Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-12-03
Taos Man Charged
With Murder to
Have Hearing
WILL TAKE PLACE TONIGHT
Large Number of Witnesses
Journey to Capital to
Give Testimony.

Carlos Gonzales, of Ranches de
Taos. was brought to Santa re on the
belated Rio Grande train this morn
ing by J. w. Collier, member OF the
territorial mounted police. Gonzales
is accused of the murder of Evaristo
Rivera at Ranches de Taos.
The trouble which resulted in the
inflicting of fatal injuries upon the
dead man started over division OF
property. Juan P. Gonzales, a well
known ranchman, died at Ranches de
Taos several weeks ago, leaving con-
siderable property in lands, sheep and
a blacksmith and carpenter shop. No
vember q the heirs met in the carpen-
ter shop of the deceased to make
"a division of the property.
How Row Started.
Carlos Gonzales, son of the dead
man, claimed that his father had de-
sired that he should retain the shop
as his. Evaristo Rivera denied this,
saying that it should be partitioned
with the rest of the property among
the four children. Rivera is said to
have exclaimed:
81 won't allow you to steal it."
Thereupon the argument waXed hot
and in the heat of passion Gonzales
is said to have picked up steel car
penters square hanging in the shop
and struck Rivera over the head. DR..
IT. P. Martin, the attending physician,
found that the skull had been fractur-
ed at the base of the brain. Rivera
fingered between life and death until
November 27, when he died.
Justice Of Peace Lenient.
After the trouble which resulted in
i'm the injury to Rivera, Gonzales was
arrested and arraigned before Jose
Hilario Lucero, justice of the peace
of Precinct No. /, Ranches de Taos.
Here he was fined $25 and costs for
assault and battery and turned loose.
Later he was again arrested on the
charge of assault with intent to kill
and brought before Felix Trujillo, JUS
tice of the peace of Precinct No. f.
He was released without a fine by
this Justice on the grounds that the
defendant had already been punished
for the crime.
Later the injured man died and the
matter was taken up by the district
attorney, and upon communication
with Judge John R. McFie Gonzales
was ordered arrested on bench war
rant and brought to this city for a
preliminary hearing
A coroner's jury sat after the death
of Rivera and brought in a verdict
that death resulted from injuries re-
ceived at the hands of Carlos Gonza-
les.
Many Witnesses.
Accordingly the witness in the case
were brought to the city for a hear
ing. Among the witnesses are Juan
B. Vigil and Juan F. Montoya, who
were present during the alteration.
They had been picked by Gonzales
and Rivera to be present as arbitrat.
ors during the attempt to settle the
estate, without resorting to due pro-
cess of law. Maliquias Martinez,
former member of the legislative coun-
Gil from Taos county, is also present
as is Jose Gonzales, a brother OF the
prisoner, Juanita t. Gonzales, the
mother of the prisoner, Josefa V. Con
zales, sitter, Mrs. Evaristo Rivera,
widow Of the murdered man, and her
daughter. Dr. T. P. Martin, the at
tending physician, is also present as
well as P. A. Sunderland, of Chicago,
friend of DR.. Martin.
It is said that there had been no
iii feeling between the two men prior
to the day of the alteration.
Hearing Set for Tonight.
1t is understood that Gonzales will
be given preliminary hearing this
evening. as Judge McFie had his day
sessions Of court taken up with lane
grant case which will occupy severa
days yet. The many people from Taos
brought to the city in connection witt
the case are anxious to return home.
Attorney Charles A. Spiess will lool
after the interests of the defendant
8 while G. G. Catron, assistant distric
attorney, will present the case Of tht
territory. It is understood that th'
charge will be murder in the first de
gree. To this charge the defendan
will plead not guilty Gonzales is con
fined In the county jail.