In 1886 a party of Mexicans had a fight on the Mimbres, abducted a little girl, wounded her brother in the leg so that he died long afterward, were pursued to Santa Rita, killed one of the followers and fled.
Wm. Courtney telegraphed from Fort Bayard that a Mexican with stolen child had gone toward Pinos Altos. Deputy Sheriff Hall at once went to the gold camp to find the party. In returning, a short distance above the city he caught up with a Mexican named Pilar Perez, leading a horse upon which was the girl. Questioned, Pilar said that he came from the Mimbres.
What followed is largely a matter of conjecture. Pilar fatally shot Hall in the back, the girl escaped, and told of the assassination. She says Hall did not shoot. His pistol was found in its scabbard fully' loaded. Pilar was in jail last Fall at Flagstaff and revealed his identity.
He said then, and has ever since, that Hall shot twice at him. A jury was empanelled yesterday, and in three hours after the first juror was questioned, a verdict of murder in the first degree was returned.
The evidence of the girl, and those who .examined the official pistol was convincing. J. M. Ginn, the attorney appointed to defend, could not say anything in favor of the defendant. Sentence will be pronounced today.
Silver City Enterprise, 1888