Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-03-30
A MIDNIGHT BRAWL.
Democrats Assaulted by a Gang
Under the Leadership of
CanutO Alarid.
Alarid Resists Arrest and is Fatally
Shot-A Disgraceful Affair
Conflicting Stories.


wounded, another dangerously cut over
the head with revolver and another
severely pounded with stones, is the sum
total of last nights casualties, so far as
reported.
Canuto Alarid lies upon a cot in the
county Jail at the point of death, Matt
Piersol is in bed at his home, under the
care of his wife, with his head sewed up,
and Augustine Hunter was the victim OF
the stone throwing gang.
THE COMMENCEMENT.
Stories differ as to the origin of tho
fight. Both sides, as usual, blame the
ether. AS near as can be ascertained the
facts are as follows:
Canuto Alarid, Marcos Castillo, Albino
Arias and a party of friends had been to
the Republican primaries; afterward went
around town drinking and had become
intoxicated.
About 1890 o'clock Adolfo Hill, Matt
Piersol, Augustine Hunter and Dick
Stevens started home. They we're over
taken on their way, near the capitol build
ing, by Canuto Alarid, his brother, Ricar-
do, and three other men.
According to the stories of the Piersol
party, Alarid addressed vile eplthet to
Hill and abused him for being DEM
ocrat. wordy war ensued when Alarld
pulled revolver and shot at Hill, the
bullet fortunately missing him. Some
one then jumped on Piersol and beat him
over the head with revolver, while
Hunter was knocked down with stone
and while he was in that position was
beaten almost to insensibility.
After the Alarid crowd had completed
their work they all fled in opposite direc-
tions, Alarid going to his home. Piersol
upon recovering consciousness managed
to stagger up town as far as the Arcade
where he met Deputy Sheriff Tom.
Tucker to whom he related the story
after which he was sent home in hack.
ALAR1D SHOT.
knowing the desperate character of the
man with whom he had to deal, Tucker
procured his rifle, and also deputized
Cooley Beaver to assist him. At the
same time requesting Policeman Jack
Harris to aid in making the arrest.
The three men started for Alarid's
house, and as they neared the place met
two policemen. who were ordered to
throw up their hands upon suspicion of
being implicated in the trouble. Tucker
stood guard over the two policemen,
while Beaver and Harris went forward to
make the arrest At this juncture Sheriff
Cunningham and Deputy Otero, having
heard of the trouble, came up, but they
were too late to prevent further blood
shed, as Beaver and Harris had already
reached Alarid's house and demanded his
surrender, and the resistance of Alarid is
best told in the language of Deputy
Sheriff Tucker, who said:
"Harris went up to the door and told
Alarid he was wanted. Alarid replied
that no could arrest him,
at the same time placing double-bar-
| relied gun in Harris face and pulling the
trigger. Fortunately for Harris he was
anticipating something of the kind and
was quick enough to knock the gun
aside. Our posse did not wait any longer
but opened fire. Alarid fell in the door
way but shot again as he was falling.
"Even after he was shot he refused to
surrender until advised to do so by one
of his friends"
About eight shots were fred in all and
it is wonder that none of the sheriff's
posse were injured. Harris escape was
a miraculous one.
THE ARREST.
| After Alarid had surrendered Sheriff
Cunningham and his deputies entered the
house and preparations were made for re-
moving the wounded man to the county
Jail. A hack was procured and Alarid
placed in it together with his brother
Ricardo, who was also taken under arrest
The vehicle was followed all the way to
Jail by large crowd of Alarid's friends
who grumbled constantly but made no
threatening demonstrations.
Upon arrival at the bastile the wounded
man was lifted out and carried to the
Office upstairs where he was laid upon a
cot and DR.. Sloan sent for. Upon the
DOCTORS arrival an examination was
made of Alarid's wounds. His back re.
sembles porous plaster,it being literally
perforated with No. 6 shot; his leg was
also filled with shot. The most dangerous
wound appeared to be bullet hole just
below the angle of the nose and right eye
THE poL1oEMAN's STATEMENT.
Policeman Jack Harris makes this
statement:
~ had been commissioned by Mayor
Twitchell early in the evening to serve al
l 1rS~ r.
the city marshal, Antonio Alarid, ant
stated that his two brothers, Canuto anG
Ricardo, we're intoxicated any were try
ing to raise disturbance. suggested
that he send his brothers home. He failed
to do this and later took them in charg'
and went home with them. Returning
to the plaza shortly afterward heart
the shots on the south side of the rive
and in company with Deputy Sheriff
Tucker and Mr.. Beaver, who had beer
deputized for the emergency to act as al
officer, repaired to the scene of thu
trouble. Upon approaching Cauutt
Alarid's house he saw me and inquired
rs that you Jacks Come over HI
added. went up to the house and said
boys, I have warrant for your arrest
Then one of them fred and Mr.. Beave
and.I returned the FIRE.
THE WOUNDS.
! At noon to-day DR.. Sloan again examined
Alarid's wounds and reached the conclu
sion that the wound in the face was not
shot, but must have been made with SOM
blunt instrument. Alarid himself admit
that this wound he received in the fraca
at the time he met Piersol and Hill. Tn,
other wounds, and those likely to prov,
fatal, consist of charge of small shot il
the right thigh and similar charge il
the side and back, near the loins. Thi
latter shot penetrated the kidneys ant
entered the bowels.
ALARID's STATEMENT.
About o'clock this morning Alarid, il