Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1894-07-24
the elLA KILLING.
What the Other side is Willing to Say
About II.

who says he is the slayer. Those who DO
not agree with Mr.. Rodgers and his
friends are very reticent as % The parti-
culars Of the killing, saying that the
facts will be fully disoIoaedlRhen a full
jude al investigation Is had
Sufficient has leaked out, however, 70
enable the SENrrNEL to Say that those
who discredit the Rodgers theory claim
that Huffman knew too much about the
ink cality going on in the Mogollons in
regard TO cattle branding, burning and
stealing, etc, and that he was able to
place his fingers on the principal actors.
Huffman commended that among these
was Rodgers. Probably the last calf
that Huffman branded was ono claimed
by Rodgers. Huffman finding Rodgers
brand on the calf roped it, burned out
Rodgers brand and put his owh in its
place. For this Rodgers had him in
dicted at the last term Of the Socorro
court. A Mr., Bloodgood Of Kingston
was with Huffman when be branded
this calf. AS soon as Huffman saw
Rodgers after this episode he gave him
a sound cursing and called him some
very uncompllmentarY names. Rodgers
had Huffman indicted for using threat
ening language growing nj Of this Incl.
dent.
A thorough investigation IL seems was
made after the killing Of Huffman about
the premises, and every bit Of evidence
rejecting any light on the tragedy was
closely scanned. The scabbard Of HUFF
mans six-shooter was closely examined
and tested witch a view of a~scertaining
whether Mr.. Rodgers'theory Of it having
hung at the time Of the killing was
correct. The workings Of the pistol were
taken all to pieces in order to determine
whether there was any chaneeo Of 1t having
hung fire. Nothing Of the kind could be
found. The hat that Huffman had on
when killed has been carefully preserved.
A bullet hole through it shows the posi-
tion Of the deceased's head when killed.
Other evidence it is claimed has been
preserved which, in ths opinion OF HUFF
mans friends, proves prouediated kill
ing. ~
It Is claimed that Mr.. Rodgers, al.
though living but two and a half miles
from the ella hot springs, avoided mott.
flying any Of the people there Of the
tragedy, but preferred sending word tc
his own friends living between twenty
and thirty miles away, and caused him.
self to be arrested, thus choosing hii
own officers and body guards. AS a re
suit the body of TIE dead man lay in it,
own pool OF blood all night and until II
or IL o'clock next morning. Amy o
the four shots fred into HUFFMAN
body was necessarily and instantaneous
fatal. He was shot through tho brain
his neck was broken by another shot
and two balls we're fred through tn
body IN the region of the heart. Dr.
Sewers extracted one ball which lodge'
in the body. This shot was fired in tn
victims back; it was cut out near th.
surface in front. For a long time 1t wa
believed that a gang Of thieves and cut
threats infested these mountains withou
any other occupation or means of supper
than theft, and that they had been max
ing continuous raids on the stockmen il
the vicinity. When such an idea is nov
advanced it is poo-hooed by resident
OF many years standing in the country
Tom Wood was for a long time tn
central figure among those supposer
thieves and raiders. Il was inall
} ascertained that Wood could not hav
got away with one-tenth part OF tn,
thefts be was charged with withou
detection. Every outlet was seprchedi
vain to dnd where Tom bad a market
, including Clifton, Lordsburg, Silve
City, Plnos Altos and ether places, Al
that could be found was where be hal
sold some dried venison In Clifton. ]
was this misrepresentation that resulte'
in William Grudgeon's death. The Grud
: geon brothers we're loosing cattle. The
: we're made to believe that Wood wa
the thief. This caused bitter feelin
between them and Wood. Afte
Woods boy was murdered Woo
believed that William Grudgeo
was the guilty party. He killed GruC
geon. The thief or thieves who wer
dong the stealing stood in the back
ground and ohuokled at their Owl
g hncied secret.
This is the claim as we say Of thoE
/. who deny the Rodgers theory Of the xii
Il ing. They say if people who are int
4 ested IN law and order viii cease follow
4 ing a false trail and take the right on
r there will be no trouble in unearthin
a the cattle branders and cattle thieYe
While they claim that a disclosure
a this kind might shock the feelings
! many society people the truth neverth
less lies in the direction they hal
marked out. The courts have late
a shown a disposition to thoroughly i
. vestigate every case Of homicide. v
y trust that they may make the NEST rig
4 investigation In this case. Both sid
) can not be correct. If Mr.. Rogers si'
II Of the story iA correct be stands und
' a most shameful imputation from whit
= his character must in justice be cleare
II the other side is correct II would
foul injustice to the community at lar
Is not to legally prove IL,
"a
D. Mrs. Warren and Insurance Adjust
Wilson returned on Sunday from Mog'
Ia lon All clnima wara thoroughlv 90