, 1935-05-30

heard two shots. which he took to be
blank cartridges, and then tn e
more in rapid succession. He said
the crowd scattered In every direc-
ton. and he saw a man get up,
slowly turn around with his arms
outstretched and hands open. and
slowly fall backwards. He said he
saw a second man running. bran
diShing q gun
Sheriff Walks Over TO Body
Asked II he recognized the man
with the gun, Canales testified that
he did not recognize him al the
time. but was informed later that
ne was Elizondo. He said the man
with the gun fired 1T again, and
someone wrenched 1t from him and
me ran.
CanaIes then described seeing
Sheriff Gus Guerra walk over 10
the dead man, with his gun IN one
hand and a riding crop in the 9TH
er. He said he saw no one assault
Elizondo.
On croSs-cxamination CSnaleS
testified that he did not see any at
tack on Elizondo but that his eyes
were on Julio Guerra. lie testified
that Elizondo had been a deputy
sheriff stationed at La Grulla- but
that there had been some trouble
there and he had been transferred
& Ric Grande City. Guerra, Canales
said, has been a deputy sheriff for
10 or is years.
Canales testified that he had been
opposed to all the Guerra brothers
as candidates for office in Starr
county. although he was a resident
OF Brownsville. explaining that he
owned property In Starr county and
spent much time there.
Cross-questioned regarding his
appointment Of Sergeants-at-arms
when the proper authorities were
present. and asked whether he had
requested the sheriff and his depu-
ties to keep order, he replied:
would have been a fool to: they were
the ones that we're disturbing me"
Physician Takes Stand
DR.. Ramirez Scliz. Rio Grande City
physician. next on the stand, testi-
fled regarding the wounds In Co
mez' body. DR.. Soliz was or the bal
cony at the time OF the shooting. he
testified. The doctor said there were
three bullets holes, each OF which
passed through Gomez body. He
said Gomez was facing him when he
was shot. that he was standing when
the first bullet struck him, half way
down when the second struck. and
lying down when he was shot the
third time. He said Gomez hands
were oustretched and that he saw no
weapons in his hands
Or. SoliZ testified that he knew
Elizondo. but did not see him shoot
Gomez. but testified further that
there were powder burns on Gomez
clothing and skin. and that the muz-
xle Of the gun would have had TO
be within six inches OF the mans
body to have caused the burns. He
erid he heard 30 or 40 shots fired In
al.
Judge Lawrence r. Brooks testi-
fled that he was on the hotel BE-
cony as n candidate for county at
torney. and that he saw a commo-
ton and heard j.. A. Guerra heck
ling Canales.
Il asked Guerra to &c away and let
US have a meeting" Brooks testified.
He said he saw a man push IN
against Gomez. saw Elizondo grab
Gomez bv the hair and shoot him.
but testified he could not identify
Eligondo in the court room as the
man who shot Conner.
Relieved Of Gun
His testimony was similar TO that
OF preceding witnesses regarding the
man who killed Gomez and ran
away. He said the mar was grabbed
and his gun taken away from him,
that he saw no weapon on Gomez,
and told Of seeing Sheriff Guerra
standing les the body. holding a
gun in his hand. He said Guerra
stood there Is minutes.
He said on croSs-examination that
he saw a man chase Elizondo. take
the gun and snap it at him. He
said he saw a Skirmish before the
shooting.
J. M. Longorio. candidate for dis
trict clerk as opposed to Julio
Guerra at the time OF the shooting.
and now a teacher in the Browns
vile schools. was the first witness
70 testify that he saw the actual
shooting Of Gomez BY EliZondo.
He said that after the disturb
ance which interrupted Judge
Canales' speech, he saw Julio
Guerra beckon to Elizondo. He said
the men we're approximately thirty
feet ava from the platform. He
testified that ne saw Elizondo grab
Gomez by the head and fire the
first shot. He then fired other
shots as Gomez fell, Longcrio teS-
titled.
Longorio said that after shoot
ing Gomez. Elizondo ran, fired
again toward another man. and that
ne saw Felipe Soliz take the gun
away from Elizondo.
Longorio testified that he was q
resident of La Grulla community
at the time OF the shooting. and
that Gomez and SoliZ. the two slain
men lived there. too. He said on
croSs-examination that he first saw
Gomez when he stood before Eliz-
ondo and that he didn't see Pablo
Soliz. He said Elizondo fired seven
shots at Gomez
Attorney Testifies
Amado Garcia, BROWNSVILLE at
torney, said he was standing un-