Arizona silver belt., 1894-03-31
STORY or LOST TITLE.

The Santa Fe Capitol Sun, fin ali hr- ticle reminiscent of old Spanish land grants, in which it refers more partic- tIlarly Co the lost title of the Fl Rio grant ir Valencia county, New Mexico, Advances the suppositiou that the orig inal evidence of the grant was mad vertently buried; forty years ago, with the remains of William Curtis Skinner who was assssssinated at the ranch of Don Juan Oristobal Armiio, near Al buquerque, and the Sun alleges this as 4 reason why the Fl Rito case still "drags along in the land court" Mir Skinner, wHo as attorney for Don Joaquin Pino, had taken the contract to establish title to the El Rito grant and, as, the Sun recites, was supposed to have the papers on his person when Ne visited the ranch ot Armijo, became involved in quarrel with Don Cristo- bal, was killed by one of the laiters peons, and buried and the place of in terment long since forgotten. The Sun concludes tlat If the Piuo heirs could find the grave of the young Yan- kee lawyer, perhaps they might recover the grant.
 If the grave of the unfortunate Skin her could be located, the BELT asserts is as a fact that not only would the GOV eted parchment be found missing, but the discovery made that tho bones of the victim had vanished. The remains of Skinner were removed to St. Louis, Mo-, where his family resided, and were re-interred in the Presbyterian cemetery, on Franklyn ave-, and sub sequently, when that place of sepulcher was abandoned, removed to more eligible city of the dead James $. Tbbmas and the writer were present when the remains of Skinner were ex- humed in the Presbyterian cemetery, and We remember, as though it was y. S. terday, the sexton's exclamation of surprise when he lifted the skeleton from the coffin and saw the back of the skull crushed in. Why" said he, this man was murdered.
 The Sun deriaiyeiy refers to Mir Skinner as, "a Yankee lawyer, a schem. CT, who came to New Mexico with the view of realizing wealth and political power. What were the aims of Skin ner, we are not informed, but do know that he was talented young man, and g law student in St. Louis at tho same time with Miguel A. Otero, delegate to eongsess from New Mexico, in the office of Trnstin Polk, afterwards Gov. ernor of Missouri and United States Senator succeeding Benton. He was highly connected. Trustin Polk and JamesS, T5ornas, mayor of St. Louis in the early sixties, were his brothers in-law. The appellatlon of "Yankee lawyer" is DO stigma. Were not Ed ward Everett, Daniel Webster $. $. Prentiss, Rufus CEoat. Caleb Cushing, Charles SstnhSI and Benj. Butler Tan. kee lawyers?
 The Sun Aippantly excused the kill ling of Skinner. It says; "Don Cris- tobal was sorry, but what could he do? It was by no aes of his that Skinner was killed, and he lad poi called upon his peons for assistance. Torrebio the faithful, meant well, but unfortunately His judgment was faulty and his arm too strong. An ignorant peon could not be expected to behave chiyalrously, snd Aas fault was attributable to excess of zeal ard strong attachment. Ger tainly Don Cristobal could not infiiet severe punishment upon Torrebio the faithful. So Torrebio presumedly got S Sreprimand, and Don Cristobal made what reparation was possible by giving Skinner q decent burial
 murder of Skinner was without palliating circumstance, and was never iudicially investigated He was She guest of Don Cristobal Armiio at the time and that fact should have in- sured him safety from the murderous attack of she Don's retainers.