Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-04-11
SAVED FROM
THE HANCMAN
Acting Governor Reynolds Com.
mutes Death Sentence Of
Vigil to Life Imprisonment.
.ExTENUATlNC FACTS
And Many Petitions From Prominent
Citizens on Behalf Of the Prisoner
Were Presented.

Yesterday the matter of the appl
cation for the communication of tn
death sentence of Jose A. Vigil, con
! victed of murder In Colfax County
came up before Hon. J. W. Reynolds
Acting Governor. The applicant wa.
represented by w. c. Wrigley of Ra
ton and Patrick n. Murray of Trini
dad. A number of prominent citizens
were also present and joined in the
application. The Territory was rep
resented by E. G. Abbott, Acting At
torney General Messrs. Wrigley ant
Murray called attention to the many
reasons that existed for granting
the Communication asked for. Amont
those present were State Senator Cast
miro Barela, Of Trinidad, Colorado
Coal Oil Inspector Eugenio Romero
of Las Vegas, Hon. John s. Clark Of
Las Vegas, w. B. Bunker, Las Vegas
R. H. Hanna, of Santa Fe, and Hon
Pedro Perea. After the reading of pc
titions in support of the application,
the Acting Governor finally decided to
grant the application. 1t was then
and there done and he at once tele-
graphed to Marion Littrell, sheriff of
Colfax County, at Ration, notifying him
of the action of the executive. Messrs.
Wrigley, Murray and Senator Barela
took a hack Immediately after the
action of the executive and went to
the penitentiary. Mr.. Garrett, assist
ant superintendent, brought Vigil to
the Office. He was there informed of
what had taken place. Mr.. Garrett
informed these gentlemen that Vigil
had borne up bravely until lately, but
feeling that nothing would be done in
his case, had become very depressed
over his impending fate; but the good
news that was brought him changed
his feelings entirely. Mr.. Garrett says
that he has made very good prisoner
only that he was anxious to get to
work which he could not do as he was
kept in the penitentiary for safety un.
til the disposition of his case.
A careful examination of the case
by Acting Governor Reynolds. proves
that the Trinidad and other news
paper accounts Of the tragedy were
greatly exaggerated and did injustice
to Vigil. The evidence showed that
the woman, wife of Vigil, was very lax,
and that Vigil shot at her and
her paramour when he found them
upon coming to his home. Upon open
ing the door Of the dwelling. both ran
out OF the back door. Vigil shot at
them, intending to hit the man, but
the bullet struck his wife, the shot
killing her. From the record and the
numerous petitions presented, Acting
Governor Reynolds became satisfied
that the verdict Of murder In the
first degree was entirely too severe
and that the crime committed by Vigil
did not justify the death sentence. The
defendant Is very poor man and had
no money for an appeal. Competent
attorneys, who have examined the
case, believe that had It reached the
supreme court, reversal of the sen.
tence and Judgment therein would
have been the result. There was no
Of Justice in the act Of
the acting governor and, considering
the circumstances many who are &C.
quainted with the case are OF the
opinion that Communication to life i'm
Is q very hard sentence.