The Socorro chieftain. [volume] (Socorro, N.M.) 1902-1959, 1906-08-18
CRAIG'S ACCOMPLICE
Arrested Last Saturday Six Miles
from the Scene of the At
tempted Robbery.
RICHARD QUEEN IS HIS NAME
And He Is Now under Lock and
Key in the socorro coun-
ty Jail.

Tom Craig's accomplice in the
attempt to rob Juan Chavez
Baca on the ninth instant at his
ranch twenty miles northwest of
Magdalena was arrested last
Saturday noon by Deputy Boni-
facio Lopez of Santa Rita at a
Navajo settlement about six
miles from the scene of the at
tempted robbery. The prison
er's name is Richard Queen and
he is now in the Socorro county
Jail.
Queen has made full confess
sion to Captain Fred Fornoff of
the mounted police and Hon. w.
f. Martin, district clerk. His
story of the attempted robbery
as told to a representative of the
Chieftain is very nearly in the
following words:
About ten days before Craig
was killed, we were at Ketner up
in Mckinley county. He told
me that an old Mexican had a
pile of money at his house near
Magdalena and asked me to go
with him TO get it. | told him
that had never had a hand in
that sort of job and that he
had better not try it. But he
said he must have the money
and if wouldn't go he would go
alone. Then ! agreed to stay
with him.
I'VE left Ketner on the 9th
and reached the Chavez ranch on
the 9th. After we had supper,
Tommie and | went out where
our horses were and he asked me
what | thought of the layout.
l told him that the people sus-
picioned us and were armed and
would surely do us up, and ask
ed him, for Gods sake! to give
up the job. But he told me that
if l was a coward | could go and
that he was going to have the
money or die. | said | would
stay with him.
We then went up to the porch
and l think Tommie asked the
old man for a match. Suddenly.
l heard the old gentleman
scream and a pistol click. Then
several shots were fired. think
| fred once or twice. Tommie
fell and l, supposing him killed,
ran away. Two or three shots
were fired at me as ran. one of
them drawing the blood over my
left eye.
MY horse had run away at
the noise of the firing and wan
dered about on foot all night and
all the next day. / mighty near
croaked for lack of water. Fin
ally on Friday afternoon ! saw
Navajo squaw herding some
goats and knew there must be
water near. When | found it
things were going round and
round. The Navajoes had a set
tlement there, about six miles
from the Chavez ranch, and as
had lost my hat and had no
horse they suspected me. They
sent word to the deputy sheriff
at Santa Rita. He came in and
arrested me Saturday noon and
here am"
Such is the story of the at
tempted robbery as told by Queen.
From further statements made
by him in the same conversation,
it appears that he has had two
years military experience in the
Philippine islands and that he
was one of three young men
chosen from Valparaiso college
by Mr.. Bryan as his private stem
ographers during the memorable
campaign of 1896. But little is
known of his family, except that
he has a well-to-do brother in
Illinois, whom he has sent for to
help him out of his trouble.
Queen is an intelligent young
man 27 years of age, and doesn't
look at all like a criminal. He
had his preliminary hearing be-
fore Judge Green Thursday,
waived examination, and was re-
manded to jail to await the ac-
tion OF the court on the question
of bail.
Sergeant Roh'f w Iau;s