The border vidette., 1903-06-27
HOW SWENSEN DIED
True Story of the Tragedy at AtiI, Sonora, Mexico. by AIejandrO Suarez = Newton Brown in Jail.

Tuesday morning AleJandro Suarez, book keeper for Ramon Vasquez, &
 wealthy and highly respected merchant
 of Nogales. arrived in Nogales from
 Atil, Sonora, Mexico, covered with the blood of Anthon Swensen, who was
 shot and instantly killed at that place on the evening Of June l6th by New ton Brown, his partner. who is now in jail at Altar, charged with murder. The story of MT. ouarez who went
 from Nogales with Swensen as an in terpreter Is as follows, and can be de-
 pended upon as authentic:
 Swensen engaged Mir. Suarez to go with him as interpreter. We left No gales night of June l5, arrived at Santa Ana at l:l5. Did not see
 Brown, whom he had often seen in Nogaies. Morning of l6th Brown showed up with team. Started at 6:l5
 for Atil, small town nine miles from Tubutama When out of Santa Ana
 Brown secured an extra horse and saddle which was ridden in turn by Suarez, Brown and Swensen as far as
 town of Bajio when lunch was had.
 At o'clock the journney was re. stunned the extra horse being ridden as in the forenoon. About , o'clock Brown took a double barrel shotgun from wagon and commenced shooting
 rabbits. Before entering Atil Brown got into the back of wagon with gun in one hand and rope leading the horse in the other. It was about dark now and Suarez, who was driving
 had trouble in finding road. When
 1t was found and the end of their journey reached, the horses stopped and Brown said, "Here we are;" at the same moment the gun in his hands
 was discharged, the entire load of shot striking Swensen just above the car, blowing his bralns out Without making a sound he fell over on the drivers shoulder, dead. So sudden and unexpected was it all that Suarez did
 not realize what had happened until
 he felt himself covered with the dead
 mans blood and heard Brown say,
 "Alex, why are you so serious" Then Suarez went for the authorities who placed both he and Brown under arrest and took charge of Swensen's remains, which were buried the next
 day at Atll, but not until Brown had, with the permission of the judge, taken two pictures of his dead partner
 Late in the afternoon of June l1th
 Brown and Suarez were taken to Al tar, where on the morning of the 18th another investigation of the killing of
 Swensen was made by the authorities.
 Brown claimed that the shooting was
 accidental, caused by the hammer of
 his gun being pulled off by the horse
 pulling on the rope by which he was
 being led, when the team suddenly
 stopped.
 l On the 18th both Suarez and Brown .were released, but Brown was made to
 put up & bond of $500 to stand trial
 for being the cause of the accident. ! Then o. B. Steen, Los Angeles min-
 ing man of means and other AmerI- ! cans at Altar took n hand. Teie- ! graphed American Consul at Nogales, ! Mexico, to have Gov. of Sonora iD-
 vestigate killing of Swensen. Late ! last Saturday Brown was re-arrested : charged with the murder of Swensen, 1 on an order from the Prefecuo of Al tar district. Brown Is now in jail. 1 There is no doubt as to the identity
 of Newton Brown.
 Swensen's personal effects, at tine
 request of Suares. were taken posses
 sion of by the judge at Altar.