Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-05-16
Elk SuwrnGndent I. 4. Bergman, His Son, Henry and EzAssStant Superintendent o. L.
Merrill Appear in Court and Have a Preliminary Examination

sition of a trusty in the prison yard.
He was instructed to urn all packages
of poison over to Barney Spears by
and Colonel Bergman.
During the time the poisoning scheme
was being evolved Garner was placed
in the kitchen and garden service for
the reason that the matter could be
talked over without fear of being over
heard. He had a few conversations
with Henry Bergman, in which the lat
ter always spoke words of encourage
ment to him. When he was putting on
citizens clothing at the expiration of
his term Merrill told him not to pay any
attention to the warrant which would
be served on him in the office of the
prison; that everything was all right.
Colonel Bergman and Merrill were
both present at this conversation. Mer-
rill would come to see him every day or
two at the county Jail and bring him
canned fruit, and Judge Laughlin
would look in to see him frequently.
THE ORIGINAL AFFIDAVIT.
At this point the following affidavit
was introduced:
Territory of New Mexico, County of
Santa Fe, IS:
William H. Garner first being duly
sworn, deposes and says that his real
nam is William Fl. Garner; that he
was convicted of the crime of obtain
ing money under false pretenses in the
district court of the county of Bernalil-
10, and that he was convicted and SEN
fenced to the territorial ~penitentiary at
Santa Fe. N. M, under the name of G.
H. Schultz, which name he assumed;
that during the year of either 1891 or
1892, when he lived in Newton county,
Mo-, where he owned some property, he
was approached by John H. Williams
and by him requested to join a gang
which Williams represented to him to
be a 'money-making scheme;;" that
after the first conversation Williams
and one John e. Tate, who is a cousin
of mine, sent for me, asking me to come
to where they lived, near CRANKY, Mo-,
the place where they lived being about
one mile from Cranky; that at first
they, Williams and Tate, gave him
hints of what business they were en-
gagged in, and then he grew suspicious
that they were engaged in serious mat
ters; hat at Williams place they sug-
gested to me that l go into a money
making scheme with them. They pro-
posed to me that should put UP $4,000
and join them, and that l would make
a great deal of money, perhaps 81, 900, :
900; that in the same conversation, they
stated to me that the So, 1000 which l was
to put up was a guarantee that / should
remain true to them; that about four
months after I was first approached by
Williams and Tate 1 was sent for by
them, and when 1 reached the barn of
Williams I vas introduced to Mr.. Cat
ron. l was introduced to him as a cattle
buyer; before I reached the barn, and
before I met Mr.. Catron, I was told by
Williams and Tate that the main man
in the gang would be there; that his
name was Catron, and that he would
pretend to be a cattle buyer, so as to
prevent Williams folks and the men
around his place from suspicioning
what vas going on; that when he
reached Williams house 1 asked Will
liams' wife where the men were? They
told mo of tho harm with O oottla h,,x,
err; then l went to the barn, and was in
PRODUCED to a large man by the name Of
Mr.. Catron; that then Williams stated,
This is the gentleman / have been
telling you about" Then Mr.. Catron
stated: II suppose you understand
what we wish to accomplish? 2" I stated:
MIR. Williams has been telling me
some" Mr.. Catron then said: What
ever Mr.. Williams agreed to and said, I
will back" Mr.. Catron then stated:
That there was a man by the name of
Chaves at Santa Fe, New Mexico, VIII om
he wanted to kill; I then made some in
quiries about the matter, and I sugges-
ted where there might be danger in kill
ling Chaves. Catron then looked wor-
ried, and drew Williams off about four
feet from where l was. Catron then
said to Williams (I could hear all their
conversational At last Catron said to
Williams: John, 1 guess I had better
get you to do the Chaves work." I can
get it done by the Borregos for about
$500, but I believe I would rather give a
little more, and get a man from here
(Missouri) to do the work; that when
Mr.. Catron was leaving, he said to me
whatever Mr.. Williams and myself
to he would back up; that i'm
mediately after Catron left, Williams
asked me to go to Santa Fe and kill
.haves, and stated that he would pay
me 1920; that Chaves was a son of a
bitch out there robbing the people and
holding the Office of sheriff and that was
the only way to get him out. I objected
to this, and Williams persuaded me for
quite a while, and then Williams infor-
med me that nothing more would be
done and there was no further agree
made. Williams then said there
was much other work to be done, in
the holding up of a Frisco train
between Aurora and Springfield, and
his was afterwards attempted, as / was
informed by Williams and Tate. Also
hey endeavored to have me help them
blow up a safe in the United States post
'ffice at Waddell. I played sick and got
tut of this job, but the safe was blown
pen, I having seen 1t afterwards. That
n the spring of 1895 at Williamsield
bout June, Williams and Tate told me
some fellows in New Mexico by the
lame of a Governor by name of Thorn
on, a mar by the name of Crist, a mar
" the name of Laughlin, Bergman