Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-04-23
IN THE DISTRICT COURT.
Beginning of Chayes Murder Trial
Before Judge HamiltOn-Susano
Ortiz and Felix Griego SEN
fenced by Judge Laugh
lin-Former Appeals.

The territorial district court convened
at 8 o'clock this morning with both
Judges Laughlin and Hamilton on the
bench. Soon after Sheriff Cunningham
and two deputies escorted Francisco
Gonzales Borrego, Antonio Gonzales y
Borrego, Chino Alarid and Patricio Val
encia, indicted for the murder of Fran
cisco Chaves, and Susano Ortiz, twice con-
yicted of sheep stealing, INTO the court
room. The handouts were removed by
the sheriff at the entrance of the court
room.
Judge Laughlin promptly called Su-
sano Ortiz to the bar and asked him if he
knew of any reason why sentence should
not be passed upon him. The convicted
man knew of none. Thereupon the
penitentiary and to pays fine of $1,000
under the first conviction and to the
same imprisonment and fine under the
second conviction, the first sentence to
begin at once and the latter at the ex-
piration of the first.
Judge Downs made motion for an ap-
peal to the supreme court, which was
granted, and the bond was fixed at $4,000,
to be approved by the court. The
prisoner was then returned to the custody
Of the sheriff.
BEGINNING OF THE oHAvEs MURDER TRIAL.
Judge Laughlin then announced that
Judge Hamilton had kindly left his home
and business in another district to come
here for the purpose of relieving him
(Laughlin) of the embarrassment Incl
dent to his having appeared as one Of the
counsel at the preliminary hearing of the
pending murder case and would preside
during the trial.
District Attorney Crist asked If the de-
PENDANTS would waive objection to Judge
Laughlin's remaining in the district dur.
ing the trial. Mr.. Catron responded that
he understood that the defendants could
not waive any objection in case Of this
kind, but, 40 far as he was concerned, he
was perfectly willing to waive the objec-
tion suggested and have the fact entered
of record. 1t was 30 entered.
Judge Laughlin thereupon left the
bench and the four defendants named at
the beginning Of this report were ar
raigned for the murder of Francisco Cha
vez, May 80, 1892, before Judge Hamil
ton. They all pleaded not guilty.
The prisoners were all neatly dressed,
smooth shaven with hair trimmed, and
appeared az if they had just come out of
bath. Their excellent appearance, after
beiEg continuously confined in Jail for
about fifteen months, occasioned COM
ment among the large crowd of specta-
tors.
SELECTING JURY.
Twelve jurors of the regular panel were
called to the box and the work of exam
ming them as to their qualifications to
sit at the trial was at once begun by the
district attorney.
The prosecution will be conducted by
District Attorney Crist, assisted by
Messrs. W. H. Pope aud H. L. Ortiz, and
the defense by Messrs. Catron & Spices.
Mr.. L. G. Read is temporarily officiating
as interpreter and Mr.. A. B. Renehan is
acting as official stenographer.
At noon court adjourned until 1880 p.
m, and the jurymen then in the box re-
tired in charge of Deputies Tucker and
Sandoval, who were expressly instructed
by the court not to talk to the men in
their charge or to permit anyone else to
communicate with them. At the hour of
adjournment sixteen jurors had been
called, eleven passed for cause and four
excused by the territory and one remained
to be examined by the district attorney.
As the defendants have eighteen peremp-
tory challenges the prospect of securing
jury this afternoon is not very bril-
liant.
SEVEN YEARS FOR ATTEMPTED RAPE.
On yesterday afternoon, Judge Laugh
lin sentenced Felix Griego, convicted of
attempted rape in Santa Fe, September
S, 1898, to seven years in the penitentiary
and he was promptly turned over to the
tender mercies of Col. Bergman.