Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-03-25
ON TRIAL FOR SHOOT
ING SWEETHEART
Manuel Gonzales, ex-PoIiceman, is De.
Notwithstanding Witness
Tells Different Story.

The First Judicial District Court for
Santa Fe County, continued in ses-
sion today, Judge John r. McFie
presiding and Clerk A. M. Bergere at
his desk. The Territory was repre-
sented by District Attorney r. G. Gort-
ner and Assistant District Attorney c.
&C. Catron.
Petit jurors were selected this
morning in the trial of the case of
the Territory VS.. Manuel Gonzales, an
ex-policeman charged with assaulting
with intent to kill his sweetheart,
Miss Francisquita Trujillo, which oc-
CURED on the night of June %, 1906.
The Trujillo woman was wounded by
a bullet from Gonzales revolver. The
ball penetrated the side but did not
strike a vital organ and she recovered
in a few weeks The shooting took
place on the sidewalk in front of the
Demonico Cafe on Ortiz Street
When the complaining witness was
wounded she declared that she had
been shot by Gonzales but when
placed on the witness stand this morn
ing she told an entirely different
story, with the evident purpose OF
shielding Gonzales. She testified that
she and two other women were walk
ing along Ortiz Street when they met
Gonzales who was then a policeman
coming out Of the Delmonico Cafe.
She said that she wanted Gonzales to
go with her which he refused to do.
Then she stated she jerked Gonzales
revolver from it's holster and they
began scuiIling for possession of the
weapon. She insisted that she had
hold Of the handle of the gun when
cross-examined and that it was dis
charged accidentally Asked if she
shot herself, she said 81 suppose II
did,
Librada Lucero was one of the two
companions of the Trujillo woman atl
the time of the shooting and she was
positive that Gonzales himself had
fired the shot. According to her tes.
timony Gonzales was the aggressor
and entirely to blame. She said he
deliberately beat the complainant over
the head with the butt end of the re-
volver, knocking her down and then
shot her. She testified that it was the
Trujllo woman who was struggling
for possession of the revolver
Isabel Martinez was the other wo-
maa of the trio and she was also
placed upon the stand. Although she
was an eyewitness to the affray she
swore that she could not remember
any of the circumstances and did not
know who fred the shot. She said
that she was sick afterwards and had
only vague recollection Of the fracas.
The defendant testified in his own
behalf and his evidence was in sub
stance corroborative of that given by]
the complaining witness He told of
coming out OF the restaurant and meet
ing the three women in front of the
place. He said that the woman who
was shot tried to persuade him to ac-
company her and threw her arms
around him. When he persisted in re.
fusing he stated that she pulled out
his revolver and as he was trying to
regain possession of the weapon she
accidentally shot herself.
When a recess was taken at noon
District Attorney Gortner stated to
the court that he would call two wit
nesses to testify this afternoon whose
evidence would controvert that of Con
zales and Miss Trujillo.
Following the conclusion of the Con
zales trial, if time permitted, Judge
McFie intended resuming the hearing
OF the ejectment suit of Walter Miller
versus Albino Ortega, which was con-
tinued from Saturday.