El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-12-20
EL0RSHE|M FIRE WAS
TALKED OF PREVIOUSLY,
PLAINTIFF ALLEGES
CLAIMS ROY MERCHANT SAID HE
DIDN'T THINK FIRE WOULD
REACH PROPERTY; SENSA-
TloNAL CASE IN DISTRICT
COURT AT LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas, N. M, Dec. lin the
case of Leandro Archuleta VS.. Tae
Floersheim Mercantile company. the
plaintiff, Archuleta, went on the wit
ness stand and testified that his two
buildings destroyed by the fire which
originated in the Floersheim Mercan-
tile company's corral on May 81, 1916,
cost him $4,000; that the contents II
the saloon consisting of five barrels
of whisky, cas- goods, wines, cigars,
bar and other fixtures, amounted to
$4,000, making his total loss $4,000,
for which sum he is suing the defend
ant company. He further stated that
at the time of the fire he owed the
Floersheim Mercantile company 5000,
on account of materials furnished
him which went into his new store
building, which was completed on
May 80, 1916, and was consumed by
fire the following day.
The defendants attorney, on cross
examination of Archuleta, attempted
to show that the day after the fire
Archuleta made a proposition to Sol
ONION Floersheim to settle all claims
he might have, by the F~loersheim
Mercantile company giving him cred
1t for the full amount of his account,
but this the plaintiff denied. He
stated that hei talked with Sol Floor
sheim the day after the fire at Roy
and that he said to Mr.. Floersheim:
Il believe howe you $500 or 5000.
| want to ask you, what you are going
to do with me. ! have lost everything.
! did not have any insurance on my
buildings, and they are all destroyed.
What are you going to do with me
about this account I W you?"
To which Sol Floersheim, he said,
replied:
"Don't worry, Leandro, I will see
Bob Alldredge, who is president Of
the company, and l will guarantee
that we will do the best we can for
you. 1t was only Monday that Bob
Alldredge wanted me to come over
and tell you to take insurance upon
your property by all means, but !
did not think this fire would reach
property
Up to that time the plaintiff stated
that he did not suspect that the fire
was caused through any wilful act or
negligence of the Foersheim COM
pany, but after Sol Floersheim made
the remark 81 did not think this fire
would reach your property" he chang
ed his opinion as to the origin Of
the fire, and commenced to- gather
evidence from the people present, as
to where the fire started, and the
lack of effort or the part of the
Floersheim company to confine the
fire to their corral.
luis Gallegos testified that he was
in Roy at the time of the fire; that
he assisted a number of people in
trying to put the fire out; that he
not see either Solomon Floor
Jacob Foersheim or Robert
.lldredge at the fire trying to quell
the same or assisting in putting the
lire out. FL
IEstanislao Rechyleesky, a Russian
living lea Roy, stated
hat the day before the fire he came
% Roy at the request Of Robert All
to give a mortgage upon a
engine he had purchased;
hat the mortgage was made out, and
left, stating he would send his boy
take the tractor to his homestead,
hat the following day the fire occur
ed and his tractor was destroyed by
ire. He further swore that after the
mortgage was given, Alldredge re-
to him: "You had better take
he tractor away, because there might
,e a fire."
This is one of the most important
tried before the court for some
ime. o. A. Larrazolo appears for
he plaintiff, and Messrs. w. R. Holly,
t Springer, NJ. NJ, and William g.
for the defendant.