Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-06-29
PEREZ ABSOLVED
AT MURDER QUIZ
Antonio Sosa Declares He Is Not the
Mexican Who Fired Shot That
Killed Cracraft.
But HE ANSWERS DESCRIPTION
Little Headway Made in Clearing Up
Mysterious Crime Occurring in
Silvis Railroad Yard.

prove that Bonifacio Perez was the
man who fired the shot that later
claimed the life of Nicholas Cracraft
received a temporary checkmate this
morning when Antonio Sosa, one of
the Mexicans implicated in the shoot
ing of the Des Moines man, denied be-
fore the jury, in session at the county
! Jail, that Perez was connected with
the crime.
Authorities are confident that Perez
is the Mexican who was described by
Cracraft on his death bed as the man
who did the shooting. Sosa was the
only one of the Mexicans now held in
custody whose statements before the
coroner's jury are likely to prove of
value to the states attorney in case
| Perez and his associates are placed on
trial on a charge of murder. The
shooting of Cracraft occurred June 20
in the Silvis yards.
From sources believed to be relia-
| BILE it is reported that Perez is the
man mentioned in Cracraft's ante-mor
! tenn statement as the one who pulled
! the trigger, although authorities have
refused to reveal contents of the let
| ter. It is also known that state
ment the dying man made to two
nurses in the hospital will be used as
evidence. This statement is also said
| to name Bonifacio Perez as the man
who did the shooting.
| Taking of testimony was suspended
this noon and will be continued in the
Office of Dr. R. C. j. Meyer, coroner,
| Saturday morning, when new evidence
will be introduced
Five Before Jury.
Three of the five men who are said
to have been recognized by Cracraft in
the hospital while he was still in a
rational state of mind were brought
before the coroner's jury this morning,
They doggedly refused to admit their
connection with the murder in the face
of a grilling examination by States
Attorney Thompson. Sosa, the Mexi-
can who made the denial of Perez's i'm
plication in the shooting, was the only
one from whom information of any
value to the state could be secured.
E Patinio, who lives in box car No.
8 in the Silvis yards, brought up the
midnight revelry which preceded the
shooting, for the first time during the
case. Patinio said he didn't hear any
music, or see men, strangers or liquor
on the night in question and the state
ment of Antonio Sosa. next witness,
that the hilarity took place in car No.
6 substantiated this Patinio was sui
len and would give no more informa
ton than was absolutely necessary.
The examination was conducted
through the medium of an Interpreter
Sosa said that the American (Cra-
craft came to the box car at II that
night, two hours later than the crime
is supposed by authorities to have
been committed. He was preceded by
a Mexican who the witness said he did
not know. The revelry took place in
car No. 6, he said. He does not know
who the Mexican who came before the
American was.
Coroner Meyer sprung the sensa-
ton of the case when he turned to the
deputies, while Sosa was still on the
stand, and requested them to bring in
Bonifacio Perez.
Order MOrtem Statement Read.
The man who may, within the next
few months, be on trial for his life, en-
tered handcuffed. He was even more
sullen than those of hts companions
who had been previously called be-
fore the jury. He showed the strain
of the confinement and suspense since
the finger of the dying man is said to
! have been pointed at him as the MUIR
!, derer eight days ago in the Moline city
hospital.
| c hi tha VIII
that killed Cracraft?" was the question
put by the coroner to Sosa.
81 No" said Sosa. He would say nc
more and the suspected man was led
away. The coroner then declared an
adjournment till Saturday morning al
9 o'clock
The ante-mortem statement of era
craft, which authorities have refused
to give out for publication as yet, was
read to the jury yesterday afternoon
Statements of the man, made in that
document, are said to assure a murder
verdict by the coroner's jury. The
document will be the strongest piece
of states evidence in prosecution oil
the case.
Sweeping denials of all implication
in the crime were entered by those
placed on. the stand yesterday. Two
OF the men said there was liquor In the
box car on the night in question but
were later contradicted.
Four Held in East Moline,
Four of the Mexicans taken in the
last roundup by East Moline police
are being held by authorities there
Coroner Never this afternoon c+,tad
that as many as necessary will be held
till after Saturday, but did not state
how many will be released.