Daily Arizona silver belt. (Globe, Gila County, Ariz.) 1906-1929, 1908-01-11
AMERICANS GET
LONG SENTENCES
IN MEX|CO PRISON
OLE rINsTAD AND SHORTY
coUaHENoR MUST SERVE SEW
EN- YEARS FOR MURDER.
Crime Was Committed on Ranch Two
Years Ago in Which Two We're
Kiiled-Many Believe Them limo
cent.

NulhU AhUA, Mex, january H.
The greatest surprise was sprung in the
American colony here on Monday about
noon, when Judge Dominguez of the
state supreme court handed down his
decision in the case of Ole Finstad and
Shorty Coughenor, sentencing them
to seven years in the state prison for
the alleged murder of Charles McMur-
ray and Robert Rutherford at Finstad S
Azebuches ranch near Diaz station, this
state, about two years ago. The sur.
prise was in their conviction at all, for
by far the large majority of Americans
irmly believe them innocent.
This sentence is a cut of FIVE and a
half years from that imposed upon
them in the district court at Santa
Rosalia and the time they will have to
serve dates from their incarceration
a little over two years ago. The de-
PENDANTS will appeal the case to the
federal court at Jaurez, whence it will
have to go to the federal supreme
court in Mexico City for final review
Briefly, the story of the tragedy at
the Azebuches ranch is this: In De
cember two years ago Robert Ruther
ford, farmer near Diaz station on
the Mexican Central railroad, was
spending the night at Finstad's house.
de, Finstad, MeMurray and Coughenoi
had supper and were sitting around the
table in the front room when, Finstad
and Shorty" say, noise or rap at
the front door attracted their atten
ion and MeMurray went to the door.
They say he was shot down and in rush
I'd two bandits. Rutherford was killed
also. Finstad escaped through the
front door and "Shorty" ran into 6
rear room and sticking his head out
at the door was shot in the face. Fin
stad had slight wound on the head
received as he passed through the door
at the hands of one of the robbers.
There was no robbery committed anG
the two survivors say their arms wer,
in a rear room and they were in nc
wise prepared for the surprise and on
slaught.
From the time Finstad and Coughe
nor were taken to the district seat OF
government at Santa Rosalia the prose
eution advanced the theory that tn,
tragedy was a row among themselve
and has maintained il up to and in
Guiding the decision rendered on Mon
day. No motive for a row among them.
selves has ever been shown, in fact
the testimony of Finstad and "Shor
ty' has been, as that of Gluckert
Rutherford's partner, and others, that
they were the best of friends. Me
Murray was Finstad s brother in-law
and manager of the latter's ranch.
The defense set up robbery as the
motive under the bandit evidence, and
accounted for none having been com
mitted, by the bandits becoming fright
ened owing to the escape of Finstad
and "Shorty." Finstad was quite
wealthy man and was known to have
often had at the ranch large sums OF
money which he kept in safe in the
very room in which the tragedy occur
red
Finstad and Coughenor have stuck
steadily to their original story that
they were attacked by the bandits,
whom they took to be Mexieans and
they have never varied. The stories
tally well with each other generally.