Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-03-17
THE MORA MURDERS.
Affidavit of Cord0va Detailing the
Late Sheriff's Completely in Crime
"A Tragic Affair.
A Secret Meeting Presided Over by
Agapito Abeytia-How the In
dian Rael was Enticed
to His Death.

a topic of absorbing interest, and the law
officers who have recently done such good
in ferreting out and fixing to all appear
ances the responsibility of these crimes
are receiving the highest words of COM
mendation. Appended is the affidavit
made by one of the participants, Barto-
10 Cardova, before Sheriff Cunning
ham on Tuesday last:
q. Mr.. Cordova what is your full name?
A. Bartolo Cordova.
Q. How old are you? A. About 30
years.
Q. Where do you live? A. At Buena
Vista, Mora county.
Q. What is your business? A. Freighter
and farmer.
Q. How long have you lived in Mora
county? A. l was born in this county.
q. Do you know the people well
throughout this county? A. Not all of
them, but l know great many.
q. Did you know at one time man by
the name of John Doherty? A. Yes, very
| we'll.
Q. Do you know where he is now! A.
Yes sir, know he is dead
Q. How did he die? A. 1t is said that
he was killed.
Q. How was he killed? A. I know that
he was shot.
| Q. How do you know it, Mr.. Cordova?
A. On the day after he was killed, knew
that he was killed.
Q. Who told you that he was killed?
A. The dummy.
Q. What Dummy? A. The dummy
that is here at Mr.. Walton's. (Referrlng
to deaf and dumb man,
Q. Where were you when he told you
that he was killed? A. l was at Lolo Lo-
bato's.
Q. Do you belong to secret society
in this county or in this town? A. Now
recently they made me come into the
organization.
Q. What was the object of the society?
A. To protect our lives.
Q. Was your life in danger? A. No.
Q. Then why did you join it? A. Be-
cause they intimidated me good deal;
they said that Rael and Sandoval were
members. Then they asked whether they
could bring me so that could be a MEM
Der. Sandoval tried to bring me to that
society and l told him l would like to be
member. Then came here and they
explained to me how it was. Agapito
Abeytia said that Juan Antonio Rael bad
been up to Joe Doherty's, and Agapitc
told NE that somebody told him that We
were accused of killing ohm Doherty.
@. You say that 1--WE were accused Of
killing John Doherty" Who did Agapite
mean? A. That and Sandoval were &C
cused.
Q. Mr.. Cordova, you will please state
. all that you know about the killing o
John Doherty, all that you know abou
the secret organization which you hav'
just mentioned and all that you know
about the killing of the Indian, Juan An
tonic Rael. And in doing SO l want 20,
to tell the truth, l don't want you to tel
, me lie; you have no reason to be afraid
of any one because If you tell the truth
, you will find that the best people of More
, county and the best people of the terri
, tory will think more of you for doing so
, Now just state in a simple way all thu
truths that you may have knowledge Of il
, connection with the killing of Doherty
the original plans that you have Spoken
= to me about heretofore, the purpose o
: these meetings which you have spoken tt
, me heretofore about, and also of this In
, dian and why he was murdered. A. I Dc
( not know who killed John Doherty, but
J know that l will tell the truth.
! Q. Well, just speak about the Indiar
! and about this organization. A. fount
Agapito Abeytia, Juan Romero, Sostenel
Lucero, Tomas Lucero, Juan Lucero, Els
tanislado Sandoval at the meeting.
@. When was that meeting heldG A. L
was on Saturday, on Saturday night.
Q. About what time? A. After supper
Q. Was it dark? A. Yes.
q. Where was it held, you say? A. II
, the Jail Office.
Q. Was that meeting regularly organ
lied? A. Yes.
@. And presided over? A. Yes.
q. Who presided at that meeting? A
. Agapito Abeytia.
q. State all that transpired at tina
meeting and after that meeting was owe
as you may have knowledge of your own
A. All that transpired at that meeting wa
that Juan Antonio Rsel was member o