El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-19
NEW MEXICO CONSPIRACY.
Sensational Investigation of Alleged
Attempt to Ruin Catron.

A special to the Globe-Democrat
from Santa Fe, N. NJ, says: The pre-
liminary hearing today before Judge
John r. McFie of Col. Ed dward H.
Bergman, exsuperintendent of the ter
ritorial penitentiary: his son Henry,
his assistant, o. L. Merrill, and ex-
convict T. B. Hart, on the charge OF
conspiracy to accuse Hon. T. b Ca
tron, ex-delegate to congress; ex-city
Marshal Fred Fornoff, of Albuquer-
que; Attorney Horton Moore and John
MOsen becker, of a plot to murder pro-
minent people, has brought to light
the most sensational criminal plot
ever tried in this Territory, If true.
An ex-convict, William H. Garner,
had made q sworn statement, in which
he accused Casron, Fornoff. Moore aud
Mosenbecker of having hired him,
through John H.Williams and Joh E.
Tate, of Missouri, to murder Col Berg
man, ex-Attorney M. B Laughlin, Al
torney J. B. Christ, ex-Gov. Thornton,
Mayor ]. W. Sloan and Ot.ers. The
plot, according to the story, vas
broached in ba n near CRANKY, Mo,
where Tate, Williams, CatrOn and Gar
ner had their fret meeting. AT that
meeting Garner, states ne was asked to
Sheriff Chaves. of Santa Fe
county. Garner was offered 1920 for
the job. He refused il, and it was said
10 have been given to the BOrregos.
Chaves was soon after murdered, and
,he Borregos were hanged. In 1895,
It Williams6eld, Garner was again sp-
preached by Tate and Williams and
asked to Kill the above-namsd New
Mexico officials for $1,000 head.
Garner. apparently consented and
started for New Mexico, but went as
ar as Tucson, Ariz., and from there
20 California, keeping in cOmmunics-
ion with Tate and Williams all this
lime. II 1896 Garner was instructed
10 go to Albuquerque to meet Fornoff,
Who would give him further instru.-
ions. With him, Moore and Moseu-
oecker it was arranged that Garner
hould be sent to the penitentiary on
Inner, at which Bergman, Thornton,
Crist, Sloan and Mclaughlin were to
De together, to poison them with
,trychnlne, which FOrnOff was to get
nto the penitentiary.
Other parties were to be killed by
rain wreckers with dynamite, for
which purpose George Wat.on, OF
was to be hired. He was TO
be assisted by j.. w. and Frank Will
smith, of COrsicRua, Mo-, who had
made the drills with which the posi-
office at Waddell, Mo-, was blown open.
Garner alleges that one of the guards,
named Burns, had smupgled the poison
INTO the penitentiary on pieces of bone,
which Garner was to pick up and Sc
crete in his cell. He was to get 5000
for going to the penitentiary, in addi-
lion to the 1920 per head for each
man he poisoned.
Garner said he had frequent COM
nI0o uni raf~
Santa Fe. Garner snever carried out
he alleged plot, but made the above
statement before leaving the penitep-
siary and as.pfomptly rearrested when
MS time was up, and confned ia the
all where he made second affidavit
1enying all the above statements in
lis first affidavit and accused Berg
mann and Merrill of having concocted
,he first statement and by promising
lim his liberty and q reward, persuad-
I'd him to pass off the first story as his
,wn. Garner was cross examined on
The stand this afternoon, but although
INVOLVING himself in several co0H citing
struck to his story that
lis first staten ent was q fabrication,
devised by Bergman and his assist
Ints, to ruin CatrOn.
Fred Fornoff and Moore denied all
he statement and knowledge of the
or the plot on the stand and
Garner was again placed on the stand.
The examination will be conclude ed TO-
morrow. -Four statements alleged tn
how the evolution of the conspiracy
blot and q bottle of strychnine found at
he penitentiary were placed in evil
lence by the district attorney. The
natter has created an immense sensa-
ion in the territory, may believing
t to be "a sequel of the Chsves-Bor-
egOs murder trial, and the pardon
'ureau" scandal of some years ago
Hart was discharged on noile prosequi
nd will turn states evidence
Small Fire