The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-11-02
THE SOTELDO CASE.
The Second Day of the Trial of the
Murderer.
A VIVID DESCRIPTION OF THE DEATH
OF SOTELDO.
The Soteldo Trial.

4A0 0OJ0lQO Ir1al.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.
In the Soteldo trial before the Criminal
Court. to-day, Frank B. Conger, treasurer of
the National Republican, told of the visit OF
the Soteldo brothers 10 Barton's Office ou the
night OF the tragedy. A. NJ. Sotedo, he sale, ,
presented Barton with a manuscript, which he
looked at casually, and then refused to accept ,
telling Soteldo TO give it to Mr.. Gorham. So
tedo then sprang upon Barton, and scnffi
ensued, in which a lamp was knocked over
Witness picked up the lamp, placed it on the
noor, and then started out of the door with it;
as ne passed through the door he saw A. @. So
teldo standing at one end Of the desk with a
bright revolver in his extended hand. He
passed rapidly through the outer room, hear
ing pistol shot as he did so, and ran down
stairs and called for policeman. Hearing
cries from above, witness started to return,
when Barton and the defendant came tum-
bling down stairs. On the sidewalk Barton
told witness he held ball in his head which
was covered with blood. He also said
ne was shot In the side, and was too weak TO
proceed. Witness started to return with Bar
ION to the Office, and met A. G. Soteldo at the
door. He was struggling with several printers
trying to escape. Barton had a pistol in his
right hand as he and Soteldo lay at the foot OF
tho stars. 1t was dark, rusty looking wea-
poR. On ncross-examiuatioD, witness SAID that
At no time did he see a weapon in the hauds OF
A. M. Soteldo. He could not see when he leil
the room, whether or not Barton or A. M So
teldo had weapon in their hands. He was
not posltiee as to the number Of shots fired
believed it was four
DIR. d. w Bliss described the nature of the
wounds of A, M. SotelIo and Mr.. Barton, and
Identified the pistol balls. VIM f. Dunn,
proof-reader for the Republican, gave some un-
important corroborauVe t.stim my. CHARLES
G. Cobger identified Barton's pistol
Clarence M. Barton, managing editor of the
National Republican, testified to the details Of
tue shooting. While sitting in the office with
Conger, Two gentlemen entered, Conger got
up and the elder Soteldo took his CHAIR ana
handed him paper. The witness read it aud
handed IL back, saying, 81 don't care for that"
Soteldo responded, You DON'T" with an oaIh)
aud shrinking witness powerful blow. "I
srapsed my pistol" said Barton, "and W
both clinched." He got his hand towards his
nip pocket aud forced me against the wall.
When | saw young man with drawn pistol
l placed my pistol agaist his stomach and en-
deavored 10 get it cOcked; in moment was
s'ruck IN the neck and the deceased fell limp
at my feet, when l jumped toward the younger
one with my pistol in my hand and eudeavor-
cd TO shoot, but my pistol would not go off
But his die, ,and the bail struck my susDender"
The prisoner aud the witness ciuched and
fought through the door to the reporterr room
TO the banlsters. When witness supposed .
older Soteldo was after him aud broke loose
hut clinched again and went down the Steps
lighting, through the business office to the
street where they were separated. When he
mad his pistol against Sotedo he intended Il,
shoot him, but this was after he , ad been shot
With the testimony of John Sargent who
identified the pistol, the government closed
the case. After the opening address for the
defeuce by Col. Chrlsty, III. ragsart was call
cd as the tirst witness His testimony related
70 the dying declarat OF SoGeldo at the hos
Dtal, which has already beed published. Hen
ry V. Boynton tesufed that A. NJ. Soteldo was
perfectly sober at six O'clock the night of the
tragedy. Adjourned.