Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-05-31
LYNCHED HIM.
A Long Suffering People at Las Vegas
Take the Law in Handful
cerO Strung Up.

Cecilio Lucero, accused of the murder
of the two sheep herders near Las Vegas,
was taken from the city jail there night
before last and lynched. The particu-
lars are learned from Las Vegas Optic
"extra."
For long time crime has been on the
increase, and some of the most brutal
murders have been committed, the perpe-
traitors
ESCAPING ALL DETECTION
and consequent punishment. 1t followed
therefore, that when Cecilio Lucero was
captured, red-handed with the blood of
his cousin, whom he had brutally mutt
lated, as we'll as killed, also killing a
sheep herder who was working for Mar
tinez, public sentiment at once crystal
lied into the determination that he should
not escape from Jail, be acquitted by a
perjured jury, or be pardoned by the
mistaken clemency of the executive. This
determination eliminated In the event OF
Monday night. That no was not hung
sooner, was simply owing to the hope
that he would make confession and thus
cast light on other devilish deeds with
which he was more than suspected of
having completely.
THE PRELIMINARY HEARING.
The preliminary examination of Cecilio
Lucero, for tho murder of Benigno
Martinez, d sheep owner, and Juan Gale
ha1 ghoF Tult
Wooster, on Monday afternoon. The
hearing was commenced in his Office, but
the suffocsting crowd that pushed its way
into the small room compelled him to
seek more roomy quarters-in fact, there
wasn't any place large enough, excepting
out of doors.
The scene presented in the rear of the
Justices office was that Of court being
held under the blue canopy of heaven, the
justice sitting at table improvised out
of doors. circle of chairs on which sat
witnesses and coroner's jury, outside of
that a dense crowd that surged back
and forth, listening with bated breath,
people crowding the fences, roofs, and
everything that could afford vantage
ground to witness the preliminary trial
of the murderer.
The territory was represented by l.. G.
Fort, district attorney, Lucero being
represented by Vim. c. Wrigley, of Ration.
The testimony although circumstantial,
pointed direct toward Lucero az the prln-
cipal. At o'clock the prisoner waived
farther examination, and the crowd
showed such indications of its intent that
the officers were afraid to take the pris-
oner back to the county Jail lest he should
be lynched on the way to old town. Luz
Zero was accordingly placed in the East
Las Vegas city calaboose.
At 9:15, the whole crowd, in an almost
simultaneous movement, rushed into the
alley in the rear of the Jail, and at $3.50
ture was commenced. Officers Clay and
Sturges met the mob
WITH DRAWN RRvoLvRRs,
while the two priests present gathered
around the criminal, but before shot
could be fired, the uselessness Of which
was at once recognized, the officers were
the hands of men who strictlj meant bust
ness.
The keys to the Jail we're demanded, but
Marshal Clay absolutely refused to give
them up. Not stopping to try to take the
keys, the mob soon battered the back
door in.
Pandemonium only would describe the
scene, with every one yelling something,
some in Spanish, some in English, but in
all the noise but one man, who wore a
black mask, kept his head and his COM
mand of the men with him. He was evil
IDENTIFY the leader and his commands we're
obeyed.
A rush was made by the crowd with its
unresisting victim in the lead, out the
alley and down Sixth street to the "Board
of Trade" corner, where loud cries of
"a ROPE! RopE!"
soon brought the required article, in
the shape of an ordinary five-eights inch
hemp rope, which was at once thrown
over the cross.piece of telephone pole;
but before the rope could be fastened
around the mans neck, the command was
given to move further away, as it was too
light and too public on that corner.
The throng bore west on Douglas
avenue, until the corner at the G. A. R.
hall was reached, when loud cries of
"hang him hang himl' decided the mob,
and once moro the rope was started on its
deadly work. Again, the command to
move on was given, and the next stop
was made at the old skating rink, now
used as a warehouse, by g. B. & Co.,
where the horrible job was completed.
Mna4Ha AllHIl a4AIllAlA