Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1899-05-17
JUAN SILVA SHOT.
A West Side Man Has a Narrow Escape
From Being Killed.

s''h' pN'"k hh'sss
Sunday night X. A. Nicholas shot twice
at Juan Silva, proprietor OF a west side
saloon, one bali taking effect In the right
leg. says the Las Vegas Optic.
IL seems that on Saturday night Mich
olss, who Will be remembered IA the one
armed man who has been running a
wheel OF fortune in the plaza, went iato
Silya's place OF business and lost $40 at
roulette. Last Hight about ) O'clock. he
again uied his luck, buying a dollars
worth Of chips aud losing them oil. Then
he SAID.
ON bet $40 on the black" at the same
time taking out iis money pouch.
Juan silva, who was running the
wheel, said ''sll right"
The ball went round and stopped on
the led, whereupon Nicholas started 10
leave The place. silva followed him, and
~ he vas going out the door grabbed
him by the collar and pulled him into
the room. Silva grabbed a billiard cue.
without any idea Of using II, however. IL
is said Both entered the gam
ing room, whereupOn Nicholas pulled
a 81 doubie-aotiOn revolver and pointing
IT apparently ~ Juan's breast pulled the
trigger, which %hsppened TO strike on the
only empty shell in the gun.
Before he could hie again Silva
grabbed his arm, throw ing the gun
downward and again the gun went oil.
This time the ball grazed the left leg,
striking the upper part OF the right leg
and lodging about six inches above the
knee.
On hearing the shot. Deputy Marshal
Hall, who was sitting In the Plaza hotel
office. hurried into the saloon, Just In
tine TO prevent an onloOker from striking
Nicholas with u heavy stool and arrested
him. turning him over TO Deputy Sheriff
CleOfes Romero. who lodged him In Jail.
The gun Was so close ~ Silva that the
shot burned his clothing and while his
wound IL painful IL IL not serious.
NICHOLAS SENTENCED.
Quick work was done Monday in in.
dieting, trying and sentencing X. A..
Nicholas In the Las Vegas district court
on the charge OF carrying concealed wea.
pOns.
About noon Nicholas was brought be.
fore Justice Mills. an indictment charg-
ing him with discharging concealed wea-
pons was read TO him, to which he plead
guilty and was Immediately sentenced to
'h'N' Jth'' "a 'hc HthihNu'iht ohu opuy
a zine OF $1,000 with commitment until
the tine Ii paid.
This liz the severest penalty prescribed
by the law for dischargiDg weapons and
was probably imposed by the court witha
view to also being sufficient TO cover the
punishment for attempt TO kill, and TO
save further expense In the case.
Nicholas story was about IA follows:
IIA drAnnAI lnNA AtINafa Vl..a .s.l L..t.-
a dollars worth OF chips lost them on the
roulette wheel; then a little later he
started toward the door, remarking: 81
ought to have bet $40 on the black a. the
red has come three times In succession"
This remark, he says, was misconstrued
by Silva, and the ball stopping on the red
just as he left, Silva stopped him and de-
msnded the $40.
One word led to another and Silva hit
him with a billiard cue. (other witnesses
to the affair say Silva did not hit him.
that he then drew his gun, with the re-
suit ~ above stated.