The herald., 1894-11-02
JOE SANFORD'S TRIAL.
EXPECTS TO BE CLEARED ON THE
PLEA OF SELF-DEFENSE.
He Claims That Antonio Valdez As
sAultod Him With . Loaded
Whip Before He
Shot Him.

Inc tIlal OF JOG SANFORD, tho young
man who shot and killed Antonio VAL
dez August 7th last. near Santa Monica.
was begun yesterday in Judge Smiths
department. of the superior court.
Henry 7. Gage is the defendant 3
counsel, and Mr.. LsConpte Davis,
deputy district attorney, is for the PROS
ecution.
Valdez, 1t will be remembered, went
after mare to the ranch OF which San.
ford was superintendent. Their diff
Guilty WAS not seen by any one. Before
his death, Valdez gave his version OF
the affray. showing that Sanford ahot
him to death deliberately. After his
arrest, Sanford claimed that Valdez hit
him with q whip before he shot him.
Valdez fingered for three days after be-
ing shot and then died. The tragedy
caused much feeling in tho vicinity, both
men being we'll known.
The morning was consumed in GET
ting a jury, and special panel was
necessary before it was secured, the fol.
lowing being collected: F. A. Atwater,
E. L. Barnett. F. Bailey. O. G.. Bohsn-
nan, James Fennessey. Chas. II. Gard
lu0ts W 0ikOt 1lhHtlukb, n1AI~
shall McCoilum, Richard Quinn, W, r,
Lewis and Peter P. Keifer.
Constable A. ]. Meyers OF Santa Mon
lea was the first witness, and testified
that he 10 acquainted with the defend.
ant, Joe Sanford, and was slightly 40.
quainted with Antonio VRlvez. On the
evening of August 7th, about 10 O'Clock,
be faw the defendant and arrested him.
He had slight conversation with him
at the time about the killing. The wit
ness asked the defendant If he and VAL
dez had had trouble in Santa Monica
that day. and he replied that he had not,
but had trouble on the Mschado ranch.
He said he did not care to talk much
about i. at that time. The defendant
told him that Valdez struck him on the
head with loaded whip; that he at
tempted to strike him again and he
stopped him. He ssid that he shot him
twice. The defendant had the revolver,
Smith Il Wesson 32-cnliber weapon,
with him, and turned it over to the wit
ness. The defendant also gave the con-
stable the whip.
On oross-examination MI. Gage in
troducsd tho whip in evidence. 1t is q
blacksnake. weighing q trife less than
two pounds.
Sanford showed the witness a large
welt on the rightside of his head, where.
no said, Valdez hit him with the loaded
butt OF the whip.
The witness said that Sanford also told
him he was dazsd by the irst blow, an
Valdez wss coming for MIN again when
he stopped him.
DIR. Jos. J. Place OF Santa Momicu at
tended Valdez after he was wounded.
The deceased had two wounds, one in
the back of the neck and one in the LETT
hip, which ranged downward and in
ward, entering the abdominal cavity.
Valdez died in three days after he was
shot. The night before Valdez died
DR.. Place had q conversation with
him, in the nature of dying dec
laration as to the circumstances of
the affray with Sanford. The prosecu
ton endeavored to introduce the dying
declaration, but the court would not al-
low it to 60 in, holding that the iounda-
tion was not sufficiently laid.
Andres F. Machsdo, who had known
Joe Sanford eli his life, testified that he
saw him about three days before the
killing Of Valdez.
The witness was aeked if he had con-
versstion with Sanford at that time, in
which Sanford told him that when Val
dez came for his mare they would corral
him and kill him.
He denied having had any such con-
versation then or any time, or that he
had told anyone that he had such con.
versation.
Shortly after this court adjourned un-
til this morning, when the trial will be
resumed.