Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-08-07
INTEREST
IN WALES
TRIAL
JURY SECURED AFTER
PROLONGED STRUGGLE
Veniremen Present Many and
Varied Excuses for Not Ser
wing; Sensational Develop
mentS Confidently Predicted
Especial Dispatch to the Morning Journaill

Especial Dispatch 10 the Morning JOurnaIA
Estancia, N. M. Aug. 6.-The jury
which Is to try Domingo Wales for the
murder OF Colonel J. Francisco
Chaves was secured at this mornings
session Of the district court heHe, af-
ter considerable difficulty. Veniremen
showed a strong disinclinatlon to
serve, and 1t was necessary to draw
an extra panel of twenty-four men.
The taleSmen disqualified themselves
one after another for various reasons.
Several claimed to be friends of one
side or the other and others alleged
business connections with the victim
of the crime as reason for not serv-
ing. Four claimed scruples against
finding a verdict OF first degree mur-
der carrying the death penalty. The
names of the jurymen finally secured
deres, H. Chaves, c. Aragon, David
Sanchez, AL. Flickner Benito Garcia,
Nicholas Baca, Pedro Jose Torres,
Santiago Archuleta, Bonifacio Bachi-
cha and Eutemo Garcia, eleven ma
tives and one American.
AL. Flckner, the only American on
the jury, professed scruples against
capital punishment. declaring that he
had been raised to believe that it
was wrong to take life under any cir
cumstances. District Attorney Clancy
explained that the jury only found the
verdict and the judge passed the sem
tence. with which the jury had moth
ing to do, and the juror qualified. AL
together forty men were examined be-
fore the work of selecting the jury
was completed.
During the week past preparations
for the battle have been quietly pro-
crossing, both by the territory and by
I the defense. O. A. Larrazolo has
been retained by the defense. and has
presented to the court the usual pre-
! liminary motions and demurrers, taxi
| ing advantage of any possible technl-
calily before the jury was called
! Wales has been here for week.
shackled and under guard, while ia
lcobo Sedlllo, who has been indicted
ljolntly with him, has been detained
! In the Santa Fe JAIL where he was
sent last February. for safe keeping.
The history of this case Is we'll known
the assassination of Colonel Chaves
at Pinos Wells, and the long search
for the murderer. While 1t Is presumed
by the laymen that the evidence in
this case will be purely circumstantlal,
| II Is rumored, with considerable foun-
dation, that the territory Is prepared
to spring several surprises. Captain
| Fornoff has been devoting a large
part of his time to this case, and in
! this work he has had assistance from
persons who We're not suspected Of
being in any way connected with the
| ferreting out OF the evidence; con-
lsequently the territory Is confident
| II will be able TO present sufficient
testimony to warrant a conviction of
/ Wales at the hands of the jury. Se-
dillo was put through the sweating
process I'm this place at the last term
OF court, and those having the work
| In hand felt they were justified In
considering this man sufficiently well
acquainted with the facts in the case
/ to warrant his being indicted. Some
men seem to think that when the time
comes Sedillo will make clean breast
of all the particulars. and the rumOr
goes farther and says that Wales, once
seeing that he Is going to be cOn-
victed will implicate some prominent
residents OF this county in the kill
Ing. A man who was so progressive
and so aggressive, politically, as was
| Colonel Chaves, could not help but
Ihave political enemies, and the rumor
has been started, and Is every day re-
peated that while Wales, or Sedlllo,
or both, may have fired the fatal shot,
they were but the tools of those who
desired the removal from the political
arena of this we'll known leader. IL
Is said that an effort will be made Ia
show that on the day Colonel Chaves
passed through Progresso on a Santa
Fe Central train, Wales was at the sta
tlon, and as soon as the train left for
Torrance. he swung on his horse and
started on a gallOp toward Pinos
Wells. II being known that the col
onel expected to stop at that place
that night. This was on the evening
the colonel met his death. What the
testimony will bring forth Is yet IL
be seen, and these rum0rs are given
for what they are worth
-sfs----