Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-03-10
TELLEs WILL SWING.
Murderer Of Tailor Epitacio GalIe0os(
Jail Breaker and Bad Man, to Die
on GalIows April Third.

-
There was an impressive scene in
Santa Fe Saturday afternoon at 2 o.
clock when Jose Telles, indicted for
the murder of fEpitacio Gallegos and
for the murder of a man at Kennedy,
stood before Judge McFfe on his plea
of guilty to murder in the first degree,
to receive his sentence. Telles was
one of the two men who escaped after
numbering Epitacio Gallegos, the jail
| er, and after his Indictment for that
| crime entered a plea of guilty. The
| court room was crowded when he was
brought in. He Is still slightly lame
from his experience while trying to
| escape and he was not shackled in any
way. As soon a court was opened.
Judge McFie ordered him TO stand up
and receive his sentence. Tellcs at
FIRST did not appear To be affected In
any way. hut as the court proceeded
with his arraignment Of him and his
career. he grew paler n paler. and
when the final death sentence was pro-
nounccd all color left his face.
Judge McFie reviewed the crime for
which Tclles was confined in the jail
here and then said that he had con-
ceived he idea OF escape. Judge Nc
Fee then said:
You took the pailer and locked him
securely in a cell. You ook the keys
to the Jail and could have gone with
out killing Epitacio Gallegos. You re-
fused to leave the Jail ever to the plea
of the jailer that o had locked in
the cell that you should leave and not
harm Gallegos. You refused to go. You
waited half an hour for Gallegos and
you said you would wait for him. 1t is
evident, in the face of your plea OF
guilty and from your conduct that you
, intended to kill him. You took the life
!, of one Of the best citizens of Santa Fe,
. of Santa Fe and county and Territory.
He was a law abiding and i~noffensive
| citizen and yet you shed his blood de-
iHberately. Ordinarily the duty which
devolves pom this court would be ex-
ceedingly disagreeable and one which
would tax the court to the utmost. But
) on the other hand, in this case, the
) punishment is just. You took the life
, of Epitacio Gallegos in a dastardly
manner. Your case is that of one who
has adopted the life OF crime and has
followed it t o the end. II there is any
! young man in the hearing of my voice
: who has ever contemplated or is con
I templating adopting the life OF crime
let him see in this case that he ought
! to u and hesitate. This sad case
. should be a wholesome example TO
. such an one. This is a legitimate case OF
adopting such a life. He who sheds
: mans blood, by man shall his blood
: be she'd, These words were spoken
hundreds of years ago and they are as
. true to-day as when spoken. am sor'
! nv that you must SO end your life. The
law is supreme and the lives OF the cit
izens of the Territory and of their ON
munities must be protected. 1t is sac
for you that your life must be taken
:. You seem to realize that you have
gone far enough in your life OF crime
. and that you are prepared to end it
This is indeed a sad and pitiful spec
tacle. When you entered your plea o
guilty asked you if you understood
? the penalty of death might be impoesc
: upon you and you said that you did
: again asked o the same question
and again you said that you realized
what you were doing. You seem tt
(. feel that you have reached that poin1
. of your life where you feel that your
blood should be taken for the BLOOD
that YOU have she'd. Such shall be thu
case. 1t is the sentence of this cour
: that you be remanded to the custod!
of the sheriff Of Santa Fe county a
be held by him in secure confinement
until Friday, April 3rd, and that OF
said day you shall be taken by tn
sheriff to some convenient place ant
there between the hours of 8 a. m. ant
4 D. m. be by him hanged by the necl
> until you are dead, and may God hav'
4 mercy on our soul"
Of Telles said nothing in reply n wa
d at once taken back to the jail.-Nev
= Mexican.
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