The National tribune., 1903-09-24

rlS neSTOS store Idu Deeu DiOhtu Ihto
and the Hernandez people murdered; that
the Sheriff was temporarily absent on duty
in, the. country. Within few minutes
we reached the house of the unfortunate
people; it was already surrounded by big
crowd of men, women and children seeking
access into the building. The front and
side doors were still locked, but the rear
door leading into the yard stood wide open.
and through it we could see inside. where
many people had gathered to gaze upon
the CHASTITY scene which there presented it
self to their eyes. -
Fortunately the Justice of the Peace
arrived Immediately after us. Taking n
the situation at glance, he appointed
forthwith two stout men as Acting or
Deputy Constables, and we proceeded to
clear the house, stationing one man at the
door, who should cause all persons to step
over and not upon the door sill, where we
had notices two plain imprints of bloody
feet. AS soon as we had succeeded in
clearing the premises We proceeded to in
vestigate the situation. 1t was most
herrib,e spectacle We beheld. Evidently,
it being in the hight of the Summer sea.
son, Hernandez and wife had followed
the universal custom of abandoning their
regular bed, where the mattresses then
available were too hot to bear, and had
spread upon the floor large Mexican mat
called ''petate." covered with sheet only,
upon which they would lie cool, if hard,
using another sheet as covering. This bed
ding had. as the situation of the mat still
showed, been spread near the rear door,
which was probably left wide open or
partly open, 20 admit air into the poorly
ventilated room. Hernandez's body lay
about four feet from this door, the lower
part of his body being wrapped in the
folds of the much-crumpled-up sheet that
had served as covering. Near him lay n
heavy club, roughly made of the knotty
mesquite wood prevalent whereabouts. The
upper or thick part of the club showed a
coagulated mass of blood, brains and hair.
The skull was fractured in several places.
several places, and brains had oozcd out.
A deep cnt with sharp, large knife had
severed his jugular vein. and several other
cuts about the region of the heart showed
that he, being very powerful man, had
| probably made many spasmodic move
ments before he becamequite still, and that
these additional cuts were intended to has
ten his death. His whole body and face
were besmeared and despatched with
blood.
The body of the wife lay about in the
middle of the room, covered by long
night robe only. Her skull was also frac-
tured: but she had only one knife cut,
severing the jugular vein. Several bloody
tracks made by bare feet led through the
partition door into the store, where bloody
fngermarks were discovered upon the
counter. on the money drawer and some
other places. The goods upon the shelves
were disturbed but little, but the money
drawer and the receptacle holding the
pawned jewelry were empty. Mr.. VIM
Zeckendorf. who was thoroughly familiar
with the status of the whole business
stated that there were many pistols miss
ing and valuable new saddle and bride
He examined the cash-book, which wa:
posted up to date, which showed that upoI
retiring the cash on hand in the drawer
or till was S37. No large sums were ever
!; kept in the store, but were delivered ant
locked up in the safe of Zeckendor
Bros, as fast as they accumulated.
From all appearances, putting one ant
one together, as the saying is, we came t.
, the conclusion that the crime could no
! have been committed by less than tw'
men, of which the man handling the clul
, must have been powerful individual
e Judging from the force of the blows.
!, was also natural TO suppose that some on
was employed to act as watch against pos
r sible passers-by and incidentally to pre-
vent the Indian girl sleeping perhaps tina
p night in the kitchen near by, from givin
5 an alarm; should she be awakened by til
, possible outcries of the victims. We SUI
D missed correctly as we found when til
r facts We're developed) that watch thu
!. employed would be stationed Mt or upo
: that part of the corral wall which imme
r diately adjoined the upper end of the liz
n ing room, in whose upper corner the sleeE
i ers lay. Hence could be seen everythin
It around the building except the immediat
e front Of it, but people reaching this part @
e the front street could be seen approachin
q it from either direction. Over this part @
s the wall you could also see into the int
= rior of the Hernandez living-roo throug
t the rear door, watch the proceedings Of til
h assassins and send the note of alarr
If it became necessary. We further sui
n missed that the crime was perpetrated
g this manner: That the two Tor more) al
d sassins first aseertained II the Herman
J. dez people were asleep. This they coul
r readily do, as the rear door was undoub
/. eddy open to admit air. Then they enters