Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-09-14
First nsnsins Occurred in
l0A6 When Six Men We're
Strung Up in a Row.
Don Osmetrio Perez Recalls Stir.
ring Times Of Revolution -
Murder II His Father Governor
Perez while Attempting TO
Suppress Rebellion.

While ,artylng n spell In the gen
t'smen's waiting room at the Las
Nesas aerat vesterdav affNrn"T"
Awaiting The return OF his wife and
wgs, Charles blanchard from visit
ing trip 10 Rowe. Don Demetrio Perez.
being in reminiscent mood, recalled
10 4 friend NJ his elbow some Incl
dents in the early days Of New Mex
iea that marked epochs in the history
of ,he territory.
Two ~ early.day occurrences OF
intense interest TO an eager listener,
ha, no' an envesdrcnper We're the
facts concerning the first legal execu-
iian In the territory and the assassin
ssion ~ The father OF Mr.. Perez.
Tn. firs, hanging occurred in Sarfa
Pe in isiS. when six men were legally
strung M In n row for having attack
ei n government train, numbering the
msn In charge. pillaging the train and
afterwards reducing It to ashes. The
men came from the vicinity OF San
Cefonimo. San Miguel county. and
on. ~ 'hem was n Young man OF pre-
posscsflng appearance, whose lie.
hai he hsen spared might have de-
y.,oned Into one OF honor and use,
fnincss. feop,e gathered in Santa Fe
from all par's Of the territory, not SO
p,uch IA witness the wholesale eX-
NATION of crime on the gallows &c 70
rr.ven, 4. II possible. Any amount OF
money was rendered Gen. Price, then
IN command Of the U. S. troops. TO
rsnr,sve the doomed men in defer
snce ,o public sentiment. but the
stern warrior shook his head in de-
nisi and the men paid the pena'ty OF
,heir awful deeds on the scaffold. Ana
I, WIS not without it's effect on tEe
c.cple. Enforcement Of law was
hrourht home to them as never be-
fore ana crime that had been ram
nan, almost entirely scfased. Men
xculd no longer court death py 'ne'
commission of wanton. premeditated
murder which was then the onlv can
rsi offence in the territory, though,
,ra,n robbery has since been added.
The father of Mr.. Perez. Don Al
h,,o Percy. a colonel In the Mexican
.rmv came to New Mexico from the
CITY Of Mexico in 1885 with tne ap.
po,n,ment from his government az
military governor or "polfficai cnieI.
u,s anpointment was one In success
.,oc ~ circumstances which finaliy
cr,m,nated In a bloody rebellion. GOV.
p.re, was n stranger. not idenuIled
IN any way with the interests OF tne Inc
territory and the people, VINO natuIali,
rreserred a native governor, received
him cOldly. ,. .ao,,.
In 1896 the Mexican republic adopt.
ed a plan by which the supreme power
VAS vested in the executive ana ma
,,cra, congress. New Mexico became
. denartment and her political cnieI
. military governor; furthermore, the
Weyican congress passed a general
t.x Law which Gov. Perez was calen
rncn "a mt into execution In 1885,
A -evolt ensued and it created great
alarm IN Santa Fe. Gov. Perez imme'
d,ate)y assembled the militia and VIVA
an inadequate force. all not RESPOND
ing to the call, he marched against tne
insurgents. They were encountered
the next day, when the government
troops broke their ranks ana 1oinea
those Of the enemy Nothing was leit
to Gov. Perez and the few that re-
NAMED faithful to his fortunes but 70
geek safety in flight from the iury OF
the revolutionists. For TWO Gays
perez and his handful OF men were
tunted from one hiding place to an
other. Finally the governor was track
Cd nv the Indians to the house OF one
non salvador Martinez and murdered,
t,s bodv mangled and his head borne
~ the camp Of the insurgents. Al the
time ~ the murder Of his father MT
Perez was about eight months OF age
ve is now in his sixty-ninth year
Mr. Perez well remembers the New
,sey,can revolt In 1S47. II is recorded
wat on January 14th Of that year
then Gov. Bent. believing the neonle
t-annuilized. left Santa Fe to visit his
family at Taos, ACCOMPANIED by
number of friends. Americans ane
Mexicans. On the 10th. the house o.
Gov. Bent was attacked. the governor
was aroused from sleep. and awokf
"a End the house surrounded bv
bowling mob. many bearing sanguin
o-v trophies of the murders alread,
committed. His wife brought hin
his pistols, but. fearing II he killef
anv Of the Indians they would aveng'
!, unon his family. he refused to us'
tho weapons and was shot down AM
scalped.
Mr. Perez also recalled the kils ns
/. NJ eight Americans at Mora. the.
falling victims 10 the popular fury
One OF the slain was l.. L. Waldo
father Of Judge n. L. Waldo, formel
chief justice Of New Mexico and nov
solicitor for the Santa Fe Railwa.
company, having his headquarters i
Las Vegas.