Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-09-24
stories or the several Crimes,

The story of the atrooious and cow
ardly crime of Perfecto Padilla, coupled
with the thrilling and unusual circum-
stances attending his apprehension, trial,
conviction and sentence to die on the gal
lows, might easily be made to serve the
purposes of sensational dime novel
writer without the least strain on his
heated Imagination or any material de.
Walton from the truth, which in this case
is truly stranger than fiction."
In July, 1894, John Vipond, pioneer
prospector and frontiersman, about 60
years old, came into New Mexico from
Montana, where, with his younger brotheE,
William C.'vipond, he had been successful-
ly engaged in prospecting and mining for
many years. His errand here was to To-
cate some valuable mineral deposits al
legged to exist in the region of Copper
City, situated about midway along the
east and west line that separates Rio Ar
riba from Bernalillo county. After a
brief visit to Santa Fe for the purpose of
consulting official records, Mr.. Vipond
went to Bland, in the Cochiti mining dis
trict, where he secured animals and out
fitted for the extended prospecting trip
he contemplated. He also engaged man
called Judge McGinnis and one or two
others, supposed to be familiar with the
country, to accompany him. The party
left Bland in the latter part of July and
Mr.. Vipond never returned.
RETURNED WITHOUT THEIR LEADER.
Some days afterwards McGinnis and the
Others returned to Bland and reported
that out in the mountains, about thirty
miles from Copper City, on or about the
5th of August, Mr.. Vipond had separated
from them, leaving them at ranch to
stop over night, and taking his animals
and camp outfit with him, it being under
stood that his companions would over
take him the next day. They further re-
ported that they had been unable to find
the fearless prospector or any trace of
him and feared foul play.
AZ Mr.. Vipond was stranger to the
people of Bland, and as McGinnis was
known to be much addicted to talking
through his sombrero, the people of the
place naturally concluded that the story
had been contrived to account for the fact
that the stranger had "shook" his party
and decided to prospect by himself. 1t
.hus happened that little attention Was
paid to the incident there at the time.
Fortunately, however, the strange cir
cumstance was reported to the New MEX
loan and published to the world in these
columns. Thence it was given wings to
the uttermost parts of the earth by the
Associated Press and in due time came to
the notice of william @. Vipond, who was
fifty miles remote from the news centers
Of Montana prospecting in the mountains
of that state.
AS soon as possible, accompanied by
warm friend Of himself and his brother
named Mr.. Russell, he came to New Mex
loo and reached Bland In the early part
of September. There he formed and out
fitted searching party, insisting that
McGinnis should 60 along, and soon
started for the Copper City country where
his brother was last seen.
From that time neither trouble nor ex-
pense were spared by the younger Mr..
Vipond and Mr.. Russell to discover the
whereabouts Of the missing brother and
friend. The resolute search was sadly
successful. Chiefly through the help of q
native boy the spot where John vipond
camped the night after leaving McGinnis
at the ranch was located In little
meadow near patch of timber. Further
search discovered the bones Of man
with the flesh eaten OF by wild animals
and 10 the woods in pile were found the
clothes and pistol Of the missing man,
y I