The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-03

redoubled their efforts 10 release the con-
vlcted assassins, legally or Illegally. The
plots TO get them Gut Of Jan became IIrs,. SO
the two Borregos 20 the penitentiary Tor
safe keeping. Nobody cared what became
OF Alarid and Valencia. who had con-
feSsed and no efforts were made TO re-
lease them Frank Borrego, the tiger az
the Button gang was the object or all
tho solicitude--a solicitude so marked ana
intense as 20 arouse the suspicion that
Borrego held In his breast secrets known
10 none OF his feliow-assassins-- secrets
that some men were in mortal terror OF
seeing wrung from him when he stepped
upon the Scafold.
The mnrderers were sentenced to be
hanged on the 10th OF July, 1895. but the
supreme court was unable to hear tue ap.
peal until August. 1886 The Judgment or
the lower court was then affirmed and the
date Of execution set at September ~
1886. But Catron did not remit his e.
forts 10 save the confessed murderers by
techn!ca lilies.
The case went TO the United States SUI
preTne court for a writ OF mandate direct
ing the territorial supreme court 20 grant
the murderers a new trial. The vas ming
ton court granted a stay OF thirty days
ard after several postponements nnally
dismissed the appeal and returned a man
date 10 the territorial court TO resentence
the murderers.
While the case was still in the supreme
court early In September the Button gang
was reorganiZed 20 release the Borregos
tie was heard again at night in Santa Fe
One OF Catron's partners was heard TO
say with significant emphasis that the
Borregos would not he hanged, and the
Impression that they would yet escape the
galgows was prevalent.
Frank Borrego told a life convict in the
penitentiary that he did not care whether
the supreme court affirmed the death SEN
tenee or not; that his friends had agreed
to murder the sheriff and the governor be-
fore the sentence could be carried out.
.a-ah an
point sheriff friendly to him and then
he would be safe.
Gang Thoroughly Broken Up.
But the failure OF Catron to save the
necks OF his feIlow-members OF the Button
gang ruined his political fortunes, and
last fail, when he was a candidate for re-
election to congress. he was decislveiy de-
feated. The decent members and papers
OF his own party bolted hts nomination.
which he secured by rough-shod methods.
and he ran far behind his party ticket.
After the defeat OF Catron and the final
determination Of the Borrego case by the
United States supreme court the truth
about many other murders came out.
And 50 the bloody tale Of New Mexican
politics runs. for all these murders nave
their political bearings and have been
issues" n campaigns. The Repubica n
band OF asSassins he's been broken up. and
the Democratic braves are on the same
road. It ia horse and horse between
the two parties 80 far as assasssnations
are concerned and the only ground upon
which the Democrats can base boast of
superior virtue i found IN the fact that
a Democratic administration has brought
70 Justice the criminals OF both sides
that Is. the minor criminals. the tools that
have been used by the statesmen Of the
l territory There is nothing in the past
history or present condition OF New Mex
lean politics and sociology 10 encourage
the hope that the men who are primarily
responsible for these things ever viii BE-
hanged unless they become tncautious
enough 20 be caught prowling within the
borders OF some civilized state