The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-12-20
CARTER BOYS PLEAD
GUILTY TO KIDNAPPING
AND STEALING CATTLE

Las vegas. Dec, l0-W ncn tne case
of Claude Carter and Rose Carter was
called this morning in the district
court, the many spectators in the room
were surprised to hear both defendants
plead guilty to the charges of kidnap-
ing and cattle stealing.
The Carriers were indicted for steal
ing about 40 head of cattle from Geo.
Eccles, and for kidnapping Ecces. This
occurred sometime in October, 1914,
near the town of Montoya, but in San
Miguel county. Carter and his broth
er went to Eccles' ranch, took Eccles
from his home and hid him in can
yon near his house. One of the Car
ter boys guarded Eccles in the can
yon for two weeks, keeping him vir-
tually prisoner there, while the other
brother, Claude, rounded up all of Ec-
cles' cattle about 40 in number ship
ped them to Kansas City and sold them
After receiving the money for the cat
tie Claude Carter returned to where
his brother was holding Eccles in the
canyon. They took Eccles to his house
fastened him to rafter with trace
chain riveted about Eccles' ankles, and
then fled the country, and were fugi-
tives from justice for nearly three
years. Last summer they were located
in Arizona by Sheriff Lorenzo Del
gado, arrested there and brought back
here, and have been in Jail since some
time in June.
This morning in court Claude Car
fAr n ttlal Ii inn tot 10. I.,.l..
Leahy in regard to the crime, stated
that after fastening Ecces in his
house with the chain, he wrote letter
to friend of his named II. l.. Thur
man, asking him to go to the house and
take the chains off of Eccles. He pre-
sented this letter to the court. Mr..
Thurman was also in the court room.
The plea of guilty by the two Car
ters is a great saving of expense to
witnesses subpoenaed in the case, all
present in the court room, and the
trial would have occupied at least four
ar five days.
Asked by the court whether they
had anything to say why the Judge
ment and sentence of the court should
not be pronounced upon them, both de-
PENDANTS stood up, and Claude Carter
addressed the court, reading partially
from u typewriter paper which he
had in his hand:
II would like to make n little state
ment in answer to the charge with
which we are accused. | wish to say
we are guilty, and in making this plea
Of guilty we feel justified in asking
few minutes time in which to eX-
plain the circumstances which led up
to this crime.
"The starting point of this offense
dates back to the year 1913, when our
parents had to leave Old Mexico. They
were forced out of Mexico and return
ed to the United States. Our parents
were poor people, and having sold
their home in the United States before
going to Old Mexico, on their return
they were homeless and out of money
having spent what money they had in
preparing a home in Mexico.
/ Through some friends of mine in
New Mexico ] raised sufficient money
to help our parents along until such
time as they could return to New Mex
leo, when conditions got better in Old
Mexico. But conditions in Old Mex
leo got worse instead of better, and my
parents could not return to Old Mex
leo, and through misfortune of one
kind or another, sickness being the
main one, my father was obliged to
call on some of the family for more
help. was at that time in the vicin-
ity of Tucumcari, buying and shipping
cattle-tryng To get together money
enough to pay what | already owed
At the time my father wrote me for
more money. | only had $50 in the
bank, so ! was obliged to call on my
friends for further assistance, and
raised sufficient money to send to my
father from friends in Montoya.
do not want to say this boastingly, but
my friends when they advanced m,
this money, required no security from
me but loaned me the money ! asked
for on my word of honor that ! would
pay it at certain time. This money
| borrowed in this way ! sent to my
father.
After that, ! kept buying and ship,
ping cattle, trying to pay my owl
expenses and save sufficient money tc
pay back TO my friends the money
had borrowed for my father, but tn,
high price of cattle and the changed
conditions were such that could mo-
raise the money to meet my obliga
tions.
80, after due consideration of m!
unpleasant, unfortunate situation,
came to realization that something
had to be done to raise the money /,
meet these obligations. | wish tc
state in reaching that conclusion |
was not my desire to break the law
of the country, in regard to these obli
cations; it was not a course Of my will
full and deliberate choosing that lie,
me to do this, and Your Honor, | d.
not wish to see innocent people suffe
for any consequences Of my wrong