Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-04-04


together IN Brownsville in q car on that
day, and that they saw them leave to-
gether on the road down the river. Wit
nesses testified that they saw Jose Mer-
cado going down the river that day i'm
another car: and also that he was seen
coming back later that day.
Arthur Lightbourn. W. 4. vann, Mrs.
Charlotte Digman. and Manuel Saldana
testified they saw three tracks leading
from the place where the automobile
windshield glass was found TO the river,
distance Of 200 feet. Lightbourn fol-
lowed these tracks and they led to the
river. near where the body was found.
Two Of the tracks were made BY men
who wore shoes and the other by man
who was bare, foot. The body was found
up the river a short distance from where
the tracks approached the river. but Ia
was stated that an eddy in the current
could easily have taken the body in that
direction.
w. r. vann. Manuel Saldana and Mrs.
Charlotte Digman all testified that they
went down 10 the scene two days later.
taking Manuel and Hjinio Mercado with
them. All three Of these witnesses testi-
fled the tracks which were found by
Lightbourl were the same as those Of
Manuel and Hijinio Mercado The two
men were made to step by the side of
the tracks and i'm them. and both Tailed.
Hijinio wore boots on that day and the
square toe Of his boots fitted the tracks
found in the ground, while Manuefs
track was the same as The other shod
track even including a small defect i'm
the heel Witnesses stated that the track
Of the man who wore boots appeared to
have been made by maa much heavier
than the other.
III. TT. Schildt. city policeman. testified
that he saw Manuel Mercado and GULL
ermo Sayas stop at the Post Office Fill
ing station that day and get some gaso-
line. Julio Ramos testified that he saw
the same two at a small store on the
road Toward the Mercado home. San
J6ana Lopez testified that she saw Man
uel and Hig;nio Mercado AZ their home
late that afternoon and saw them leave
the home together. although Hijinio
came there alone with sack Of corn on
his back.
According 10 accounts of the affair
current at that time. Manuel and Hijinfo
Mercado drove down the river on the
afternoon Of the murder with Guillermo
Sayas. The body OF the dead man was not
found until the latter part of the week.
and then IL was located in the river. in a
condition.
Although the automobile which Sayas
borrowed that day from his sister, was
found in the brush near San Benito. Of
L..Ne tAm& -
killed in the opposite direction. and the
finding OF part OF the broken wind
shield bore out this theory. The tracks
were found leading from the broken
glass to the river. and few days later
the body was found.
Joe Longoria and other witnesses for
he state took the stand this morning.
|.ongoria testified that he arrested
Manuel Mercado. and that Mercado jump
N out of the automobile and escaped
rom him down an alley near the court
iouse. Manuel was later arrested near
he grammar school building Ivy city
policeman AEvaredo.
Witnesses for the defense took the
stand this afternoon ~ trial of the case
against Ilijinin Merraio continued. Ar
nando Guerra testified that Sayas and
IIercado did not appear at the Post Of
ice filling station while he was there ON
Monday afternoon. October 30 although
H. could not remember whether he
vent 10 the station that day or not.
Another witness. Policsrpio Tamayo
stated Sayas left his house at 20 that
Iffernoon in company with another man.
md that he has never seen either of them
since. The other man. he said. was
Constance Longoria.