Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-05-27
PLOTTED MURDER.
Confession Revealed Awful Crime
Committed Over S Years Ago.
SENT TO ~PENITENTIARY.

Oll0SBOilQCh VI lnt DtlNtl E0NS,
writing from TERRA Amarillo. under
date of May "a, says:
BY the confession of Juan Gallegos
before the grand jury today one of the
most damnable conspiracies to murder
for money and revenge that was ever
brought to light in New Mexico was re-
vealed.
On the morning of March 8. 1897, the
murdered bodies of Silverio Martinez
and Mrs. ID. Sandoval were found lying
together in a house in the little plaza
of Coyote. in this county, in such a
position as to lead to the belief that
they had beer intimate. To add to this
belief the husband of the dead woman
boldly announced that he had come
home late the previous night. and. find
ing the couple together. shot them both
dead. He then got upon his horse,
rode off to Santa Fe and gave himself
up to the authorities. telling the same
story. He was tried at the next term
of the Rio Arriba county district court
for the murder of his wife and ac-
quilted. there being but little testi-
mony but his own, to the effect above
stated.
But by and by it began to be whis-
pered around that there was more TO
the story. Some of Sandoval's neigh
bors in their cups talked rather freely
and told of doings on the night of the
murder which did not come out on the
trial and indicated that the murder of
Silverio Martinez AM Mrs. Sandoval
was not altogether the result of sud
den rage at finding them together. but
more the result of a deliberate con-
spiracy.
These reports coming to the ears of
the authorities. Sandoval was again
arrested and tried for the murder of
the man, Martinez. The evidence was
not very strong, much of it hearsay
and difficult of corroboration. The jury
evidently had but little faith in the
principal witness for the territory. who
claimed to be an eye witness of the
murder, for the verdict was guilty of
murder in the third degree with recon-
mendation to mercy, and Sandoval is
now serving a years sentence in
the penitentiary. For a time the Incl
dent was considered closed by the au-
thorlties. but other reports and rumors
began to reach their ears of a deep
laid conspiracy in which Silverio Mar
tineZ's money was the stake. He had
been a partner of Desiderio Martinez
in a little saloon and store at Coyote,
and was also reported to have consid-
cradle cash besides. At his death
Desiderio coolly took possession of
everything, which he has retained to
this day.
Desiderio was the main witness
against Sandoval on his second trial,
but claimed to have had nothing to do
with the crime. These reports became
so persistent that the authorities again
began their Investigations, with the re-
suit that at different times Juan Gal
llegos ana Manuel Martinez were ar
rested and indicted. The latter has
been out OF the penitentiary but about
two months for stabbing a man. He
has passed much of his life in Jail and
is regarded as a very desperate Grim
inal. Juan Gallegos is a little. timid
fellow and was regarded as a tool OF
the others. Great efforts were made
to get HIM to tell the story of the muir
ders. but without avail.
But today came the climax. Yester-
day Manuel Martinez offered to turn
states evidence and plead guilty to
murder in the third degree. He told a
rambling story of the conspiracy,
much of it evidently false, claiming to
be an innocent spectator. When Gal
legos heard of this and that Manuel
was to be used as a witness against
him he threw up his hands and told
the story of the conspiracy and crime.
According to Gallegos' story. and the
officials are positive ii is true in every
respect. Silverio Martinez came TO
Coyote from Utah with considerable
money. Desiderio Martinez, who had a
store and saloon, found this out and
induced him to become a partner. Sill.
verio paying him $500 cash and show.
ing a large roll of money besides, tell
ing him he had plenty of money. The
sight of so much cash excited Desi
derio's cupidity and he lay awake
nights planning how to obtain posses
sion of it. He called in Manuel Mar
tinez. Ricardo Lobato and Gallegos, all
relatives by marriage, to his assistance
and the plot was Matched. Sandoval
the husband. was made wild with jeal
ousy by repeated stories of the init
macy of Silverio with his wife, until he
was ready for murder for revenge. The
others were to have part of the money
On the night of the murder the I'm
suspecting Silverio Martinez was in
vited to go over to S~andoval's house
With him went his partner, DesideTiC
Martinez, Manuel Martinez. Ricardo
LObato. Juan Gallegos and the hus
band, Sandoval. Arriving at the mouse
SilveriO was induced to go in ahead OF
the others and speak to the woman sit
ting by the fireplace. He did so. Short
ly after the others followed. AS sooI
as they were inside the house, San
doval drew a revolver and shot Sill
veFiO three times. He fell against the
, wall in a leaning position and San
dOval struck him several times on the
head with the butt of his revolver
sp~lashing the wall with blood. Desi
deTio then took the gun from SandO
val and shot Silverio twice more, kill
ing him.
Meantime. the woman, Mrs. Sando
val. sat by the fireplace. She was il
an advanced stage of pregnancy. Re
membering that DesideriO had once
told her that if her husband did not fl
her he would. she knelt before those
~red-handed murderers. put up hel
hands and prayed to them not to xii
bpr