Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-24
TRIAL OF
ROBOLLEDO
is BEGUN
ALLEGED SLAYER OF AVILA IN
COURT
sELF-F RoTEcTIoN CONTENTION
OF DEFENSE
Third Murder Trial Within Two Weeks
in Department One of Superior
Court Begun Before
Judge Smith

After spending the greater part of
two weeks in the trial Of two men
charged with murder, and one case
where murder was charged and plea
of insanity sustained, department one
of the superior court is again occupied
with the proceedings in another ofense
of similar nature.
The defendant is Fred RoboIledo, a
Young Mexican, who is charged with
the killing of Valentino Avila and Brl-
lido Alvarez, and seriously wounding
sacramento Sancho in a quarrel in a
hotel on North Main street on August
81 last. He is being tried, however, on
but one of these charges, that Of taxing
the life of Avila.
A full half day of the session was oc-
cupied in selecting jury and at noon
the Following men were chosen to try
the case:
w. H. Austin, W. A. Atkinson, Jacob
Rrluies. Frank e. Stockwen, A. l..
Rider, George w. Yarrow, Richard NAL
lory. Louis Anderson, Barton w. Dan
Ger, John PAUL, Thomas Story and }.
K. White.
of the defendants interests, while At
torney f. w. Allender is associated
with Deputy District Attorney John
North, who is conducting the prose-
cution.
A number of witnesses were called
during the afternoon, principally Tor
the purpose of establishing the fact OF
Avila's death.
Say Defendant Was Struck
Among other witnesses who testified
late in the day was Manuel Rodriguez,
an employe of the hotel, who said
Avila had struck the defendant some
time before any shots were fired. He
said no scuffiing had taken place, but
Avila had approached Robolledo men
acingIy after each shot. He said Avila
secured the pistol, aimed it and pulled
the trigger until he appeared to be sat
isfied the chambers were empty.
Detective Zeigler caid he saw the
three men the defendant is said to have
shot lying in the receiving hospital.
He said he had taken the prisoner into
the hospital and one of the wounded
men had identified him as the man
who fired the shots. Zeigler declared
the prisoner acknowledged this 1act,
but said he did not mean to shoot the
man who had identified him, adding
that it was another man he was after.
DR.. George w. Campbell, autopsy
surgeon, said he had performed an au-
topsy on Avila's body on September 13
at Buttons morgue. He discovered
three wounds, one in the abdomen, one
in the little finger and one in the left
arm The cause of death, he said,
was septic pneumonia, set up by the
wound in the lower part of the body.
The trial was continued until 10
o'clock this morning.
Robolledo, who is but % years old, is
apparently well educated He is calm
in demeanor, although taking the liveli-
est interest in the proceedings, fire.
quently offering suggestions to his
counsel. The trial will probably be
somewhat heightened because a number
of witnesses who will testify are unable
to speak English. thus necessitating
the employment of an interpreter.
Maintain Self Defense
Judging from the line of questioning
by Mr.. Schmidt yesterday the defense
will maintain that Robolledo was act
ing in self defense when the shots were
fired.
The shooting took place at the Hoff-
man hotel on August 81, and according
to the testimony of witnesses yesterday
and at the preliminary examination,
was the result of a quarrel in which
the defendant is said to have been
forced out of the hotel by Avila. Ro-
bolledo, according to a clerk in Main
street paWnShop, purchased revolver
and some cartridges later in the day,
and returned to the hotel The shoot
ing followed, Avila and Alvarez being
fatally wounded and Sancho receiving
a dangerous wound, but recovering
later. The two latter were roomers at
the hotel.
At the time of the killing of Avila it
was said the shooting was the result of
a lovers quarrel, the woman in the
case being Della Sanchez, known as
the Beauty of Sonoratown." Both men
knew the woman and Robolledo. who
had recently come from Mexico for
the purpose of pursuing his studies, is
said to have become infatuated with
her. The feeling was reciprocated until
she met Avila, when her affections were
apparently transferred to her new ac-
quaintance and were returned. This
was two months prior to the shooting,
and in the interval 1t was said each
man became extremely jealous of the
others intentions to the object Of their
love.
Did Not Wish to Kill
Following his arrest Robolledo said
he did not mean to shoot Avila or any
one else, but carried the revolver for
self-protection. Avila is also noted as
stating that night he believed Robolledo
intended to insult the woman, who was
present in the hotel, and when he went
toward the prisoner he was shot. He
said they had had trouble in the past
but not of a serious nature, and be-
lieved the shooting was done as the
result of a too hasty temper.
Della Sanchez was taken to the po-
lice station the night of Robolledo's
arrest, but refused to see any of the
men, saying she had another engage
ment.
Many men have fought and bled fol-
love of the Beauty of Sonoratown.'
One man is now serving a ten-yeal
sentence as the result of a fight ir
which she figured, and another was
stabbed to death by a rival who es-