El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-18
ACQUITTED Of OLD
CHARGE OF MURDER
Ysleta Man Tried For Kill
ing Which Occurred
36 Years Ago

Las Cruces. N NJ, Dec. 1S.-Damacio
Espalin, of Ysleta, Tex, VINO was
charged with the murder Of SerDuLO
Lujan in the old town of Dona Ana, y
NJ So years ago, has been acquitted II
judge Parker's court. The killing toOA
place the 18th of July, 1879, ana wv
eye-witnesses were present ana AeSt-
fled to the manner of the killing. Inc
trial resulted in an acquittal Tor Es-
palm .t.1
showed that LuJan and EspallH WStS
both living in Dona Ana in July, 1870
On the 18th day Of the MONTH LuJSu
and another man had tghI IN Iue
streets of Dona Ana, Lujan in the 1lgnI
getting his hand cut he went Out ~
wash the blood from his mana III 1Ho
street. when Espaltn came up AM
quarrel took place, with the shooting OF
Iuian was carried to his home dying
four hours later from his Wouhus' 90
FsDaIfn was arrested, given prelllliil-
- bearing before a justice OF the
DeaCe and dismissed. As soon as tue
Dre1in,inary was over Espalln olsup-
peared. The grand jury met the 7 IUIlHr;
ing November, and lndlcleu
but it was found he was living IN Me- Ne
leo. Later Espalin moved 70 s,1,-s
where he has since lived. Last sun
me- If was discovered where ne was
and he was arrested 81 A,
Pablo Melandres, w T. = zen i, -
tonic Herrera and c. Benevedes' al OIu
time residents Of the old town OF DOla
Ana were called as witnesses, ana SaES
their testimony Of seeing LuJdu "a,
of seeing him shot and then aIter ne
was dead. Mr. Geek saw Lu5an Iall'
saw a man running with a gun IN his
hand, but could not from the poslllOH
recognize him.
The attorneys for the defence moved
for instructions for acquittal and 1t was
T-E- e1rmwm 4
This is the oldest criminal case ever
tried in New Mexico, If not one OF the
oldest ever tried in the United states.
One case tried here was that OF Juan
Gil for horse stealing 16 years ago, and
that held the record for the Oldest
criminal case tried in this county, until
the Espalin case, Of Sc years ago.
Espalin and his wife have returned to
their ranch home at Ysleta.
1t is reported from Chamberino that
an attempt was made last Friday night
to destroy the property of Antonio Les
stch and kill him in his large rancn
. house. A barrel Of gasoline was placed
at the doom Of what was evidently be-
lieved to be the bedroom Of Mr.. Les
SIGH, but which was the sitting room,
and ignited. with the result that the
sitting room was wrecked, and dam
aged an adjoining room in which three
people were sleeping, tnJuring all OF
them, one of whom it is thought may
not survive.
DR. Kelly of Ell Paso has purchased
the Peoples drug store, formerly owned
by Dyne & Seals.
Jno 7. Mccullough and Mrs McCul-
Tough are in the city for few Gays on
business matters, leaving the IlrsL OF
the week for their camp in Organs
W. W. Cox has returned from Den
yer, where he attended the meeting OF
/ the American Livestock association
Farmers Meet.
inc
1 institute was held in the eXhibitior
/ room of the chamber OF commerce, IN
I stead Of in EIks' hall as formerly
The institute was well attended, anu
many interesting talks made The apple
was the principal crop discussed, ano
a paper was read by Mr. Hoaglano' OF
the Produce exchange, on the dnIeren'
varieties OF apple,
Prof. Garcia, Of the Agricultural cOl-
lege. made talk on the apple as grown
IN +be NTesflIa valley. and the fact that
in % years of observation there hau
been but one complete destruction OF
the apple crop by frost IN 1870 Ins
LARGEST orchard was started ana 81
boxes of so pounds each were plckeu
from one tree 1t was shown tnaJ lhe
appIe is better crop, a better Keeper
with a larger market than the ElberJa
peach or other fruits, as the season OF
the peach is short
Prof Garcia advocated the organlza-
ton of an apple growers association
to work up a market and keep up the
price and better shipping tacilltles-
Mr. Nelson, of the department OF agri-
culture. made a talk as to the kind OF
soil best adapted to the apple, staung
that a deep heavy soil was necessary
to planting. T. o. Henley and others
spoke on matters connected with apple
/ industry
The institute adjourned to meet dur
ing farmers week, the first six days
of the new year, at Agricultural col
lege.
Mrs Numa Frenger has returned
from FL Paso, where she has been doing
Christmas shopping
Two of the bankers Of Las Cruces
have organized a bank at Tucumcarl'
n NJ, calling it the First State bank
of Tucumcari 1t viii have a capital
of $50. 600. Hugh Swift of Las Cruces
headed the directorate as president; r
R. II. Smith, vice president, and NJ b.
Keaton. Tucumcari n NJ, cashier
Mrs w. c. Mossman, Of ChamDerlno
spent part Of the week here visiting
friends.
Prof. Larkin, whose home is in Las
Vegas. but who formerly was connect
ed with the Agricultural college mere
years ago, paid the city a visit
Mrs J. D. Walker viii return lhls
week from San Antonio, Tex Where
she has been on a visit