Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1886-09-01
FsRRErINe OUT A FIREBUG
A Gsne bat successfuf Cbass At
ter the Mexican VINO burnea
the Yuma Bridge.

A lo ng but successHut c1u
ter the Mexican who harmed
the Yuma Bridge.
Detective F. +. Burke. Of the South
ern Pacific Railroad Company. returned
home q few days ago from attending the
trial Of Fusto Palacio, at San Diego. for
burning the Yuma bridge on October IL.
1885. Palacio was tried first on July 10.
1886. The jury were out all night and
could not agree. They stood eleven for
conviction and one for aequittal. On
July Ia, 1886, the second trial took
place. and the jury found Palaoio guilty
a. charged in the Indictment. Palaoio
was ably defended by his attorney and
the District Attorney, Henderson,
and A. B Hotchkiss conducted the pros
ecution. The Court sentenced Palacio
to ten years in San Quentin.
A representative OF the Bee on yester-
day had an interview with Mr.. Burke,
and gained from him some interesting
information concerning Palacio aud his
crimes. The Mexican scoundrel is in
deed very dangerous man, and the off,
GERS who succeeded. after long and
tedious chase, in bringing him to pun
ishment, deserve great credit.
At the time the bridge ut Yuma was
burned Mr.. Burke was in Texas work
ing in some car robbery cases. He re.
csived orders from San Francisco to in
vestigate the bridge fire at Yuma. Some
time in November, 1885. Supervisor
Ben Steinman, Of this city. received
letter from prisoner in Jail at San
Diego, whom he had befriended at some
time. statidg that prisoner would leave
there that day on the steamer for San
Quentin who had stated to him that a
third party had told him that Fasto
pslacio had stated to him that he burned
the bridge. This letter was handed to
Burke, aud he went to San Quentin to
see the prisoner from San Diego.
In the meantime Fusto PalAcio had .
difficulty with Mexican at Yuma and
cut him very badly with knife, and
the party was not expected to live. Al
ter that Palacio went to Sonora, In Mex-
loo, short distance over the lins, and
afterwards returned and
BUKNED THE BRIDoE
And then went to Laredo, Mexico, near
tne mouth of the Colorado river. and
from there to Lower California. After
Burke had seen the prisoner in San
Quentin, the LIST Of January, Of the
present year, he went to San Diego to
see sheriff Bushy head. And also to
see the prisoner, who wrote the letter to
Ben Stsinman, but the prisoner had been
discharged from Jail before he had ar
rived there. Burke afterwards found
him ct Cation. Sheriff Bushy head re.
ferred Burke to his outside deputy, 9.
r. Murphy, who knew Palacio and
wanted him for grand larceny. After
informing the Sheriff and his deputy
about his business. and after consulting
with Deputy sheriff Murphy, they con-
claded 10 inform, through Murphy, Of
fcer Thos. r. Botello, Of Los Angeles
county, who also knew Fusto Palacio.
Deputy Sheriff Murphy recommended
Boiello - good officer TO ferret oat
Palacio from among the Mexican popu-
lation. Botello is not connected with
the Southern Pacific Company's detect
i've force, but was specially engaged In
this case to assist in working up the
evidence among the Mexicans and Span
ish, as the company's detective does not
speak that Language. Botello's services
in this regard were, therefore. most val
liable. When Burke was in MEXICO
working up the case. some time in Janu-
ary last, Palacio came into California st
Pic Juana, on the line Of Lower Cali
fornia, . ID while there
CONFESSED TO SPANISH eKSTLEMAN
About the burning of the Yuma bridge.
Previous to that time. and also before
the bridge was burned. he told to other
parties that he was going to burn 1t out
Of revenge. On February %, 1885, Pa
lacio was srre4ted at San Diego for
petit larceny, and was taken TO Pala, 20
miles east Of FaIlbrook on the southern
Pacific rstiroad and was convicted When
sheriff Bushy head heard Of Palaces ar
rest be remembered that he was the
man Burke wanted for burning the Yuma
bridge, swore out war; ant and arrested
Palacio for the bridge burning. Fusto
Palacio served one term Of two years
and ons-half from San Bernardino county
for grand larceny in San Quentin under
the name Of Francisco Pslasco. All the
officers Of the different counties in which
Burke had 10 work gave him their hearty
support, aid especially Deputy Sheriff
Will Smith. Of Yuma. who was untiring
in his Efforts to assist him in getting evil
dsnce in the case. -tSacramento Bee.