Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-10-19
IN The SUPREME COURT.
Another Days Progress in the Matter
of the Charges Against Cat
ron and Spiess.
EXCITING SCENES IN The COURT ROOM.


ton of Many False Aftidavits-
Wanted Them Badly-Re-
sumo of Testimony.
The territorial supreme court resumed
work at 2 O'Clock yesterday afternoon
with all the justices present except Chief
Justice Smith.
The examination of Ramon Garcia,
manifestly an unwilling witness for the
prosecution, was continued. He testified
that he met Catron at the hospital after
he had informed Catron that he had not
procured the signature of Porfria Mar
tinez de Strong to the affidavit prepared
by Catron for her to sign; that he went
to the hospital with Gus O'Brien and that
the latter called Catron to the parlor;
that when Catron came into the parlor
he asked witness if he had not promised
to get him Porfiria's affidavit and he said
yes; that Catron told him to be careful
what he said as Gus O'Brien heard him;
that he had not talked with Porfria
about her testimony before Catron gave
him the affidavit; that ne was the son of
Jose Maria Garcia, and that both he and
his father we're friendly to Mr.. Catron.
This reluctant witness WAS then ex-
cused.
The affidavit prepared by Catron,
which Ramon Garcia had previously iden-
titled as the one given to him by Catron
with instructions to procure the sigma
ture of Porfiria Martinez de Strong there
to, which he failed to get signed and
which he afterwards gave to Sheriff Cum
bingham, was then offered In evidence by
Mr.. Jones. The precious document reads
as follows:
THE UNSIGNED AFFIDAVIT.
TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO,
County of Santa Fe.
Porfiria Martinez de Strong, being
sworn, on her oath says that she was a
witness on the preliminary examination
in the case of the Territory vs.. Francisco
Gonzales Borrego, Antonio Gonzales y
Borrego, Lauriano Alarid and Patriotic
|
that occasion was true; that she attended
the said examination at the request of
Ramon Garcia; that said Ramon Garcia
did not represent to her nor pretend to
her that he was an officer in any way, nor
did he say to her that he had any order
for her arrest; that she came with him
from Cerrillos to Santa Fe on that occa.
sion and on the road Ramon Garcia did
show to her some verses that he had, but
never at any time represented that they
were an order for her arrest; that after.
wards she attended the trial of said &C.
PENDANTS before the district court in May,
1896; that she came to Santa Fe from
Lamy at the request of Fred Thayer, who
came with her; that Fred Thayer repre-
sented to her that she was needed as a
witness on behalf of the defendants and
that he would go with her; that the coun-
sci of the defendants had sent him to re-
quest her to attend; that said Fred Thay-
er at the time stated to her that he had
subpoena directed to her by the district
court and also stated to her that he was
not an officer and that she could obey the
subpoena or not as she liked, but stated
to her that if she would 60 with him he
was prepared to pay her railros d
fare and expenses while at Santa
Fe and the lawful witness fees; that size
came with said Thayer voluntarily to
Santa Fe without any compulsion or
fear whatever; that she was in no manner
held prisoner or under arrest; that on
arriving at Santa Fe Fred Thayer took
her with him to a spare room connected
with the office of Catron q Spiess where
there was bed and where she remained
the balance of the night, said Thayer 60
ing away and leaving her there; that the
next morning thereafter about o'clock
7. B. Catron, one of the attorneys for the
defendants, came into the room where
she was and asked her how she happened
him that Fred Thayer had brought her
there on reaching Santa Fe; that said
Catron then said to her that the defend
ants wished her as witness in the trial
of the cause and would have her sworn
Immediately so that she could
return to her home; he then asked
her what would be her evidence;
she answered the same as it was
before Judge Seeds; thet Catron then
asked her to repeat to him her evidence,
which she did, when Catron asked her if
that was true, and abe stated that it was,
and thereupon Catron stated that that
was what the defendants wanted her to
testify if it was true; he then directed her
to 60 to the court house and be there
when she should be called, which she did,
and was called very soon after the as
sembling of the court and gave her testi
mony substantially the same as she had
given it before Judge Seeds and was then
discharged without cross-examination,
the district attorney giving notice that
he would wish to call her for cross.ex-
animation; that she returned to the Office
of said Catron, where she remained until
the train went out that night, but while
she was there Catron came In and asked
her why she was remaining at the
office and she informed him she pre-
ferred staying there because she had
been once convicted of violation
of the city ordinances at Santa Fe and
fined and If she went out on the streets or
in the town she was afraid she might be
arrested and imprisoned; that thereupon
Catron told her that if she desired she
might remain at the Office, which she did,
and returned by rail to Lamy, where she
had left her children, she not having wait
ed 20 be cross.examined because it was
necessary for her to return to her chill
dren; that while she was in Santa Fe,
owing to the fact that she did not desire
to go out in the town for fear of arrest
and Imprisonment on the conviction