Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-12-03
MALICIOUS BUSINESS EXPOSED.

The Button gang has been caught at it's
old tricks once more.
Some weeks ago the literary tail-end of
the Catronist crowd, whose chief aim in
life is to keep the self confessed assassins
of ex-Sheriff Chavez from stretching
hemp under the death sentence which a
just jury has imposed, indited and sent
broadcast to the Republican press of the
territory an editorial screed scandalizing
Col. Bergmann's management of the peni-
Tertiary. In this screed it was insinuated
after the fashion of all cowardly liars
that Democratic officials at Santa Fe
were in the habit of having their laundry
work done in the penitentiary at the ex-
pense o. the territory. The Albuquerque
Citizen and the San Marcial Bee were the
only two Republican sheets in New Mex
leo that could be induced to print the
silly story. It seemed 80 absurd, and its
true animus was so generally known in
official Circles that the NEW MEXICAN paid
little or no attention to it. Now, how
ever, misconstrulng silence for weakness,
that other vehicle of Oatronist hog-wash,
the Socorro Chieftain, comes to the front
with an editorial which starts of like
this:
'Will the NEW Mexican please tell the
people of the territory just what there is
about that official washing being done at
the penitentiary which is being talked of
in the newspapersf Is it a fact that
every Monday morning wagon from the
pen goes around and gathers up the
dirty linen of the Democratic officials at
Santa Fe, and that the people in Santa
Fe who do washing have gotten up
petition to Gov. Thornton on the sub
ject?"
This being direct appeal by one of
the organs of the Button gang for specific
information, the NEW MEXICAN takes
pleasure in making reply.
Since the two Borregos and their two
pals were convicted of the brutal assas-
sination of Frank Chavez, they have
made three attempts to break jail; since
Chino Alarld's confession that he and the
Borregos and Patriotic Valencia we're the
asassins fourth effort has been made to
regain their liberty, Jim Harris, tool
of Catron & Spiess, and younger broth
er of the Borrsgos having bean detected
in their efforts to smuggle into the pris.
oners saws, files, etc. For fear the ends
of Justice would be frustrated by the sue
cess of these repeated and we'll organized
efforts on the outside to aid the convicts,
Gov. Thornton last summer ordered the
transfer Of the assassins to the peniten-
tiary. There also, despite the exercise of
the greatest care, email steel saw was
struggled in to Frank Dor rego early last
month and he had nearly succeeded in
saving of the main bolt in his cell door
before discovery of tho fact was made.
Thereafter more rigid vigil was kept
over all who we're permitted, for reasons
of humanity, to call upon the Borre-
gos, and especially over members Of
the family, and rule was established by |
Supt. Bergman admitting no one to
see these prisoners without an order
from the governor.
This order somewhat embarrassed the
outside associates of the gang and all
hands, including several Republican poll
ticians, set at once to work to try and es-
tsblish new chain OF communication be-
tween the Catron 4 Spiess block and the
cells of these assassins.
Accordingly about month ago one Of
the younger Borrego brothers called at
the psnitsntiary and was, II Is said, about
20 be given an audience with the board
Of psnitsntiary commissioners, when
Bupt. Bergman informed him that
be had better take his departure, say
Ing that II would be useless to take up