Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-09-10
Attorney General Now on the
Ground and in Charge of
Prosecution of Man Charged
with Murder of ConneIl,
FIRST WITNESS STILL
ON STAND AT RECESS
Surveyor Whose Maps and
PIatS Are Basis for Vital
Contention SuStainS Cross
examination Lasting Hours,

Las Cruces. n NJ, Sept. 9-The fa-
nous Porter murder case wherein
James L. Porter is charged with the
killing Of Ralph Cornell at Tula-
rosa Otero county year ago last
June. was on in earnest today, At
torney General Clancy reached Las
Cruces late Yesterday afternoon and
when court was convened this morn
inc was present to take charge of the
case. Mrs. Ralph Connen was i'm
court today for a short time during
The trial accompanied by her two
young daughters the elder of whom,
Florence, will be used as a witness
Mrs w Council. mother of Ralph
cornell, also was In attendance.
The staae's witpr-e so shs US thirty
eight names; the defense has twenty
eight and has announced il might
use stil others.
Witnesses Barred From Court
The rule was invoked against ali
witnesses except that. by agreement
Mrs. Porter Mrs Ralph Council j. b.
McGhee. court reporter of the Fifth
district the surveyor the photogra-
pliers and the character witnesses
win be allowed to remain in the court
ROOM
w. r.. Baker, a special reporter. is
taking the case for the prosecution
Maj W. II. H. lleWellyu made the
opening statement to the jury, out
lining the line of the prosecution and
the points which the state expects to
prove He was stopped by the de
Tense, whose objection was sustained
by court, when he began TO explain
why the state receives his aid. revert
InE 90 his residence wears ago i'm
Omaha where the residence of the
Councils has been for years
Second objection 20 his remarks was
sustained when ne undertook to de-
scribe the marriage of Mr. and Mrs.
Council in the little chapel at Tula-
rosa and a third objection was sus-
tanned when he commenced to relate
the history of the changing of the
channel of the Rio Grande river in
1852
Water Right Suit Involved.
When directed by the court to con-
fine his statement to the facts in the
case he declared the state expected to
prove that the killing of Cornell grew
""' ul bitterness ellBtHueIeu ny wa
ltL SUIT saying that Porter ana Con
Hfu were on opposite SIDES or the sun,
mat Porter insulted ConneH ana urea
20 provoke him into a personal en-
counter and finally shot ana killed
MN without any provocation.
William p. Steen. a surveyor of El
Paso was the first witness put ON
the stand. He made the survey of the
Porter home three miles north of Tu-
l4rosa in front of which Cornell was
killed by "a single shot The results
of the survey were incorporated in
two plats which showed the topOg-
raphy of the grounds. the location Of
tine residence ana other buildings. the
road and "A part of the surrounding
country. The plats were made by au-
thority Of court order and under the
direction of Attorney General Clancy.
The defense opposed the admission
of the second Mat an tha ground that
it was incompetent and immaterial and
chat No proper ground had been laid
for it. The court admitted both plats.
Stems direct examination was con
GUIDED at 2:15 o'clock His cross-eN-
animation recurring two and a half
hours
The establishment Of the exact place