Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-01-19
JOHN CONLEY SEN
TENCED TO HANG
Supreme Court Af-
firms Decision
of Murder
DONE At PLACERS IN TAOS
Execution Set for February
Sixteenth---Full History
of Crimes.
John Conley will hang.

|
This was the verdict of the Supreme
Court at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon.
when it confirmed the decision OF the
lower court of the First Judicial Dis
trict, Taos County. The hanging is
set for the 18th day of February at
Taos.
The crime for which the death pen
atty was imposed was the shooting
and killing Of James Redding, the 49,
| year-old son Of E. S. Redding, of
Questa, Taos County, which was COM
mitted by Conley last February In
camp at the Guadalupe placers, that
county. AT the same time Conley shot
and killed Charles Purdy, 20 years old.
Of Red River. He was indicted for
this killing also, but will not be tried
for 1t, as he has been convicted Of
the other murder.
In Prison Here.
Conley is now in the Territorial
penitentiary here for safe keeping. Al
though the New Mexican Informed the
prison officials that the man had been
given the extreme penalty, he was
not told Of the verdict as this matter
was left to his attorney, as is Gus
tomary. Conley had pinned his faith
in the higher body end believed to
the last that he would secure re-
versal of the decision Of the lower
court.
The evidence in the case was purely
circumstantial, but from all indica-
tions there have been few such cold
blooded crimes committed, even In the
worst days of the west.
The bloody deed Is we'll remember
cd by the residents of New Mexico
and especially of Santa Fe, as the
trial was held in this city. Briefly the
history, of the crime Is as follows:
John Conley who had a contract to
do assessment work on the Guadalupe
placer claim, accompanied by James
Redding and Charles Purdy, went to
the property. They seS up a small
tent and prepared for work, when, 1t
Is said a quarrel ensued. Conley, who
Is reputed to be a dead shot," killed
Purdy at the door Of the tent. Red
ding started to flee, but was shot
down. Conley then mounted his horse
and rode hastily to Questa and from
there to Red River, where posse
sent out in pursuit, overlook him. He
held the party at bay for several hours
but finally surrendered.
Bodies Found.
The bodies of the two men at the
placer camp were found by sheep
herders, who had heard the shots and
who reported the affair at once. These
sheep herders were important wit.
nesses at the trial. Conley and his
attorney fought the case hard. His
defense was that he killed the men
to save his own life. He alleged that
quarrel arose over the terms Of the
assessment contract and that Purdy
attacked him with an ak. He said
that he was forced to kill Purdy and
that the boy then attacked him and
he shot him also. The evidence was
entirely circumstantial. A point that
counted strongly against Conley was
the fact that the snow which lay deep
on the ground was melted about the
beard of the man, indicating that the
second shot, which entered his throat.
had been fired after Redding had fall
len to the ground from the first shot
and that the powder from the six
shooter set fire to his beard.
Conley was well known in politics
in Denver, where he at one time re-
sided. He held number of minor po-
litical positions at various times dur
ing his residence In Colorado. His
only hope Of life now is that the gov
ernor may commute his sentence to
prison for life. This is not thought
probable