El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-20
Her Attorney Confidently Ex-
poets To See Her Free
At An Early Day
ONLY ONE WITNESS
To Her Husbands Alleged
Dying Statement, When
There Should Be Two, And
This May Save Her.

The trial OF Mrs. Rich closed yester-
day evening in the court of letters in
Juarez. Nothing now remains except
for Judge Gonzalez to render his deci-
sion which may be done at any time
within eight days.
Court convened yesterday afternoon
at o'clock for the purpose OF hearing
the arguments OF the attorneys. The
state of chihuahua unlike the United
States, and many states of the Mexican
repub bile, such as the Federal District,
Jalisco, Veracruz and some others,
conducts criminal trials behind closed
doors.\ But while nominal secrecy was
served and the curious public gen
nerally excluded from the room there
was little difficulty in getting the main
facts of what transpired.
About dozen American men and
women, attracted by the announcement
that the famous trial was about toclose,
went over to Jusrez in the hope of
witnessing the proceedings but were
disappointed and denied admission
This is in accordance with the law
which is said to be very strict aud to
allow the presiding judge no discretion
hut it was seemingly useless precau
ton.
In Juarez the courts never open in
the afternoon until o'clock and short
ly after that hour Secretary Vargas
opened up the office. Attorneys Rich
ardson and Balderama arrived little
before O'Clock. Attorney Rich ardson
carried an immense roll of closely writ
ten foolscap paper, which he handed
to the secretary, whose Office CORES
ponds to that of the district clerk here
This comprised the testimony taken
for the defense. AS it was handed in
an official who was standing nearby
remarked to a HERALD reporter:
THAT looks like a mighty good de-
Tease. l don't know anything about it
except what l eau sea at a glance, but
from the amount of testimony there, 1
rather think it ought to be pretty
strong"
A few minutes before o'clock Judge
Gonzales entered and after greeting
the lawyers aud attendants ordered
the chief OF police to bring in the
defendant.
Mrs. Rich came in looking very pale
and wan. She is still lame from the
effects of her fall last September and
limped painfully. She greeted all
present with a smile however, and all
rose as she came in. She shook hands
with her attorneys and Judge Gonzales
and then all who were admitted pro-
ceeded to the judges chambers in the
rear of the secretsry's Office where the
hearing was to take place and the
door was closed.
Under the law the attorneys argu-
ments were submitted in writing and
covered eighteen pages of closely
written foQlscap. All this had to be
read over and translated into English
for the benefit of Mrs. Rich. 1t was
prepared by Attorneys Richardson and
Bslderams jointly and was admitted
by all present to be q very strong argu-
ment for the defense.
Mrs. Rich listened with the utmost
ey Richardson proceeded tears gather
ed in her eyes and poured
down her cheeks. Then as
it proceeded further she began to
brighten up and then to smile. Before it
concluded she WAS seemingly perfect
ty contented and several times inter-
rupted with expressions of approval.
"You are my only FRIEND" she said to
Mr.. Richardson. "All the rest were
against me-
The attorneys made their strongest
attack on her husbands dying state
ment The admission of this as evid-
ence was objected on legal grounds.
AS will be remembered it was taken in
this city at the Hotel Dieu
by w. l.. Nicholson with
no other witnesses and was not certi-
fed to by notary public or other
official. The attorneys held that under