El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-18
ANTONIO FLORES
MUST DIE
The Attempt Of Witnesses to
Prove Him Insane Fails
WHAT PHYSICIANS SAY
Nothing To Indicate Insanity And
the Defendant In the Best OF
Hea1th.''

MUMMY ~ lHOICdlC 1HSouIty huu
the Defendant In the Best OF
Hea1th.'
The last hope of Antonio Flores,
condemned to death on January for
murder, is gone. The attempt to
prove him insane before the jury on
Saturday in Judge Walthall's court
| failed. The jury found him sane and
be will be hanged.
Atthe afternoon session of the trial
Antonio Vera, relative of Flores.
was placed on the witness stand. He
stated that he had known Flores for
many years. He corroborated the
| statements of Flores two sons that
Flores is subject to nervous fits, during
which he strikes himself, tears his
clothing and breaks chinaware over
his head. Flores brother worked at
the smelter, where Vera worked. The
brother frequently showed symptoms
of insanity and burned himself in the
fire. The witness testified that
Flores grandfather was insane,
Louis N. McEvoy, fellow prisoner
with Flores in the county Jail, testified
that once Flores got hold of a piece OF
iron aud attempted to beat himself on
the head with it. The witness said he
took the iron away from Flores. Flo
res tried to get it again and McEvOy
had to call for Henry Heap to help
him.
Flores was then placed on the stand
in his own behalf. He said that he Is
50 years old and was born in Durango,
Mexico. He said his fathers mind
was affected and once he went around
for three months with a sheep skin on
his head. He told about his brother
being crazy aud getting lost once.
Flores stated that his own health had
been seriously affected since the death
of his wife seven years ago. He had
pains IN his stomach which went up in
to the back of his head. He then lost
consciousness. He did not know what
he did except what others told him
afterward. They told him that he tore
his clothes and beat himself. He found
his hand bruised but did not know how
it was injured.
He said he had loved Ramona Wis
Gala, and has heard that she Is now
dead. She had promised to marry
him. He did not remember meeting
her on the 10Th of March, 1899. and
He said that he was very drunk that
dav and could remember nothing.
Francisco Flores, sister of the
defendant, testified substantially as
the others had in regard to the fits of
mental alteration.
The state introduced no evidence
except part of the records of the
former trial, showing T. hat Flores
stabbed his sweetheart three times
and then ran away.
The physicians retired for consulta-
tion after the conclusion of the testi-
mony and when they returned DR..
Stevenson took the stand. He defined
insanity as 'any departure from q
normal state of mind" He said that
he and the other three physicians,
Drs. Cantwell, Samaniego and Alimas.
had examined into the defendants
mental and physical condition at the
jail during the past week and he had
found nothing to indicate insanity or
that the defendant is in the best of
health. From the evidence he would
say that there was hereditary epilepsy
in the Flores family. Flores malady
was apparently that form of epilepsy
known as petit NAL.
DR.. Ssmaniego testified that he
thought Flores to be suffering from
epilepsy and melancholia. He could
not say that the defendant is insane
but his actions Indicate mental dis
order.
DR.. Cantwell said that judging from
the evidence introduced Flores Is sub
ject to temporary fits of insanity. If
the evidence submitted were not true
ne "lRuU nave ulu6r6QD OPINION.
On cross-examinat alton the doctor said
that from his own examination he
could not say that Flores Is insane.
DR. Alimas said that from the evil
dence Introduced Flores is suffering
from mental arrangement. He said
that Flores had answered some of the
questions propounded to him correctly
and others absurdly. Asked if he
believed Flores did not know the con-
sequence of his acts, he said, 81 am
not sure.'
The jury was not out long. Its ver-
dict had no pronounced effect upon
the defendant, Flores.
Flores came into the court room in
the morning with long beard and
hair. He looked like very old man.
In the afternoon he appeared with his
hair cut and his beard shaved, look
ing twenty-five years younger.
Mexican Consul Mallen was in court
and attended closely the evidence and
arguments.