Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-10-09
CORPUS CHRISTI
MURDER CASE IS
BEFORE COURT
State Concludes Evidence
Last Night in Trial Of
Cleve Goff, Charged With
Shooting Mexican

Testimony introduced this morning by
the defense in the trial Of Cleve Goff OF
Corpus Christi. charged with the killing
of Francisco (Pancho) Lozano in 1918.
was largely Of such a nature as TO indi-
cate that slain man had bad rep
utation for violence and lawlessness
prior TO the killing. and that he had
made threats against the life Of Goff. A
large number Of witnesses testified that
Lozano was known as n bad man"
and that they regarded him as the type
Of man who would carry out any threat
he had made.
Witnesses also testified to troubles
the two men had had prior to the
killing. and in particular to fist fight.
in which Goff and Lozano engaged. Sew
eral witnesses testified that Lozano
made remarks which in an indirect way
might be considered as threats against
Goff.
When court recessed at noon today.
there were a number of witnesses for
the defense yet to be called, but il was
thought the case might get to the jury
tonight.
The jury was not completed until 800
Monday afternoon. and taking Of states
evidence began Immediately. Maxine
Cantu. star witness for the state. an
eyewitness 10 the killing. testified as 10
the particulars. lie stated that he and
Lozano were moving a house, which was
loaded on two wagons. He was driving
pne Of the wagons. and T.azano the other.
Another Mexican. who is row dead. was
also helping. Golf approached them.
and when he was about 200 yards from
the house. Cantu testified that Lozano
said. "Yonder comes Cleve Goff and
if he fools with me will knock hell out
of him." They stopped the teams and
Lozano went in the house.
When Goff came up. Lozano asked
him nthe house. Cantu heard nothing
more until n shot was fired. He saw
Golf through the door with the gun in
his hand. Lozano came up to the door,
and then entered another room of the
house. Cantu testified that there was
blood on Lozano's stomach. He said
Goff fired two or three more shots and
then came oIr Of the house and after
assuring him that he would not be hurt.
went down the road. Cantu. as soon as
he saw that Lozano was dead went TO a
ranch for help. He testified that he
heard nothing after the first greeting.
and that the mules were frightened
by the first shot. and he remained TO hold
them. He stated that Lozano was not
armed. but under cross examination
stated that he did not know what was i'm
the house. A grilling cross examination
failed TO shake his testimony.
Other evidence introduced BY the state
attempted TO show that the records Of
the preliminary trial soon after the
shooting had disappeared. II. +. Will
kinson. present district clerk of Nueces
county. and w. w. Sharp, present jus
tice Of peace. testified they were unable
To find any papers on the case in the
files where such records were usually
kept Under cross examination. Wilkin-
son stated that in cases where no indict h.
ments were returned by the grand jury.
the records Of the preliminary trial were
not always preserved as carefully as they
should be-
II. :. Wright. now a state ranger. who
| was n deputy sheriff nj the time Of the
shooting testified that he was called 10
the scene of the murder and told Of
finding the body. He also testified as 10
attending the examining trial. Counsel
| for the defense objected to the intro
| duciion of this testimony on the grounds
| that II was hearsay, but the court over
ruled the objection. Wright was then
asked 10 repeat any testimony that he
remembered was given by the Mexican
who was dead. The defense again OBJ
| jected and was again overruled. Wright
then testified that the witness stated in
the examining trial that Lozano said
"ihere comes Cleve Goff and he viii kill
me-" Under cross examination he ad-
mitted that he could not be positive that
this was given. but TO the best OF his
recollection IL was. The defense then
made motion that the statement be
striken from the records and not consid-
cred. The motion was granted.
The state then ed its case. and the
court adjourned until 8 o'clock this
4 mnrniun