Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1891-05-12
THE MURDEROUS KNIFE.
The Herrera Brothers In San Miguel
County WELD It with Terrible Re-
suits at Las Vegas.

The Herrera brothers, politicians, organ
izers and leaders of the so-called Peoples
party or White Caps in San Miguel coun-
ty, used their dirk knives with deadly re-
suits at Las Vegas yesterday afternoon.
One of their victims, Florencio Sandoval
is dead, and his father, Deleterio Sando-
val, lies MORALLY wounded. The tragedy
took place about 8 p. m. in the justice s
court room of J. M. Mestas, justice Of the
peace for old Las Vegas precinct. During
the day Pablo Herrera, exmember from
San Miguel county in the late legislative
assembly where he claimed to represent
the "People's party" became engaged in
street quarrel with one Ulibarri over
politics. The latter is Republican, and
thus in local politics
THE TROUBLES ORIGINATED.
Pablo Herrera was arrested for assault
ing Ulibarri and among the witnesses
who testified to his assault were old man
Sandoval and his son, also one Vicente
Silva. The little court room was crowd
ed with people during the trial before
Justice Mestas, but White Cap heeers
were largely in, the majority and it was
evident that bloodshed was anticipated
on both sides. The court officials are
said to have been followers of the Here
rofa ,nf
to be in sympathy with the White Caps
was disarmed by officers of the justice 8
court before entering the room, whereas
the Herreras were not questioned about
their weapons.
The Sandovals had given their .testi-
mony and taken seats not far from where
the Herreras sat, and Vicente Silva was
called to the witness chair. As he was
beginning to tell his story, and as if in
accordance with a previous agreement
among the Herreras, the elder brother,
Juan Jose, made dash toward Florencio
Sandoval and
CAUGHT HIM BY THE THROAT,
Pablo Herrera springing forward at the
same instant and stabbing young Sando-
val thrice in the right side Of the alb
domen almost disemboweling him. The
elder Sandoval jumped to the rescue of
his son and was met by Nicanor Herrera,
the long-haired brother, who also brand
ished bowie knife and with it slashed
his victim across the throat and stabbed
him twice in the right side. Intense ex-
element prevailed, but the friends of the
Sandovals had no weapons and the Her
reras had it about their own way. During
the melee Billy Green, an ex-convict now
serving as deputy sheriff, fred several
shots into the crowd that tried to separate
the combatants, but none of the shots
took effect. In moment
AFTER THE sTABBING
the knives were taken away from the
Herreras and they quietly walked out of
the court room. When Billy Green step
ped into the street he was assaulted with
stones by the gathering crowd and pretty
roughly treated. The Sandovals were re-
moved to their homes, where the younger
man died in an hour, while the father,
although thought to be fatally injured was
last night yet alive.
The three Herrera brothers were fol-
lowed and arrested by Deputy U. S.
Marshal Felipe Lopez, and Billy Green
was also arrested, the quartette being at
once placed in jail.
Daring last night intense excitement
existed at Las Vegas, and while there
was no suggestion of doing violence to
the prisoners, still there was a meeting
of citizens to quietly discuss the status OF
affairs so long brewing and leading up to
this tragedy, and it is said committees were
appointed to see to it that the principals
in this bloody business are prosecuted to
the extreme limit of the law. Some years
ago Pablo Herrera was convicted at the
district court ut TERRA Amarillo, for stab.
bling one Wallace Gold, and sentenced to
the penitentiary foi three years, but was
pardoned out by Ex-Governor Ross for
political reasons.
A dispatch to the New MEPIcAN re-
ceived at 2 p. M, to-day says:
The feeling is intense here over yester-
days murder, and lynching of the crimi-
nails is talked of. The Herrera brothers
are still in jail. The death of the senior
Sandosal is hourly expected.