonio and
confined in the County jail. Owing to the law OF
Texas being favorable to granting continuances
in criminal cases. trial had until the Deccm
Dor term OF the District Court when Jose Cordoba.
to %
and its contents with the property OF Trimblo
were ,,,.y fully proved The ndn evidence w.s cir
that after few hours consultation q verdict of
murder IN the frst degree was brought in. The de-
fence. although conducted by able lawyers was very
feeble Several witnesses were put on the stand to
prove that the elder Cordoba had bought the wagon
from man who co ud not be found The elder Cordoba
stated the stand that he had the
goods in town. but Us he unable to produced any
evidence OF this beyond his own word it had no
Nein rfsfn txa1f hn az Ia fha
stoical calmness peculiar to Mexcans under such
circumstances. When the death sentence was sub
prisoner merely said 'jue,o.S the equivalent for
'all right" On being remanded to jail no
sn9 drnk and Of says "srd plenty u.tv es,
the ordinary jail food but his wishes In tins respect
were not complied with. In regard TO tho murder
he maintained an obstinate silence refusing to
veal the slightest of the dreadfu
1t IL generally believed that one OF the Mexicans.
pretending to be friendly, obtained permission to
ride In the wpgon until opportunity pre-.
sented itself to treacherousiy stab unfortunate
man to the heart. The younger brother. Feiiciano
Court, and was also found guilty of murder in the
rst degree. He has taken an appeal to the Appellate
Court, and months must elapse before q final de-
cision IL reached Hc was only few weeks over
seventeen years OF age when he assisted in the per-
petraton OF the crime. AID looks mere boy.
DENIAL FROM THE cuLPRIr.
From the time he sentenced Cordoba was
tractabe aud apparently resigned to his tate About
two weeks ago lie made number OF chalk marks on
tho wall OF his cell, representing the number or
days he had to live. and each day he rubbed out one
Of these marks. the last this morning. Yesterday
he repeated his request tor good dinner and some
wine. ana he regalcd to the extent OF his desire.
Having satisfied his longing Tor TODD he made this
statement:-
Jose Cordoba, knowing that the 7th day Of
july nave To die In OF the sentnce OF death
passed upon me by tho Dstrct Judge for the murder OF
Robert IrinbIe two ago, aud showing that have
70 give an account 60 God to whom give soul de-
.ar, that am not guilty of the st of Robert rrimbic
But aM resigned to die further declare Feican and
nv nephew Merque. know nothing about the bargain for
Ine wagon whicl bought from Antonio Garcia II they
arc conienined IL will be unjust aud so with full
knowledge while on the point OF death.
JOSE CORDOBA
Cordoba also made lengthy statement concern
Ing the manner In which lie into possession Of
Irmble's property. but nobody seems to believe one
word of It, When the Cordobas wero first arrested
thcy were eating sugar from sack saturated with
the blood OF Triinble local bard, u Mexican, has
attempted to iminortaze the murderer by poem