The herald., 1897-04-03
Reduced to Well-Behaved
Corpses
-.--t-----sa
SHERIFF CHAVEZ is AVENGED
BY THE DEATH OF THE FOUR
MURDERERS
The Execution Was Long Delayed,
but Santa Fe Citizens Are
Well Satisfied
Associated Press Special wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
SANTA FEE, N. NJ, April 2.-Francisco
Gonzales Borrego, Antonio Gonzales
Borrego, Lauriano Alarid and Patricio
Valencia, condemned to death for the
murder of ex-Sheriff Frank Chavez, were
hanged at 9:10 d. m. today.
The prisoners passed a restful night,
the guard saying that not one even
turned in his sleep. The death warrant
was read to them at 1880 this morning,
and was received by the Borregos with
some righteousness. The vicar-general
remained with the doomed men until
they were led to the scaffold. admins
tering the consultations of their religion.
None of them showed the slightest
weakness. Their necks were all broken,
except that of Valencia, the lightest in
weight who died from strangulation.
The funerals will take place Sunday
forenoon from the Cathedral.
THEIR CRIMES
Francisco Gonzales y Borrego, Antonio
Gonzales Borrego, Lauriano Alarid
and Patricio Valencia. the four men
hanged today, were members of the ex-
ecutive committee of the Button
gang" a league organized to combat the
political influence of Sheriff Frank
Chavez, a Democratic leader in Santa
Fe. conspiracy was formed by this
executive committee TO assasinate
Chavez M
On the night of May %. 1892. Chavez.
who was giant in strength and abso-
lutely fearless, was slain by ambushed
towards when going home. The next
night Juan Pablo Dominguez. who open
ly declared that he knew who murdered
Chavez, was shot and killed. For this
crime Francisco Borrego, who had been
seen fleeing from the scene of the muir
der, gave himself up. He pleaded self
defense and was acquitted. For twelve
months the gang" which controlled
both the police department and the sher-
IFS office, was supreme in Santa F'e, and
no attempt was made to avenge the
Chavez murder. When Gov. Thornton
was appointed in 1898 he removed DIS
trict Attorney TwitoheIl and Sheriff
Conklin from office. The new sheriff
began hunting for evidence against the
murderers of Chavez and soon obtained
confessions from two of the conspira-
tors, Francisco and Antonio Borrego.
Lauriano Alarid, Patrico Valencia and
Frank Rivera were arrested. Hippolyto
Vigil chief of police and coroner, was
shot dead when resisting arrest.
At the trial. which abounded in sensa-
tional incidents. Rivera, Louis Gonzales
and other members of the gang turned
states evidence. and the two Borregos,
Alarid and Valencia were convicted of
murder in the first degree and sentenced
to be hanged. The case was appealed
on a writ of error to the United States
supreme court. which finally decided
against the murderers. Pending the
hearing in the supreme court, Alarid and
Valencia made full confessions, remov-
ing all doubt of the guilt of the gang"
The murderers were to have been
hanged Feb. 2Sd. but President Cleve-
land granted a respite for thirty days
and President Mckinley granted fur
ther reprieve of ten days
Numerous plots for the rescue of the
prisoners have been thwarted by the
vigilance of the territorial authorities.
and a military guard has been stationed
at the jail for weeks under orders from
Gov. Thornton to assist the sheriff in the
performance of his duty.