The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-04-11
Good Men When Sober Become Menace
to Citizens, One Arrested and Con-
fined, the Other Meets Death While
Fleeing from the Arm Of ofLaw--Chief
of Police Max Smith Frustrated
Over Fatal Shooting.

Beyond doubt the killing Of Mexi-
can, Ramon 1aerera, OF Santa Cruz.
State II Chihuahua, Mexico. can be
traced to the illegal sale Of in
toxicating liquors in Blackfoot- The
circumstances surrounding the killing
are about as follows: For two days
two Mexicans. one the victim Of Tues
days tragedy, and another man. have
been drinking more or ksse. Tuesday
afternoon the men imbibed more free
b than in the preceding hours Of
their debauch and about $50 o'clcck
Chief Of Police Alax Smith found one
man sitting In front Of the Carlson
rooming house on North Main strest,
IN . very intoxicated condition. He
put the man under arrest when Her
ers cams from the rooming house and
Aasanltsd tho officer. Chief Smith pull
- Z billy on him and drove the IT,
lcw hack into the rooming h0uee,. TAX
ing the other maAs.to the caunty sjail
The CHIEF wss riding / bicycle at the-
tune the arrest was made, and It swas
necessary to leave II when be started
to Jail with the prisoner. While abs
sent Herrera took an ax and demol-
khed the machine, and started ncr.h
on the Short Line Smith secured q
saddle horse and gave chase. coming
upon his man near Nussetter's home,
near the sugar 1actory.: Sheriff De-
Kay WIS coming frem the nor.h in his
car It the time, and the chief called
to him 70 stop the man, who then took
10 the country. east Of the track and
ran from the two ofiicers: DeKAy had
n. gun ON him, and Smith, 70 stDp his
maa called snd then fired three shots
around. the man, who still cpntinued
to yaA. In the excitement oe the chase
according to the chiefs story. ths
fourth shot vas supposed to 30 closer
and be more effective. When this shot
wss fired he was $50 yards from his
man. riding horseback, and the shot
was Gffective the bullet hitting the
mAn In the back under the shoulder
blade and coming out of the let
hseast passing over the heart. Dr.
Ps&ris was summoned TO the spot
wnere the man fell. but NE was ex'
tinct before the physician arrived.
The coroner. T. T. Peck; was sum
moned and took the body to the
Brown -Eldredge undertaking parlors,
where It now lies aChisf Smith tend.
cred hts gun to Sheriff DeKay and
went 70 the Court house TO interview
the prosecuting attorney. who advised
him to 10 to his home and rest. Wed
nesday morning q cornor's jury vas 20
cured and the greater part Of the day
consumed in the taking Of testimony
behind closed doors. tN
Tue jury consisting ot Charles Hart,
H.. w. Curtis. Neal r. Boyle. 2. c.
Volland, q. w Rowles. J. II. HcDonah
C. ". Bergman. John D, Kent. F.
G. Christ brought in q verdict abott
1 o'clock Wednesday attsFaoou ~
Ramon Herera met death q the result
o: I gun shot wound, inflicted By MAJ
Smith. chief OF Police cf Blackfoot
Idaho. while the former was resisting
arrest, Ind thht the shooting q tAe
man was sustifiabie hcmicidA f' -
Max Smith has the sympAAhy OF thu
NV abiding citizens Of the comnunity
Every ons bsaeves that II WA tarth
est from his thoughts to kin the nee
inx man ana that the ahst svhlcA cans
ed his death was one OF those acci
deutal ones which anyone p apt y
make, Allowing that he DID inten<
toseripple the man and thereby captar'
him he vas performing hie duty =
an officer. uphoadins the iaw. and haa
he not performed his duty. the peopl
vso esasurs him now. = thsrA are any
vouM, have been q Qulck - AoA Ain
IN to ridieuis for tho Henperfosnaae'
a lnty. h has sanuaa u tnstnfe
st II ,rs A.Ls,f.S- % :