Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-06-05
A PLOT TO KILL
Sheriff Curry Makes a Startling An
nouncement Of a Plan to Muir
der Four Men.
He WAS SLATED FOR DEATH
A Former Convict Revealed the Secret
to Him and He Has Kept
Silent About It Until
Now.

HillsborO, n. M, June 5.-The cross
examination of Captain Brannigan was a
fauitess attempt to show that Major
Llewellyn and others were prosecuting
Lee and GiIliland. The witness, who
would not be shaken after two hours
of fire questions was released. During this
period Brannigan said he could tell some
things that would make Attorney Fall
sick. The latter has for years been a
bitter political enemy of Majo w. H. FL.
Llewellyn, who is the most important
witness of the state yet to come, having
led the searching parties and directed
the investigation of the murder of Col
onel Fountain and his son.
1t was shown by Humphrey Hill that
the deceased feared assassination as a
result of enmity incurred of the parties
just indicted for cattle stealing but the
cause of this fear was then stricken out.
Lusk who is deputy sheriff, then told
OF a conversation with McNew, quoting
the latter as follows: Fountain told
some parties he had no hope of convict
ing us, but he was going to break us up.
1t looks bad to be chased around that
way when he has no hope of convicting
US" Court then adjourned.
The contract referred to by Jack
Maxwell when on the witness stand is
as follows, according to copy shown by
Sheriff Garrett:
"Tularosa, N. NJ, March 6, 1S9s.-
This is to certify that we, the under
signed, agree to pay John Maxwell $2,-
900, in case he gives us information that
will 1o,I <~ ho npviofinn NJ
the murderers of Colonel A. j. Fountain
and son, said money to be due as soon
as conviction is had"
P. +. GARRETT,
G.. G. PERRY.
Charles Lusk testified that McNew
declared enmity for Colonel Fountain
near the place where the trailing party
was batfled by herd of Lees cattle
being driven over the trail of the party
going from Fountains last camp. Nc
New was indicted for completely in the
the murder, but was discharged on mo
tion of the prosecution, which was un
willing to go into the case when the
time for his trial came.
Captain George Curry, former sheriff
of Lincoln county and now sheriff Of
Otero county, has arrived and discloses
information that has been heretofore
we'll guarded concerning a conspiracy
to commit four murders, one OF then
that of Colonel Fountain. He does no
implicate Lee and Gilliland but says
''If the court will admit my evid
ence l can tell who planned th'
| killing and who once vainly la,
in wait for Colonel Fountain befor'
he was killed" Captain Curry said h,
had details from an ex-convict who con
fessed everything, and that the bodie
of Colonel Fountain and son were burlet
in the white sands near the Sacrament,
mountains. Thorough search of thes
sands may disclose the bodies, but it /
feared the drifting nature Of the soil will
bury them too deep, while at the sam
time they might be uncovered by tn
same agency. "Stick Miller, one of m
former prisoners who was pardoned b
Governor Thornton, made confession t.
me which l kept secret said the sheriff
Curry says that he himself, James Z
Cree, OF the V V cattle company, and W
G. Mcdonald of the Carizzo cattle CON
pany, were to be killed, as we'll as Foun
tain.
| Major w. H. Fl. Lie wellyn of Roose
velt's rough riders and former speake
of the territorial house of represents
tives was put on the stand for the prt
secution this morning. He directed tn
investigation of the Fountain murde
case. Colonel Fountain was my person;
friend and never knew more affection
ate family than his" he said, II we
requested to organize the searchin
party and found an abandoned bucl
board; we followed the trail Of fi>
horses from there to Colonel Fountain
last camp, where we found blood and tt
prints of a child's right shoe. We fo
lowed the trail of the five horses until
was obliterated by herd of Lees catt
being driven toward his ranch. On tt
other side of the herd was man ridiI
away very fast. The men measured tt
boot tracks about the blood; one had
heel badly run over on one side and |
counterpart was easy to recognize lat
when found it on the adobe roof
Oliver Lees house. | also recognize
the track made by William McNew
Las Cruces later as one about the BLOOD
camp. In this camp was Colonel Fou
tain's valise, containing copies of i
dictments recently found under h
prosecution, which had been look'
through.
After relating the details Of II
search, Major Llewellyn said he thoug
one of the horses tracked, leading aw,
from the scene of blood, was the san
as one going to Lees ranch.
Attorneys Complain of Reports.
Special to the New Mexican.