Alamogordo news-advertiser. (Alamogordo, Otero County, N.M.) 1912-1914, 1913-05-16
William Watson Shot to Death
Near His Ranch at Lee Sta
ton, Arizona, and His Two
Sons are Held for the Crime
FORMERLY LIVED NEAR
LA LUZ, IN THIS COUNTY
Visited this Section a Short
Time Ago, Where He Had
Several Relatives and Hosts
of Sincere Friends

The report of the murder of Will
lam Watson, who was found dead in
his wagon near Lee Station, Arizona
comes as a slock to his many az
luaintances and friends in and
around Alamogordo. Mr.. Watson
formerly lived near La Luz, where
ne did truck gardening and farm
ing, selling much of his produce in
the AlamOgordo market
a couple Of years ago he paid this
section visit, and for a time was
me guest of Mr.. and Mrs. J. V.
latham. He has relatives here
who are at a loss to understand
why any one should have sought the
ite OF so good man. The report
tnlt his sons are now held for the
:rime only adds to the discontinue.
A special telegram from Doug
as, Ariz., to the Ell Paso Times
says: When he passed Lee Station
lbout 6:30 Friday night, William
WI.son was joking with several men
md apparently in the best of spir-
IS. One-half hour later, about
.nree miles from Lee Station, his
cam walked in,o the door yard
without driver Mrs. Watson,
yho had been keeping her husband S
supper warm, rushed out of the
house and found his stretched back
n the wagon seat dead. The back
If his head had either been shot
off or dubbed off. presenting a
shastly wound from which the vic
Inn rt,yrgt bnya iii II ipgfan+Iv lad
Of sIot was also imbedded in the
mans shoulder and right arm. He
lay in puddle of blood, some of
which was fairly dripping from the
wagon bed to the ground. From all
appearances the fiend who fired the
shot was in pretty close range and
the crime had been committed but
short time previous to the arrival
at home.
Notification of he deed reached
this city late at night but in re-
syonse Judge r. S. McClay, Deputy
Sheriff Harris and a Coroner's jury
left for the Watson ranch. City
Clerk James Howell. whose home is
near Lee Station, learned of the
murder and notified the local au-
thorit!tes.
William Watson was considered tc
be one Of the b st liked ranchers
near Lee Staten. lie is not
known TO have had any enemies.
How and why the foul murder was
committed cannot be accounted for.
Robbery was evidently not thee ause
IS the dead man still had his watch
ana money on his person when
search was made and nothing had
be II taken from the wagon. The
country between Lee station and
Ia Watson ran,h is rolling, so Wat
sol was probably shot from behind
one OF the hills.
Watson Is survived by wife.
tao sons, one daughter, a brother
and other relatives. He was AZ
years old and a native Of Texas. He
had lived on the present homestead
I for a number of years and was con-
sil1red 10 be one Of the most sue
te6ssful farmers In the valley
otto and Fred Watson. IS and
2l years old and the sons OF Mr..
Watson. were arrested charged with
the murder of their father. A short
time after the arrival at the ranch
OF the team and wagon in which the
dead body of the father was found.
his two sons arrived with his shot
{ gun. An investigation is said to
laye shown shells in their posses
sion similar TO htose that killed
their father.
The police say Watson and his
sons had quarreled a short time
before the murder.