Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-03-31
RATION COURT NOTES
Richard j. Dave Found Guilty Of
the Murder Of George Willis.
Luaooa Ford Pleads Guilty Of
Murder in the Second Degree.
Other Criminal Cases.
ADJOURNMENT ON SATURDAY
Special to The Optic.

Special to The Optic.
RATION, n. NJ. March 10
During the eight days in which the
district court has been in session
quite a number of cases have been
disposed Of, on both the criminal and
civil side Of the docket. There have
been very few violations of the crimi.
nal statutes within the limits of Col.
fax county during the past six months.
and consequently the grand jury found
but nine indictments. and they were
for minor Offenses.
The most important criminal case
tried during the term was that Of the
Territory VS.. Richard ]. Dave, alias,
Jack Dave, charged with the murder
OF George Willis on the Goth day of
September last in this city. The evil
dence disclosed that Dave and Willis
had been good friends for "A number
OF years. They happened 10 meet in
Ration in September last, both being
here on the same mission. each ex.
pecting to purchase the saloon belong
ing to Andy Cencil. Dave was sue.
cessful in securing a lease from Cen
Gil, and according to Dawes story,
N11vic hnnon,n ~ btD, ,zn,~
he had obtained the lease. They met
In the evening in Cencil's saloon, and
after some conversation in which an.
CRY words passed between them, Dave
pulled a small derringer which he was
carrying in his poke and pointed the
same towards Willis. when II was dis
charged. accidentally, as he claims
the bullet striking Willis in the aldo.
men, inflicting a mortal wound from
which he died the following morning.
Both the defendant and the deceased
were intoxicated, and there were but
three eye-witnesses to the affair, and
their stories were somewhat conflict
ing. Judge Mills has not passed sen.
tence on Dave as yet, but will do SC
before the final adjournment of the
term, probably Saturday of this week.
The jury found Dave guilty of murder
in the second degree, and the penalty
is not less than three years Or life In
the territorial ~penitentiary.
After the jury had retired to delib
crate on it's verdict. Judge Mills took
occasion to express his views to the
audience present upon the evil practice
of carrying arms in violation OF slaw
and the terrible results which often
times follow such practice; citing the
case Just tried as an example. Dave
and his victim, Willis, having beer
friends from boyhood, there was nc
cause for enmity between them, anc
Willis would not have met his death
and Dave now on trial for his life
WCIC IL uOL III thc VASAOo' P'"~S
carrying arms. and the court stated
that he hoped that this case would
be an example to the community ano
that the law against the carrying OF
concealed weapons would be more
generally obeyed.
Luanna Ford, a negress. who mas
made her home in Buena Vista fol
som years last past, and who killed
Luis GaIlegos on December 23rd last
in Chihuahua, by stabbing him in the
neck with a knife. was indicted by
the grand jury for the crime Of nun
der. Wednesday she appeared IN
court and pleaded guilty to murder III
the second degree.
In the case of the Territory VS.. lose
Gallegos. charged with an assault WIZ
intent to kill. owing to the absence
Of important witnesses for the terri
tory. the defendant was released on