Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-03-30

Two years in the penitentiary was
the punishment, meted out to s. p.
Gerken, former agent for the G.. II.
and the Wells.Fargo at Maria, Texas,
~ The jury In Alpine.
Gerkoa was tried on the charge OF
steallnc s. 500 from the Wells.Fargo
COMPANY while acting as agent at
Maria about two years ago. II was
also claimed that he burned the depot
at Maria TO V up his crime.
Gerken came to FL Paso, Texas, a
short time after the burning Of the
Maria depot, displaying a large
amount OF money. He gave $500
to a gambler 10 get 1t changed into
larger denominations. and 1t Is claim.
ed that the gambler failed to return
him the monoy. In some amer he
got an mixing that the officers had
suspected taat the depot had not been
burned by accident, as he claimed,
and that he had stolen the money and
fired the depot. He accordingly left
FL Paso. George Briggs and Will Ry.
nerson, who e then deputy sheriffs,
through a very smooth piece Of detec-
tive work learned Of Gerken's actions
while in that city and began to trail
him. He was finally located by
Briggs in Gallatin, Tenn, where he
was arrested and brought back to the
Pass City, and later taken to Maria,
where he was indicted and from
which place his case was taken to Al
pine on a change of venue.
Gerken, charged with embezzling
railway and express funds at Maria,
is said to have determined to make
no further fight against serving the
two-year term in the state peniten'
tiary that was assessed against him
at Alpine. In consideration Of this
decision on his part, the charge of ar
son against him is said to have been
dismissed. He was accused of burn
ing the station in order to conceal the
evidence Of the alleged embezzlement
Believing that an appeal would
mean nearly a years confinement In
jail, awaiting a new trial, with the
possibility. if not probability, that
even then the decision would not be
reversed, Gerken is said to have de
cided that the wiser course would be
to enter upon his term Of imprison
ment, short as it is, without further
delay.
Trainmaster J. f. Mcmahon went
down to Albuquerque last night.
Regular meeting of Apache lodge
E. of l.. F., in A. O. U. w. hall this
evening.
\
These are busy days in the mastel
mechanics office at the railroad
shops. Making out pay rolls, yo'
know.
Engineer J. B. Reed and Fireman
viii Carleton have laid by a trip
while their engine is on a jaunt up t.
Maxwell City.
Switchman Pierce Murphy is marb
ed up sick today and George w. MI
Kinney is working in his stead Wit
the outside engine.
Conductor Paul B~lacksheare ha
removed his household from Tide
street into n Of Mrs. J.. Fl. Ward
houses on Jackson street.
T.. Fl, Smith, the operator who lei
this city the other day, is said to nav
caught onto a $140-a-month job
dispatching trains at Tucson, Arizoni
Conductor Slemmer, with Englnee
Sells. took the wrecker down TO I'll
rieta last night to pick a few cars OF
Of the ditch and set them to righ'
again.
A baseball team has been organize
at the railroad shops here n
promises to be heard from IN no u
certain way before the season Is la
ly begun.
THE Aqua Pura company OF TINS CT
is re.icing about 100 cars OF Caiitorn