Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-01-24
CONLEY HEARS Of
FINAL SENTENCE.
Man to Hang in
February is Told
by Attorney.
GIVES VERSION OF CRIME
Describing How His Two
Mine Partners Were Killed
.--Claims Self Defense.

Mine Partners Were Killed
---Claims Self Defense.
When George B. Paxton, one Of the
attorneys for John Conley, under sent
ence Of death for shooting and killing
James Redding, nineteen years old,
last February in Taos County, called
upon the condemned man in the terri
torial penitentiary, Sunday afternoon,
he told him that the Supreme Court
had affirmed the decision OF the lower
court. Conley tried manfully to hold
back the tears that sprang to his
eyes but with i'll success They over
flowed down his cheeks and for a
minute he was unable to speak. Then
gathering himself together with an
effort he turned away minute,
cleared his throat and said:
TITS bad weather; believe I've
caught cold somehow"
That was the way in which John
Conley faced the sentence Of death.
Tells Of Killing.
A New Mexican reporter accompa-
MED Mr.. Paxton to the penitentiary
and after Conley had been told of the
higher courts decision, he consented
to talk of the killing Of James Red
ding and Charles Purdy. age 10 years,
at the Guadalupe placer claims near
Questa. Conley still maintained that
he shot in self defense and that his
case had been misrepresented both at
the trial and in the newspapers:
Even should I hang for this af-
fair, now, and with my last BREATH
will maintain that I shot to save my
own life. The killing was brought
about in such a manner that could
not act other than did. It is not true
as stated that killed Purdy first and
then shot down Redding while he was
fleeing from me. Purdy and Redding
had been drinking. swear that I had
not tasted liquor on the day on which
the shooting occurred.
I'VE Quarreled over the terms Of a
contract which had made for doing
assessment work on the placer claims.
Purdy ordered me to leave the tent and
emphasized his remarks by throwing
a heavy iron frying pan at me which
had 1t struck me would have made a
different story Of this thing.
Il backed away from the man, and
walked down a narrow path to where
our horses were tied, intending to
mount and ride into Questa. Purdy
came from the tent and took an ak
which was sticking in nearby log,
and followed me.
Attacked With Ak.
"Redding in the mean time, secured
another ak from the same log and took
short cut toward the horses. was
stopping down with my horses bride
in my nands, preparing to put the bit
In the animals mouth. when I glanced
up and saw Redding standing almost
over me with an upraised ak In his
hands.
Il had revolver in the waist band
of my trousers and drew 1t and fired
quickly. That shot struck Redding in
the forehead. I fired again rapidly and
the second shot struck the boy In the
throat. He felkin heap. I had risen
to an upright position by this time and
saw Purdy short distance from me
with an upraised ak, as thought in
the act Of hurling the weapon at me.
II fred at him and the shot struck
him In the cheek. He dropped the up
raised ak across his arm and stood
like statue there on ithe trail, with
out speaking a word or making a
sound did not want to kill him and
called out for him to go to the tent
and wash the blood from his face.
He did not answer but turned
abruptly and retraced his steps. He
entered the tent, and ! bridled my
horse. Then as was about to mount,
! thought that ! had better 60 back
to the tent and see If 1 could do any
thing for Purdy. We had always been
friends and | regretted having been
forced to shoot him.
Kills Purdy.
Il walked near the tent, but fearing
treachery, ! called his name several
times. He did not answer SO / stepped
up and pulled back the tent flap, still
holding my gun in my hand. To my
surprise ! saw Purdy standing at the
tent door with the ak upraised waiting
for me-. I could not jump back be-
cause saw there was a bale Of hay
behind me and other obstructions barr
Ing my way. Before Purdy could
strike me. shot, killing him. He
fell In the tent and lay still. W
Il tied the tent flap, but to this day
cannot tell why. Men do strange
things when under excitement such al
/ was experiencing Then I mounted
my horse and rode to Questa, IN IN
tended to give myself up there. hut