The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-04-02

at nine O'Clock this morning.
A bloody chapter of New Mexico his.
tory is closed with the execution of these
four murderers- The infamous Button
Sang, Of which they were leaders, was
organized by L. H. Catron and his as
sociates, to combat the political influence
OF Frank Chavez. leader of the Demo-
cratic natives.
In the winter of 1Sa1-92 Catron's right
to a seat in the Legislature was con-
tested and when the Legislature met he
called on the members of the Button
yang to arm themselves and assemble
in the Capitol to support him Catron
nlmsef was an oath-bound member OF
the Button Gang. as he subsequently ad-
mitted on the witness stand. The gang
armed with weapons secretly furnished
from the State Penitentiary, whose War
den was Catron's tool, and wholesale
seat Catron.
Believing that they mad intimidated the
Legislature and elated by Catrons vsS-
tory, the members of the league then
and there determined to do their patron
the further service of removing Frank
Chavez from his political path
A conspiracy to assassinate Chavez was
the Button Gang, consisting of Hippolito
Vigil, Frank Gonzales Jorrego Aslto-
MO Borrego, Lauriano Alarid, Patricio
Valencia, Frank Rivera. Juan Gallegos
ground.
Juan Gallegos weakened and after writ
ing note to Chavez, informing him of
the plot and giving the names of the
others in the conspiracy, fed the terri
tory.
On the night of May 20, 1892, Chavez
was led into ambush by Atilano Gold, a
While on his way home.
A reign of terror followed in Santa Fe.
Everybody knew that the Button Gang
and their hackers had control of the ma
chinery of the law, the District Attorney
and Sheriff were oath-bound members of
tne league, and Catron's money and in
fiuence were all-powerfu1.
For declaring that he knew who killed
Chavez, Juan Pablo Dominguez was shot
down by Antonio and Frank Borego and
Chico" Alarid. Two days later Frank
Borrego gave himself up, pleaded self
defence, produced his brother and Alarld
es witnesses, was tried before jury Sc
iected by the Button Gang Sheriff and
was acquitted.
This was the state of affairs when Gov
ernor Thornton was appointed in 1898.
He removed District Attorney Tweechell
men. The new Sheriff began hunting for
evidence, and the District Attorney pro-
cured a confession from Rivera.
Eariy IN January, 1894 another Of the
and others went to Riverias and, with
guns at his head, compelled him to go
to Catron's office and make affidavit
that his confession had been extorted
from him under duress.
Sheriff Cunningham decided to move at
once Cunningham and Deputies Tucker
and otero suddenly appeared on the
street with rifles and shotguns. Frank
Borrego, armed with two revolvers, and
with his pockets full of cartridges, was
t, the flrst wanted man encountered. The
rego threw up his hands.
Hippolito Vigil, Chief of Police, Coro-
ner and School Director, resisted and was
killed.
Antonio Borrego was penned In his
mouse and preparations were made to
blow up the place with giant powder. He1
surrendered. Chico Alarid, Patricio valf
encia and Frank Rivera were arrested
without resistance.
The preliminary examination of the
prisoners was held before Judge Seeds a
was full of startling and sensational epi-
sodes
Frank Rivera, Louis Gonzales and 9TH
er minor members of the gang turned
spiracy, and Riveria when confronted by
Catron with his affidavit denying his own
confession, told how that affidavit had
been forced from him by Catron and the
Borregos in Catron's office.
Juan Gallegos was brought back from
Colorado and he related in detail the eff
forts of Vigil and the Borregos to induce
him to shoot Chavez. The sensation of
the trial came when Gallegos said
Frank Borrego said to me: Mr.. Catron
will give you 500 if you kill Chavez, and
will protect and defend you. He is a
powerful protector. I killed Sylvestro
Gallegos and nothing has been done to
me. Mr.. Catron is my patron
When the case finally came to trial in
April, 1895. the defence attempted to set
up an alibisand the court reeked with the
rankeSt perjury. The four prisoners Were
found guilty of murder in the FIRST de-
gree and sentenced to be hanged.
The case was appealed to the Supreme
Court on a writ of error and q long delay
ensued. Plot after plot to release the
Borregos from jail was Matched, attempt
ed, discovered and foiled.
The murderers were sentenced to be
hanged on the 10th of July, 1895, but the
Supreme Court was unable to hear the
appeal until August, 1896. The Judgment
of the lower court was then affirmed and
the date of the execution set at Septem-
ber "a, 1896.
The case went to the United States Su-
preme Court for writ of mandamus. d.
recting the Territorial Supreme Court to
grant the murderers new trial. The
Washington Court finally dismissed the
appeal, and returned a mandate to the
Territorial Court to re-sentence the muir
derers. They were subsequently re-sen-
fenced to be hanged, but were respited
for sixty days by President Cleveland a
question of the Presidents jurisdiction
having been raised. This placed the final
disposition of the case dn the hands of
President Mckinley, who granted further
respite of ten days, which expired today.
In the meantime President Mckinley and
the Attorney General considered the
cases of the men. and, deciding that they
had been legally convicted, so informed
of Tfax-3 rx-t,r,