El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-20

cisco Aware, Eusebio Renteria,
Juan Castillo. Jose Rangel Jose
Rodriguez and Tarrino Garcia. the six
VHlistas on trial here, charged with
murder OF Charles 7. Miller at Co
lumbus on March .. were found guilty
today Of murder in the first degree,
on the second count IN the Indictment,
charging them with aiding and albeit
ting in the commission Of a felony.
leading to murder. The jury was out
30 minutes.
Less than one day was occupied by
the state in the Introduction of evidence
here charged with murder i'm connection
with the Villa raid on Columbus, n. NJ,
on the night Of March 3.
The state rested its case Wednesday
afternoon and the defence began the
introduction Of the evidence OF the de-
PENDANTS, who contend that they were
forced to be present at Columbus. hav-
ing been impressed by Villa into his
ranks.
The charge against the accused was Of
the murder of Charles u. Miller at Co
lumbus, n. NJ. on the morning OF March
3. at the time Of the Villa raid. The
men we're indicted by the April grand
jury on two counts one charging muir
der in the first degree and the other
charging them with aiding and abetting
in murder in the first degree growing
out Of the commission Of felony
Unparalleled Case.
This case is almost unparalleled in
the criminal history Of the country, six
men being charged with murder at the
same time and under the same indict-
menL
In the selection OF the jury neither
the prosecution nor the defence rejected
any OF the jurors chosen in the first
panel One juror, +. c. Parrish. dis
qualified himself by stating that he has
conscientious objections to the infltc-
ton OF capital punishment
The following composed the jury try
ing the case: Louis DOrnbusch. farmer;
Wright Shaw. farmer; Sim HOlstein. liv
eryman: Albert Field. tobaccOnist. Geo.
III. Phillips cattleman; Geo. r. Maisei,
farmer; VIM. Wells, automobile agent;
A. S White. builder; 9 r. Sunquist,
mechanician: Leroy Hon, cattleman; p.
NJ Chase, farmer; c. W. Hasklns
farmer.
The stnte's Charges.
In outlining the states line OF action, |
assistant district attorney J. s Naught !
said that they would prove by the ad- j
mission Of the prisoners that they were
in Columbus on the morning Of March b
y assisting in the preparation OF q
felony The state would not try to 4
prove that the shot that killed Chas. /
n. Miller was fired by any one Of the
accused but that they were there at the 4
time and took part I'm the raid in which 1
Miller met his death.
HuIsey TestIfies.
Deputy sheriff r. A. Hulsey was the |
first witness examined. and. after de- I
scribing the raid as he saw it. he 1
stated that he saw the prisoners on I
April 10, when they were in the milf
tary hospital at Columbus. He idenu- |
fled Alvarez as having been working /
around Columbus six months ago, and I
he also Identified Garcia as having been /
within three miles Of that town in Feb
ruarv. at a ranch that was searched by ,
the authorities for stolen property. /
Rodriguez was in Columbus on the eve /
ming Of Marcus the day before the raid. 4
Hulsey testified that the prisoners, /
since their arrival at the hospital had /
told him that villa and his officers had ,
split the command when they APP
preached Columbus. each one taking his
proper station with his men. With the I
exception OF Rangel. who stated to him
that he was with the armed men in CO.
lumbus, all the accused said that they
were holding the horses Of the fighting
men and were wounded on the retreat
into Mexico.
In cross Examination. attorney Bull r
Wood, for the defence. endeavOred to |
find out whether the men who attacked
the town had any semblance Of military !
formation OF whether they seemed to be
an unorganized mob.
All Were with villa.
l. A Riggs, deputy collector OF GUS
toms a Columbus. was placed on the
stand and corrObOrated the testimony I
given by Hulsey, so far as the state
ments Of the prisoners was concerned.
He also testified that he had seen Al
varez in Columbus several months prior
to the raid, and all the prisoners admit
ed to him since their admittance to the !
hospital that they were with Villa on
the night Of the raid. Cross eXamina-