El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-01
.ELFEG0 BACi. SALAZAR ATTORNEY,
KILLS MAN WHO FIRES At HIM
Declares He Was Entced From Hotel on Supposed Trip
to Former Client and Is Fired at by Celestino Otero
Says He Then Fired Twice; Otero Is Killed.
and Mr.. Baca Then Surrenders to the Police

II LEGO BACA, a prominent attor-
neg and politician of New Mexico
- and a former resident of El Paso,
surrendered to the police Sunday after
noon following the shooting anu kill
ing of Celestino OterO, alias Pedro
Avyta, near the saloon of NJ. AndujO,
on Sixth street between Santa Fe and
Chihuahua streets. Monday morning
at the preliminary hearing held before
justice J. j. Murphy, Baca, through his
attorney, Harris Walthal, asked that
he be indicted and he was bound over
to the grand jury, the matter Of bond
being left to that body.
According to Baca, he shot in self
defence and he disclaims. any knOwl-
edge OF the cause of the attempt upOn
his life.
q came to FL Paso several DAYS ago
in search of my son." said Baca. He
has disappeared from college at Las
Cruces and I came here to see if I could
locate him.
Sunday afternoon just as DR.. F. B.
Romero and were preparing to motor
to the camp of Jess Willard, OterO
came into the lobby of --se Paso del
NOrte. I knew him but slightly when
he was in Albuquerque, but I greeted
him and introduced him to DR.. RO-
nero. Otero had his right hand in his
overcoat pocket and hesitated to shake
hands. However, we treated him so
cordially that he finally shook hands
He then asked if we could talk a lit
tie business with him. 1 told lin I
would and suggested that we go over
into one corner of the lobby. This he
declined to do, saying that he wanted
to talk to me in private I then sug-
gested that we 90 up to my room. To
this he also objected. He then pro-
posed that I go to the saloon of NJ.
AndujO, intimating that AndujO desired
to see me.
An Old Case.
at secured the dismissal of the case
of AndujO, who was indicted in New
Mexico along with Jose Ynez SaIazar,
charged with violation of the neutral
ity laws, after he had paid his bond
and court costs in the federal court
here, and a day or two ago had called
upOn him IN connection with my fee
as attorney. I therefore presumed that
AndujO desired to see me in cOnnec-
ton with this matter and readily as
scented to the plan of Otero to go to
I'VE left the Paso del Norte and went
around to the West San Antonio street !
side, where DR.. ROmerO's car stood. ]
We asked OterO if he would not steP
into the car OterO declined, stating
that he would walk to the place.
Refuses 10 Ride.
Or Romero and I then entered the |
automobile and drove in a roundabout |
way in order to give him time TO reach |
<AuuuJU pace OF business. AS we I
drove off, OterO was Joined by a Mex I
lean, a young man who reseT N'ae
vestre QuevedO, former officer in /
Gen. Salazar's army and for a time a 1
prisoner at Fort Bliss. although !
could not state positively that the COM |
paniOn was Quevedo.
Arriving in the vicinity OF Andujo's |
Place, We were detained for moment !
by an engine crossing the street on 4
the Santa Fe tracks. As we were about /
N IA
hailed us from the sidewalk We /
turned the machine around and drew
close to the sidewalk. As we did So
Otero stepped forward and in Spanish !
made vile remark about my mother
Saying this he drew back an dfrom his /
pocket drew pistol and fired. The
ball passed through my coat on the left
side.
Fires at AssaiIant.
Realizing that an attempt had been
made on my life, pulled my pistol and
shot twice OterO fell backwards. At
ter my second shot the man, lying on
the sidewalk, asked me not to shoot
again, and / returned my pistol to nv
rocket. Otero was about 10 feet from
ne at the time
+; after the shooting we drove to tne
residence Of George ". Armijo Palms 1
court and there 1 requested Mr.. Ar
MILO to telephone Capt W. D. Greet,
# the police department. Capt. Greet
1laeed me under arrest and took me
% the station.
Il had never had any dealings with
)terO. but since 1 acted as attorney
or Gen. Salazar my life has been re-
'eatedly threatened. I paid but little
lttentfon to these threats, for. so far
Is / know, have never wronged any
me.
Was Companion QueVedOs
"Otero's companion hurried away
rom the scene at the first shot. As I
aid, he resembled Sylyestre Quevedo, |