The border vidette., 1899-09-16
MARcELo soTo's LAST SLEEP
His Life Crushed Out by a Train
on the N M & A Railroad.

4;50 O'Clock by the work train Oh the
New Mexico & Arizona railroad a mile
and half north of Nogales and few
hundred feet from his home. Soto was
lying on or between the tracks when
the engine struck him, and his chest
and abdomen were crushed, the left
thigh and arm, right leg and several
ribs were broken. The engine, gon-
dola car and the caboose passed over
the body before the train was stopped.
| The crew placed him on the gondola,
still alive, but he died before he was
taken from the car at Nogales station.
| Undeveloped rumors are to the effect
that the circumstances of Soto being on
the track are suspicious. He was not
struck by the train until 4:50; he told
Enrique Ullmann, a friend, at 2 o'clock
Monday morning near Lulley's saloon,
where he was standing that ne vas
waiting for friend; no one has been
found who saw him from then until the
time his life was crushed out; "a period
of nearly three hours. When found
his watch and whatever money he had
were gone, and finally, a short time
after the body had been transferred to
the waiting room of the station at 5:15
O'Clock, two women went there; one
looked at the body and turned away
weeping. However much all these cir
cumstances may, or may not point to
foul play, nothing of criminal
character was brought out at the in
quest. Nevertheless the young mans
movements between and 4:5O a. m.
are wholly unaccounted for. Where he
was during this period, or what he did
is yet mystery. Where is the missing
watch and money?
Incidentally it may be mentioned
that Francisco Ramirez, a lad on his
way to town with milk saw Soto lying
on the track but be did not stop to in
vestigate. Thomas Bayze, a citizen
who stands high in the community;
whose reputation for honesty is never
questioned, says he knows this to be
true. 1t is probable that young Rami-
rez gave no thought of the danger to
Soto; otherwise he might have saved a
life.
ner empaneled as the jury, Capt. w. J.
EKey, j. r. johnson, w. H. Bush, J.
T. Brickwood, w. E. Baringer, E. A
Wyatt. After reviewing the body, the
jury adjourned to Judge Mix's court
room where the inquest was held.
Thomas Bayze identified deceased,
and testified that he was his brother
in Ia
him. He said the last person who saw
Soto was Francisco Ramirez, a lad who
told of having seen Soto on tile track
at daylight, when on his way to Noga-
les to deliver milk. He did rot go to
the man on the track.
DR.. F. H. Weiies made a superficial
examination of the body. The external
wounds were deep cut over the right
eye; the scalp over the Uranium WAS
badly laceratcd, but the skull was not
fractured; The left arm, left thigh and
right leg were broken. The primary
cause OF death, however, were internal
injuries in chest and abdomen. No in
dication of gunshot or knife wounds
was found. The injuries were received
while deceased was alive. Damian
Gastelum and Enriq ne UIlmau gave
similar testimony tothe effect that they
and others saw Soto at different times
between p, m, Sunday and = a. M,
Monday, and that he did not drink.
AT the last named hour he told Ull-
mann that he was waiting for friend,
but did not say who. Both witnesses
said Soto was sober and had not been
drinking.
/. L. Thomas, roadmaster was IN the
cabOose of the worktrain, and testified
that he examined the ground at the
point where Soto was struck and could
find no Indication of foot prints other
than those OF deceased. The ground
had been seftened by Il recent rain, he
said, but he saw no evidence that Soto
had been carried there. 1t view OF
this evidence, the deduction IS tenable
that if Soto had been drugged he was
able to walk TO the pace ofthe accident !
where he may have fallen in a stupor.
The inquest was ad djourned until J p.
m. At that hour j. n. Reddock,
engineer; w. Fl. Clark, 6remen; S !
Long, conductor and w. A. Cham ber-
lain testified in the order named. The
engineer and fremeu gave slIniiar tes
timony. The former said he was un-
able to prevent the accident; that the
body was rolled by the train distance
OF more than 81 teet. The brakeman
said he helped to carry Soto to the car
aud that he died before the train ar