The Alamogordo news. (Alamogordo, N.M.) 1899-1912, 1900-09-27
Was Developed at the Hearing Of
the COrOner's Jury in the
Harper Murder Case.
SEGUNDINO STOGDON IS SUSPECTED
Arrested Near Tularosa and Bound Over
By Justice Gillettee to Await the
Action Of the Grand Jury.
Bail Furnished.

As was mentioned In the NEWS last
week, Catarina Harper, was foully muir
dered between 3 and 4 o'clock Thursday
afternoon, September 20, at their home
on Virginia Avenue, between Sixth and
Seventh streets.
The crime was first discovered by two
Mexican women who went to the
Harper house for the purpose of collect
ing some money for some grapes that
Mrs. Harper had purchased from them
that morning. The women went to the
front door aud raped, but received no
response. They then went to the back
door and raped again. Failing this
time, they opened the door and entered
the house, where they discovered the
murdered woman lying at full length on
the floor of the front room, with her
feet close to the bed and her head near
the wall. Under her head was pool of
blood which came from the mouth.
The scared women called Mexican
man, instructing him to run for Harper
and to tell him that his wife was dead
or dying. Harper was found at his
work, and Immediately left for his home,
where he found his wife dead.
Justice Gillette at once empanelled a
coroner's jury, which, after the exami-
| N tiop of SovaroI uyitnooooe and tbo
premises, rendered a verdict of death
from 3s calibre revolver, shot by the
hands of some person or persons un-
| known.
At the examination 1t developed that
the woman had not been dead more
than an hour before she was found.
The ball entered the left breast taking a
downward course, and DIR. Waldsch-
midt cut 1t out of the back. The bed
was disturbed as though some one had
been lying on it, and the pillow was
blood stained. The supposition is that
the woman was shot while reclining on
the bed and that in her last agony she
arose and fell on the floor in the posi-
tion in which she was found One of
her hands was powder burned as was
also her clothing and flesh, showing
that the weapon had been placed close
to the body before being fired.
Several of the witnesses examined
stated that they had seen man rum
ming from the Harper house between
the hours of three and four, the after
noon the crime was committed and that
he had stopped several times and looked
back. The man seen was found to be
one SecundinO Stogden, half breed,
and warrant for his arrest was i'm
mediately issued.
The murdered woman was nineteen
years of age. John Harper. her hus-
band, is hardworking and industrious
man, and respected by every one that
knows him. He had raised the girl,
that afterwards became his wife, and
was thoroughly devoted to her. Her
violent death was great shock to him,
and he has the sympathy of many
friends in this city, and also in Santa
Fe, where he lived for sometime before
coming here.
Stogden, the suspected man, was ar
rested near Tularosa and brought to
this city Saturday afternoon. He was
given preliminary hearing Monday
and Tuesday before Justice Gillette,
who bound him over to await the action
OF the next grand jury. Bond WAS
placed at 81 900 which was Immediately
furnished.
I/Nothing developed at the hearing ex-
tcept that from the testimony taken, it
appears that for some time past Stogden
had been intimate with the woman.
Also that the day before the crime was
committed, the husband of the deceased
rad taken letter from the postolfice
addressed to his wife, which he opened
The contents were to the effect that the
writer, Stogden, would call at the house
Thursday and take her away with him.
No attention was paid to this matter as
Harper knew that the man had been
paying considerable attention to his
wife, and he thought these attentions
were obnoxious to her. Stogden also
stated that he had been at the Harper
house Thursday afternoon between the
hours OF three and four o'clock, but
that when he left there, the woman was
alive and well. He denies all know
ledge of the crime and asserts his In.
nocence.