Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1897-10-27
FRED. HUGHEs' CONVERSION.
He Unbosoms Himself to His Friend,
 M. G. samAniegO.

M. q. samAniegO.
 The Tucson Citizen publishes the
 following letter from Fred. G.
 Hughes:
 GUAYMAs, Sonora, Oct. l6.-M. G. Samnaniego, Esq, Tucson. Friend Samaniego: No doubt you will be surprised to hear from me at this place. But what has been done can not be undone, and God only knows what the future will be. In the past few days l have suffered the pangs of hundred deaths, but l must endeavor to keep a stiff upper lip.
 If 1t was not that I have family to support, no living person would ever read another scratch from a pen of ', mine, but l must live and face it on their account, and see it I can be of assistance to them.
 To begin with, 'Sam," gambling ! has been my ruin. To think of 1t, to within the past few days, the man did not exist that 1 feared to face; now l cannot face the humblest be- ing without shame.
 The Pioneer money is all gone, not a dollar is left. You will won der how I could have done it. We'll l will tell you all. About two years ago the board cut down my salary so 1 could not live on it. I began gambling again to try to make both ends meet, then Jacobs came with his mortgage and threatened to foreclose, which would have left me without a home. I managed to scratch along until this year, when bad luck overlook me and every thing went. When you and Charley came to me about the money, 1 thought to sell my property and try to settle every thing, but 1t would not cover it, and I could not tell my condition to my family, who knew nothing of how 1 stood.
 Thus, misfortunes never come singly." The court house fire came, and that dastardly article in the Star. or course, it was no trouble to clear my skirts of that matter, but it had gone out, and could not see what people would think and say. To stay then, there was no light, no hope for the future. so 1 determined to try some other coun- try, where I could be of assistance to my family and endeayor to pay back the money 1 had misappro- priated, which I shall endeavor 10 do. 1 think I shall go into the Yaqui country. and if there is no chance there, try some other place where there is. believe | will be able in time to pay all, for you know 1 am no idler.
 I have given to Eliza the keys to hand to you. She does not know that have gone. I told her 1 was going to Nogales to hunt a new place, that I had trouble with the supervisors and had quit. The com bination on the safe is---- The other combinations are in the little money drawer in the safe.
 I want to tell you of my move | ments on the night of the fire, that one who will accuse me of that, for | that Is the most vile accusation of | my life. I went down to the office | about 6 o'clock, met a man named Berney, and talked to him a little | while, then went and read the even- ing paper, and went down town with Under Sheriff Taylor, stopped at McNeill's and took drink with him and Leehy; they went towards the postoffice, and 1 went to the Fashion, where I started to play panginge. This was about half past six or a quarter to seven. About 8 o'clock, John Anderson, from Greaterville, came to me to get copy of the laws that were in the office. 1 went with him to the office, gave him the book. and returned with him to the Fashion, and con- tinued with the panginge game. 1 played until about half past ten or a little later, and quit to go home; in going home I passed through the Legal Tender saloon, and Ed. Car penter stopped me for drink; after taking the drink, I started home again and had just reached the JOtuct OL NOuNOnk SlACCl1 oOOUt NOO yards, when I heard a shot fired and the fire bell began ringing. 1 started back towards the saloons to zee where the fire was, and when in front of Drachman's some one hel- owed out to me that the court house was gone up. l then ran over 70 the court house and assisted in putting out the fire and helping -escue the prisoners. It was not nore than four or five minutes from he time l quit playing panginge lntil the shot was fired and the bell .ang. The men who were playing ards with me were and a Toung man named -, who has aro game in the fashion. .
 I make this statement for the 'eason that have enemies that will lot stop at anything, and although nv disgrace is bad enough, God Inows, they will try to paint it ,lacker. I wish you would see all | he parties 1 have mentioned, and -erify what have written; I would ike to be there myself, but what can do now.i
 Good bye, Mariana, when l am ocated, I will write again, and hope will soon be able to pay all.
 Yours, etc,
 FRED. G. HUGHES.