El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-16
JOHN KEETON
EXTRADITED
Turned Over To Judge WAL
thai This Morning By
Mexican Officers.
ExTRADITED ON CHARGES
Of Murder and Fe1OnOuS Theft-The
Case Anteddted the Signing OF
the Last Treaty..

John Keeton, charged under three
indictments for murder. felonious
theft and completely in the Coleman
hold up, vas extradited this morpiog
aud turned over to the American au-
lhorities a. shortly after ten O'Clock.
fed by the Mexican authorities that
KeetOn would be turned over to the
United States officers today.
Sheriff Knox of Coleman county had
been the officer designated by the gov
eenor to receive the prisoner, but he
not being here and to avoid any delay
Valentin Onate, the jefe politico,
agreed to accept Judge Wathsl's re-
ceipt for the prisoner.
Wathal, accompanied by Will Ten
Eyck and his deputy, drove to the
middle of the Santa Fe bridge and
received the prisoner from the jefe
politico, who was accompanied by q
number of Mexican officers. Keeton's
personal effects and twenty nine dol
lars in Mexican money was received
with the prisoner.
Keeton was extradited for murder
and felonious theft of sheep, although
no written state ment as to the grounds
on which he was extradited has react
ed Judge Walthal, and he is of the
opinion it has been forwarded to the
governor.
Keeton's case is peculiar in some re-
spects, for he WAS extradited for q
crime which antedated the signing of
the treaty.
Judge Walthal in speaking ef the
case this morning saio:
st took a great deal of time to
furnish the Mexican government with
evidence on which the state relied.
We adopted evid epce of tb ose who
we're tried there for the same offence,
and applied it in this case, of course
making many additions"
KeetOn was seen at the county Jail
and refused to make statement
covering the crimes he is accused, sa, ga
aver, he talked of his arrest and his
treatment while in the Juarez Jail
''FOr the time that 1 was in the jail [
nearly starved to death, and many
lines wished for q good lot of bacon
"Yes, 1 have always been willing to
'eturn to the United States, but tie
Mexican authorities refused to turn
ne over.
"When 1 was arrested by John Mat
aiken back that night, but they re-
used. 1 would have come voluntarily
Lud wanted to be extradited.
1.-THE jefe politicO promised TO re-
ease me in two or three days but he
lid not keep his promise, ana then
Consul Kepdrick called and said my
case would be settled in not over Is
lays. so 1 waited patiently, but it was
II days before 1 was ever brought into
court and some of the questions they
asked me were ridiculous.
''When 1 was ARE ted l was on my
way from CorraliLos to chihuahua and
had been in Mexico for over eight
and had railroaded on the Chi
hua and Pacific.
They can hardly charge me with the
Coleman holdup, as I was never in the
1 have always resided in
Sutton county, where have been stock
raising for years. L have two brothers,
3 sister and q mother living there, and
If am acquitted 1 shall 60 back there
to live. l am anxious to stand trial
and hope Sheriff Knox will not delay
in coming for me.
Keeton is a large man, we'll built,
with a heavy dark mustache and ap-
pears to be about 40 years old.