Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1895-04-05
ANOTHER CONVICTION.
Roberto Friday Found Guilty of Muir
der in the First Degree by Jury
of His COuntrymen-The Story
of the Crime-A Woman
in the Case.

Late last night, the jury in the case
of the people against Roberto Fri
day, after being out only twenty-five
minutes, brought in verdict of murder
in the first degree. The case has oecu-
pied most of the time of Judge Laugh
Inns court for the past four days. The
case was conducted for the people by
Prosecuting Attorney Crst and Judge A.
L. Morrison while Judge F. Downs and
Hilaro Ortiz acted for the defendant.
District Attorney Crist made strong
and logical presentation of the case to
the jury last evening in closing the case
for the territory. Mr.. Morrison's speech
was also attentively heard by the large
number of spectators; it was his first ad-
dress to jury in twenty years of legal
practice.
Judge Laughlin's charge was clear,
forcible and able document and was on
the whole on the side of mercy to the
prisoner. At the conclusion of his charge
the court suggested that if the jury
found the defendant guilty, they might
add a clause recommending him to
mercy, suggestion which was wholly
ignored by that body.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
Some time in the afternoon of October
IL, 1898, Zenon Baca went to house of
i'll fame in Cerrillos. Roberto Friday,
the defendant in this case, was in room
in the house at the time of Bacas visit,
but was not disturbed by the latter, who
retired to another room with one Maria
Sisneros, u woman of easy virtue who
resided there. Some time later in the
evening, Friday met two men, Francisco
Martinez and Antonio Sandoval, and
asked them if they knew where Baca was.
They replied evasively that they did not
know. The evidence showed that later in
the day, along about p. m, he met those
men and again asked them where Zenon
Baca was. Friday then said to the men:
81 did not speak to Baca when met him
because did not have my pistol" at the
same time putting his hand under his
coat, saying, 81 have my pistol now and
am going to kill the s. of a b." The
men then went off, and finding Baca, told
him to look out for himself, that Friday
was looking for him to kill him. About
half an hour later that evening the same
two men and Baca were standing together
on the street when Friday came up, ad-
vanced at once to where Baca was and
said: "Did you call me a s. of BY"
Baca replied that he had not. Friday at
once pulled his pistol and pressed the
muzzle against Baca's body about one
and half inches from the navel and
fired. The bullet passed through the vic
tins body coming out near the spine.
The murderer then hourished the pistol
by waving 1t over his head, and said
"I'll kill you sons of b--s," meaning
Martinez and Sandoval, the companions
of the murdered man, who Immediately
ran away. Friday then went down the
street with the pistol in his hand.
HUNTING GUN.
The evidence showed that previous to
the shooting Friday went to Kelly's saloon
. and asked for pistol. Kelly refused te
give it to him saying that the pistol be-
ouged to AL Perry. Friday then left the
saloon and meeting Perry got the pistol
After the shooting Friday was arrested
by City Marshal O'Donnell and another
man. O'Donnell asked him where the pis-
tol was and he at first denied any know
. ledge of the matter but afterward went
with the officers to the saloon where the
pistol was given to Friday and by him
delivered to the marshal. The pistol is
an old fashioned single action Colts As.
, When turning over the pistol Friday re-
marked: "That is the pistol that shot
Baca with"
The only eyewitness of the shooting
was Sandoval, it having been impossible
to find the other witness, Martinez. The
tenn statement, in which he stated sub
stantially the facts as testified to by San.
, doval. This statement was taken by
t Prosecuting Attorney Crist, who hap
pened to be in Cerrillos on other bust
ness at the time. DR.. Palmer, Marshal
O'Donnell and Denis Coffin, justice OF
the peace at Cerrillos, we're witnesses to
the instrument and testified at the trial
that it was the dying statement of the
murdered man, Baca, while Drs. Palmer
and Kelly, who had been called on to ex.
anime the wounded man Immediately
: after the shooting, testified to the fatal
character of the wound.
The convicted man was indicted some
time ago but had not been tried up to
the present time. His conviction is g
warning to all the world that the nemesis
of Justice for the murderer and law
breaker generally is sure, swift and Ger
i. tain in Santa Fe county.