San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-11
Alleged Slayer Of Bob"
Rumsey Spends Useless
Day in Court.
WAS ONCE RELEASED
Charges Filed in U. S. Court
After State Had
Freed Him.


noon in an effort to secure his release
from custody, Joe Casanova. charged by
indictment in Webb county with the
murder of Bob" Rumsey, mounted GUS
toms inspector, must 60 to Laredo Sun
day to stand trial. Sheriff 4. J. Con
dren OF Webb county is expected TO ar
take charge of his prisoner. 4 certified
copy Of capias issued at Laredo was
received by Bexar county officers late
Saturday by telegraph. which authorizes
the sheriff to hold the man until the
Webb county sheriff arrives.
Casanova was arrested by Chief Dep
uty Sheriff Alphonse Newton Saturday
morning. He and Charles Stevens. SUI
pervisor of the mounted customs service
have been working on the case for sew
cral months and it was through their eff
forts that the man was unprecedented.
The trial of Casanova led through
Southwest Texas into Mexico and back
TO San Antonio, the two officers never
relaxing their efforts to bring him to
justice. A ruSe employed by Chief Dep
uty Newton Saturday to effect the ar
rest of the man was 4 fitting climax to
the nearly three months search.
RearTeSted After Making Bond.
Following his arrest Saturday on an
indictment returned by n Bcxar county
grand jury charging him with the muir
der of Carlos Fernandez Mt a Sunday
baseball game on the afternoon of Sep
TENDER "A last, Casanova was granted
a habcas corpus hearing before Judge
w. s. Anderson in the Thirty seventh
District Court. His bond was fixed at
$1,000, which he readily furnished.
Chief Deputy Newton, in maneuvering
for the arrest of the man had not let
it be known that he was indicted in
connection with the Rumsey killing.
When Casanova was released on bond
on the BeXar county indictment. he was
at once rearrestcd by Deputy Sheriff F.
y. Flores on telegraphic instructions
from Sheriff Condren at Laredo. 4
second habeas corpus writ was then
sought before Judge Anderson in an eff
fort 10 secure CGsanova'S release on bail
in the Webb county case. Judge Ander-
son set the hearing for Sunday morn
ing.
Meanwhile Chief Deputy Newton
wired the sheriff at Laredo, urging him
10 wire certified copy of the Capias in
order that he might hold Casanova un-
til his arrival The prisoner was re-
turned to the Bexar county Jail to await
the arrival Of the Webb county sheriff.
Held OH Federal Charges.
Edward Dwyer, attorney for Casa
nova. however undaunted by his fail
ure in the f;s:t court. withdrew his ap-
plication for a habeaS corpus writ in
the Thirty-seventh and applied to Judge
S. G. Tayloe in the FOrty-fifth. setting
cut that Casanova had been released on
bond in the BcXar county case and that
the sheriff was without authority TO
hold him in the Webb county case, be-
cause no Capias had been received. Judge
Tayloe held that Geographic instructions
from Sheriff COndrcn to Sheriff TObin
to hold the man were insufficient and
that he should be- released if a Capias
were not received.
Charles Stevens, who is a federal Of
ficer, testified before the court that he
had seen a copy of the Webb county
statement against Casanova and had
seen the capias issued Hereunder. Judge
Taylop, however, held that this was not
sufficient to hold the prisoner. There
upon Mr.. Stevens informed the court
that IL the man were released by the
state he would Immediately arrest him
on two charges of resisting a federal Of
ficer with firearms. Mr.. Dwyer sought
10 have the court issue an order for
bidding the arrest of his client after he
was once released. Judge TGyloe ruled
that such an order could issue bit that
it would only apply to state and not
to federal officers. The man was rc-
leased by Judge Tayloc and at once
re-arrested by Mr.. Stevens.
Is Placed Under $4,000 Bond.
Mr.. Dwyer then appeared before Com
missioner r. L. Edwards with his client
and after arraignment on two charges
of resisting federal officer with fire
arms. Casanova's bond was fixed at
$1,000 in each case. Thus he remained
in the clutches of the law.
At 3 :4j Saturday afternoon Chief
Deputy Newton received a certified
copy of the capias and instructed the
Bexar county jailcr not to release the
man until the arrival of Sheriff Con-
dren from Laredo. Thus Casanova's
ull-day fight to obtain his liberty came
to naught and he must now stand trial
in Webb county on the charges pre-
ferred by Mr.. Stevens and the murder
indictment returned at Laredo.
The killing of Inspector Bob" Rum.
sey, who had spread terror among Dor
der smugglers for many years, aroused
the entire border country and every eff
fort was made TO bring about the cap
ture Of his assaSsinS. The mounted in
spector was killed near the town of Tor
rpcillas. about % miles from Laredo on
the morning Of August 10 while return
ing from a raid. He was shot down
when he attempted to block the passage
of two automobiles whose occupants he
suspected of being smugglerS. A rum
ming fight between other customs in
spcctors accompanying him and the
band Of smugglers followed but none OF
them were captured.
Seek Two Other Men.
Following clue which led Chief
Deputy Newton and Mr.. Stevens to be-
lieve that Casanova was implicated in
the Rumsey killing. the two officers set
about to capture him. He had disap-
peared the day a complaint had been
filed against him in justice court. charg-
ing him with the killing OF Fernandez at
the baseball game. All efforts of Off
GERS to locate him failed, until it was
finally learned that he was in Mexico.
Several days ago. according to Chief
Deputy Newton. Casanova got into some
trouble on the Mexican side of the Dor
der and returned to San Antonio. The
chief deputy at once instituted an in
vestigation and through another man