El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-28
MEXICAN JUSTICE

The Men In Custody Under
Military 6uard.-ContraCtor
Smiths Story of the Crime
How Smith Escaped.-The LEX
ecutlon Will Probably Take
Place at the Mines.
Special Correspondence of the HERALD.
SAN PEDRO Station, Mexico, Feb. 26.
Your correspondent just returned
! from trip TO the San Pedro mines,
the scene of the recent tragedy enact
ed at the Corralitos mine ia which
Contractor Wilson was robbed and
cruelty murdered while his partner, j.
II. Smith, fellow contractor, barely
escaped with his life.
Juan Gonzales, the man apprehend-
ed and arrested at Juarez, was brought
here yesterday to be transferred to the
mines. A military guard OF ten Mex
officer. all heavily armed, met the pri-
soner on arrival of the train and the
accused was transported in Iwago-
nette with the mounted cav-- ---l. "a
either side. to what mey be bis last
place on this earth.
The mining camp today is virtually
transformed into q military reservation,
the community being urder martial
law as il were. Soldiers fit about
miners and Mexicans gather In groups
and solemnly discuss the C ime and the
punishment that will be mstad out to
the murderer, or murderers, while at
the adobe house. set aside for the mill
itary and jefe politico, 1.-The prisoners are
being tried, and the i'm patient outsid-
ers are eagerly awaiting the verdict.
In sort of q tuunelied affair be-
meath q great rock J. DeSota, the man
"a
and an armed sentinel observes his
every movement. Gonzales was taken
out of his cell in another portion OF the
camp and placed in the opening among
thirty other Mexicaus. DeSotG was
instructed to pick out among the batch
of Mexicsns, the man that was in his
company the night of the killing OF
Wilson and the man that robbed and
murdered the contractor. DeSota un-
hesitatingly pointed out Coma es, who
trembled like an aspen leaf when the
Identification was made complete. De-
Sofa made a clean breast of the affair
in a confession but claims i. was Con
zales and not he that did the shooting
as he had no revolver on his person, at
that time. He admits, however, that
he carried knife. Gonzales on the
other hand continually denies all
knowledge of the affair and claims he
does not know DeSota.
1t looks gloomy for Gonzales, as
several persons around the mines testl-
fed that Gonzales was seen about the
camp on several occasions, and was
missing the night OF the killing.
J. II. Smith, the fortunate and ner-
Wy contractor who was with Wilson,
when the Mexicans held them up, who
saw his partner murdered before his
very eyes and under went a thrilling
himself to save his own
life, returned this morning from the
where he w.s with the
posse, running down the remaining
bandit who is still at large. Mr..
Smith is a typical westerner and has
spent much time on the frontier. He
relates his exciting adventure as
"Wilson and myself, "ssid he; "~ere
in the company store making pur-
chase. l had $3lO in bills and some four
or five dollars loose in my vest pocket.
Wilson carried something like $317 1
believe at the time. We pulled out
our bills and paid the clerk for our
goods and started back TO the mines,
which are about half mile around the
bend.
at was then or 8 o'clock at night
and as we left the store, three Mex
leans followed in our wake. We paid
no atteE tion to them whStever, think
ing probably they were employed at
the mines and were on their way over.
AS we neared the bend the tallest OF
the three men jumped in front OF Will
son. flashing revolver in his face,
while one of the other men was in the
rear with knife clutched in his hand.
"'We want your money quick de
the tall man, aud with that he
proceeded to rifle Wilson's pockets. l
knew Wilson carried a revolver and l
said, Wilson, get out your gun quick
and give it to him.
"At that moment the bandit snapped
his pistol and Wilson fell dead. The
man with the k ife then devoted his
to me while the tall man was
Wilsoa at my feet. He
held the point of the kuife to my
breast, and as 1 was uuarmed L threw
up my hands. 1t was then that the
OF MY partner also begin pill
fering my pockets. They dug up the
S3I0 l had done up in notes, and in the
pale of the moonlight, the two began
to wrangle over the disposition OF my
The short fellow was directly
in front OF me. This was an opportuni-
ty for my life, as they certainly would
have killed me, and l was quick to act.
81 shot out my right arm and struck
the man a terrific blow, throwing him
against his partner in crime, and the
Two fell in a heap as though Ii thunder
bolt struck them. | then retraced my
footsteps and at break neck spoed
was on my way TO the mines. When
about forty yards away the sssassins
ired at me, but luckily the shot went
" Uide of it's mark.
81 gave my testimony this afternoon
and was asked to identify Gonzales.
While cannot saw positively that lie
the man, still his height and clothes
answer very well. AS TO his features
am in doubt as the tall man on tho
Ii nht of the hnln-nn EnN Il hl-nlE q