Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-09-28
MURDER IN
FIRST DEGREE.
Jury Brings In Verdict In the
John ConIey Case This
Morning.
HANGING THE PENALTY
Defendants Attorneys Give Notice Tat
Motion for New Trial Will Be Made
Next Saturday.

Murder in the first degree!" sol
emnly answered each of the twelve
jurors in the trial of John Conley of
Red River, Taos County, for murder,as
his name was called at $3.50 o'clock
this morning. Only those who stood
very close to the convicted man no.
ticed the tremendous shock that the
verdict was to him. To others he
seemed as immobile as statue. Hang
ing is the penalty which the law of
New Mexico prescribes for
murder in the first degree. 1t is
no wonder therefore, that the jury de-
liberated far into the night before
reaching a verdict. In that little jury
room, the case was really tried again,
the evidence was sifted once more,
eloquent, though short speeches were
made, and for long time, the fate
of the prisoner hung in the balance,
although right from the start the jury
agreed that the defendant should be
found guilty of some degree Of muir
der. At first, 1t is reported, six held
out for verdict in the first degree
and six for a verdict in the third de-
gree. Thus it stood at midnight. Then
it was eleven for murder in the first
degree, one holding out tenaciously
for a verdict in the second degree and
it was after 2 o'clock this morning be-
fore he gave way and that Judge Nc
Fie and the court officials were mott
fled that the jury was ready to render
it's verdict.
1t was one of those scenes that
leave an indelible impression upon the
mind: The large court room, whose
dim recesses were scarcely penetrat-
ed by the rays from the incandescent
lights. The stiffness of the early
morning hour. Judge John r. Nc
Fie upon the bench, thoughtful, seri
ous Clerk A. M. Bergere at his
desk. Deputy Sheriff j. l.. Lopez with
the defendant, seated near the attor.
neys, j. B. Lusk for the defense and
District Attorney Alexander Read and
Richard H. Hanna for the prosecution.
The defendant, John Conley, vainly
trying to appear impassive as the mo.
ment approached that would prove the
climax of the ordeal which has been
his lot, ever since he took needlessly
the life of nineteen year old James
Redding and seventy year old Charles
Purdy. The jury in charge of the bail
ifs filed into the court room, the fore.
man, Manuel Naranjo, of Santa Cruz
announcing it's readiness to return
a verdict. Judge McFie ordered the
jury to be polled and every one pres.
ent, involuntarily leaned forward to.
ward the jury box to catch the answer
of the first juror called, to hear the
reply to the question that was upon
the lip of every one in the court
room: What is the verdict?" And as
the answer came back Guilty in the
first degree!" the silence remained I'M
broken despite the various emotions
depicted upon the faces of the score
of people present.
The jury was discharged and the
prisoner sent back to Jail. This morn
ing he seemed much relieved, as if a
great load had been removed from
his mind and he chatted cody
with his attorneys and friends. Notice
was given by his attorneys of a mo
tion for a new trial, which motion
will be heard on Saturday afternoon
}. B. Lusk to represent the defendant
and R. H. Hanna, the prosecution.
Yesterday afternoon, Judge OH
yer B. Liddell Of Denver, made
stirring appeal to the jury for the de
fendant His plea while not convinc
ing to those who heard the evidence
was touching and moved his hearers
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