Arizona republican., 1907-09-29
SUSPECTED
OF MURDER
A Crime Committed Thir.
teen Years Ago
The Butcher of Ramon CO.
rOnel Believed to BE In
the County Jail.

II II believed at the office of the
sheriff that Vicente Franco who has
been wanted for the last thirteen years
for a brutal murder committed in the
southwestern part OF the city is In the
county Jail. The suspect was brought
in after midnight yesterday morning
by Deputy Sheriffs Davis and Mccain.
He was arrested in the afternoon at
Camp Dyer where he had been work.
ing for the outfit of Lee White and
Joe Rodriguez. He denies that he is
Franco and was knwon variously at
the camp as Francisco Bojorquez and
Francisco Romero.
THE MURDER OF CORONEI.
One Monday morning in June thir-
teen years ago. Franco came into town
early, with blood on his clothing and
drunk. He boosted to some Mexicans
whom he met in the lower part of the
town that he had fresh meat at his
tent and later he told them that he
had killed a man there the night be-
fore. No attention was given to his
boastings at the time but later some
one went to the tent which stood
where the Santa Fe freight depot now
stands and found a man horribly mu-
tilated. He had been killed with an
axe.
1t was the body Of Ramon Coronel.
a native of Chile. The indications
were that after the murder. his slayer
had lain down on the floor beside the
bloody corpse and slept until morning.
An inquest was held by Justice Kin
caid and a warrant was issued for the
arrest of Franco who was not very
well known except by Mexicans who
did not greatly assist the officers in
finding him. Another man was ar
rested but was quickly discharged and
that thirteen years old warrant has
been reposing in the desks of the sue
cessors of Justice Kincaid.
Franco had a cousin in Phoenix, a
prostitute who is still living here and
it was not known that he had any 9TH
er relatives in this vicinity. 1t was
said that his cousin with whom he had
some trouble would not shield him but
on the contrary would aid in his cap
ture.
But he was never seen here after
ward though rumors Of his appearance
in different parts of Arizona, Mexico
and New Mexico occasionally reached
the officers.
THE ARREST OF THE SUSPECT.
On Wednesday the sheriffs office
was informed that a man believed to
be Franco was working near Frog
Tanks and Deputies Davis and Nc
Cam went to Rodriguez-s camp. They
had been advised that they should be
C2TTfn11S When fhax- hi
sight OF the camp Davis who Was
known by all Mexicans there fell into
the rear and Mccain went forward
and approached the man known as
Romero When he called TO him to
surrender, the Mexican dropped his
hands but at a word from the officer
held them aloft. A man said to be a
relative of Romero approached the
officer threateningly and when Nc
Cam turned the point of his gun upon
him, the arms of Romero again fell
The officer quickly hoisted them with
his gun and by that time Davis came
up and seized him.
Romero was handcuffed and shack
led. He asked no questions regard
ing the charge on which he had been
arrested but said he would be glad to
come to Phoenix and find out why he
was wanted. At no time on his way
to town did he manifest any curiosity
regarding the charge against him.
THE QUESTION OF IDENTITY.
Though the officers are by no means
sure of his identity they are confident
that he is wanted for a crime some
where. There were several suspicious
circumstances one of which is his fire.
quent change OF name. Niger Jer-
ry'' who has been at Frog Tanks for
the last fourteen years said that he
knew him five or six years ago and
his name was then Francisco Bojor-
quez. He saw no more of him until
recently when he reappeared in the
neighborhood with the Rodriguez. or
Portuguese Joe" outfit. Jerry spoke
TO him one day and called him Bojor-
quez. Romero looked at him sharply
and replied. Il am not Bojorquez;
BojOrquez is dead-in Mexico. I'm
Romero
On his way to town he admitted to
the deputies that his name was Bojor-
quez and said that Portuguese Joe"
had misunderstood his name and call
ed him Romero. One name was the
same to him as another and he did not
take the trouble TO correct him. He
said that he had a brother living on
Grand avenue and it is a fact that
there is a Bojorquez there. He has
lived there for several years. But
brother" among a certain class of
Mexicans described a wide range of
consanguinity. 1t is made to include
cousins, half brothers and persons with
whom there is some sort of a family
connection, though no blood ties at all.
EVER ON THE ALERT.
Another suspicious circumstance
was the expressed belief OF Romero