The Delta independent., 1912-11-22

day, Tuesday and Wednesday of this
week. There wasn't even standing
room on any of these days and the oc-
casion for such exceptional interest
and attendance was the trial for mur.
der of Frederick Sonora, the Mexican
who shot and killed Bruce G. Doyle in
! a beet field on the Doyle ranch near
! Delta just a year ago yesterday, Nov
ember 2l, 1911.
The story of the crime was given in
detail in Independent columns at that
time and most residents of this county
! will doubtless recall to mind the cold
blooded act and the eight-day chase
of a posse headed by James l. Doyle
a nephew of the dead man. ended at
Thompson Springs. Utah. in capture OF
the Mexican by James Doyle.
Sonora was landed in Delta on
Thanksgiving day last year and has
occupied a cell in the county Jail ever
since. He was presented in court at
the first term following his capture
and a continuance granted to permit
adjournment of the last September
term was taken TO the present time
and all evidence having any bearing
whatever on the crime has been pre-
sented at this session through the ef-
forts of District Attorney Logan and
Assistant Charlesworth for the state
and Attorneys r. H. Walker of Grand
junction and c. E. Blaine of Delta
for the defendant.
Two lines of defense were offered
in behalf OF the MexicaR-One of sell.
defense and the other mental in
capacity Sonora himself was the only
one TO furnish any evidence whatever
of his necessity for killing Doyle in
order TO save himself. He was placed
upon the stand Wednesday morning
I and stated that when he approached
Doyle in the beet field on the day of
the killing to see why Doyle had
beets when he and his brother had a
contract for that work, that Doyle
drew a pistol upon him and that he
had to shoot in order to save himself
from possible injury or perhaps death.
No weapons, however. was found
upon Doyle's person or near him when
killed and Mrs. Doyle, his wife. test-
fled that he had never had one on the
place.
Charles Fredericks. Eddy Dunham.
Clarence Sullivan and one or two Jap
anese boys who were hired and put
to work in the beet field by Doyle
that day each testified that Doyle had
no weapons that day and one or more
had seen the killing.
Fredericks stated that Sonora first
fired a bullet at Doyle's back when
he was bending over at work and that
he fired the SECOND shot into Doyle's
head as he confronted him, causing al
most instant death.
Each OF these witnesses testified
that the Mexican then turned the
weapon upon them but had remarked
that he would not harm them. He
backed from the field and rode away
on bicycle standing near which be-
longed to one of the other employees.
County Coroner ]. p. Claybaugh.
who conducted the inquisition testifi-
ed as to the first bullet entering
Doyles body from the rear and the
other in his head.
Mrs. Lamont was called upon TO
verify the contention of Sonora's men.
tai weakness and her testimony was
that she had only known the defen-
dant about two months during which
time she thought Sonora acted strange
Another witness was called by the
state TO show mental strength and IL
was given in evidence that Sonora
1 at one time when employed on sheep
ranch employed extraordinary means
to protect himself and his camp from
molestation from cowboys when his
sheep had crossed the range line.
The case was given to the jury at
, a little after o'clock on Wedne sday
evening and as Independent goes to
press at o'clock on Thursday. the
day following, no vcrdice has been re-
turned and the jury is yet out. The
general opinion prevails in this city
that the point for settlement which
causes delay In the matter is as to the