The copper era., 1903-02-26

: 0LD-TIME SKETCHES

Iru,I,,u ur,,r,,Ii
Sometime in the year OF 1886 there
came TO Sonora, Mexico, an old man
with blackboard and span OF good
mules. He was looking up and buying
cattle for shipment to California, and
also interested himself in finding 2
good mine for large syndicate, he
had checks 10 the amount OF =, 600.
he would go from one cattle ranch &c
the other and at the same time ex'
amined the many mines that came in
| his way. One day on his journey ne
P overlook white man carrying a bun
/ die Of blankets. AS the Old man was
alone he invited the stranger to take
a seat beside him in the uckboard.
| This was near the little town of San
/ Ignacia, not far from Magdalena. 1t
| got TO be quite late one afternoon
when they made camp, and that was
the last time the old man was seen
alive, but the stranger turned up in
/ Hermosillo few weeks after that
with the mules and blackboard. He
proved TO be miner by the name OF
, Frank O Brian. He was on big spree
and staid drunk for many days. He
had spent about $500 in Mexican silver
and had sold the team and outfit. AS
the trader was missed a searching
party went out to lind if they could
find the poor old man. Governor
Louis Torris took extra pains 10 put
| trailers on O'Brian's track, and found
where he had tried TO sell or negotiate
the checks that the old man carried.
! The trailers took the tracks made
by the mules and buckboad and they
led them to the camp where OBrian
and the trader were seen together and
after cutting away and removing the
brush they found the old mans body,
and the AK that had killed him, so
Mr.. O'Brian was arrested for murder
and found guilty. 1t takes good
long time to execute an American
before a high court and the proceed
ings are slow. But O'Brian lay in the
Hermosillo prison nearly two years.
was in Hermosillo with Mr.. Hazel
from Stcavens Point, Wisconsin.
And we took in the sights, we visited
the Jail and Mr.. O'Brian put up a very
pitiful story, and our tourists became
much Interested The attorney and
went over and saw the governor and
had an interview, the answer TorriS
made to the lawyer was this: Have
you investigated any of the testimony
American houses in Hermosillo. |
think you have only heard Frank
O'Brian's story. Now, ! have looked
over every ground in this trial and |
cannot see my way clear to do any
thing in his favor. But | will do this:
You go with a petition to all the
Americans that reside in Hermosillo
and If you find five that are respec-
table citizens that will sign their
names to his release will try and help
him oIt, but that man is murderer
and his doom is sealed" But after
Hazelline went the rounds of the bust
ness men he gave it up, and we re-
turned to NOgales. Frank OBrian
was taken out at i o'clock in the
morning. His hands were tied behind
him to a bull ring set in an adobe wall.
y hood was pulled over his head and
\ lie of soldiers took aim, some were
blanks, but three shots were sure and
he died the miserable death that he
deserved. rs am writing this story
a man is sitting by who saw the execu-
ton. This is not a moral story, but
all murdercrs get there. Frank
O'Brian was an Irish-Amerlcan, a fine
healthy looking young man. | don't
understand how one who is in his
right mind could do snch an act, for he
was sober when he did the deed. If
such a man can be redeemed | don't
think much Of such teachings, hut you
may have another view of it.
G. b. 5.