Document text
Prances 3.:otty
Sov17„
aords
3ouroe
ELF.Ohavess
The Trial of Oliver lee for the Murder of
001.ronntaine
NOV 3F
In 1901 a jury was selected in Hillaboro,Sierra County, Jew Mexiosi,
to hear the ores of Oliver liee,Bob Raileyeamd Jim Gillon for the murder
of 0010ne1.-r. Fountains who was murdered Yebruary 1896 by three unknown
menothe above three mere tried on oironmatanoial evedence.
The members of the jury that i remember tere;Martin Luminerresident
Johnie lay,Searetary,E.Phstea, interpeter, and Sam Bernard, Ido not re
remember the names of Aitio others on the jury.
The cave was Changed from as Cruces, DOD8 Ana County,Sew Mexico
as tbe feeling ran very much against the men who was being tried as
Colonel Pountaineme was a racialist that was highly respected in
Las °Twos.
The case asI beard itn was as following;
Colonel Fountains in January of 1896 woe called to Linooln,Oonnty
as Promeonting Attorney,, the case of trying some cattle rustlere,who
hal been jelled at that pisoe.Pefore Col.Ponntaine left as Ornoea, he
was warnE0 to not take the case as it iseemed that such men es Oliver
ige an important cattle man of liea Zico, A.B.Falle a mine operator
and tattle man did not wish the wise to be tried, *by? e were never
able to unco.Jer this foot. Oliver lee served in late- as represen4iva
county and is still considered a leading cattle man in
Pew exioo,now living at------- "ew exioo.
When Colonel Fountzilne started for Lincoln, County his wife
.....-tMorales0ountaine,who was raise as ff:rr esI know in Old Mesilla,
464*
Dope Ana Gounty, tequested the Colonel to take their son,&enry, age
nine with him to Lincoln in hopes thet whoever -;;es threetinr the
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Colonel would not bother him if he had thn ohild with bin.
On ttm return tri.) from Linooln, Colonel 2ountHins mat
astterons Barbels, mail carrier, fromlUlMfessi4
he was being followed
that he wee being followed ,but he didn't have an ides vho it was, and
after Uttsrons Urals went on his toute be wsaw several men,
who appeared to be cow boys coming, hit they tureed out of the road
before they met the carrier end went around him coming bnok into the
road mile er no fertiler on down the roanrthere by proving tbnt
they didnot wish to be -ecogoised.
0010eel Ponoteine was killed between 1e Augustine and Apus
Blanes, et least thst was 7th -re hes luokboard wne found by a posse
4hen the Colonel did not return at the time that wn set for him
returnAte wife beome worried and sent out nn alarm that the 4ttorney
had not returned.The buokbosrd war found, end the foot prints of
men around it where the horses had been unhitohel, the bodies 'tied
on the horses and these horses Wi followed by three other mounted
heroes, These horses went towri the aeceremento Uounteing, but they
could not be trate OUGORSO fn117 no the bodies were never found.
Soon after the death of the Colonel a marrent wee ,rsde nut for
the arrest of Oliver Lee who dissppered an T as not heard of for over
a year.In 189— Oliver lee came to les Cruces and gtve himself up.
4s there 'menet snythinr but oirou melantial evidence we
oould not find the men guilty even though the Graze jury indicted the
above mentioned men.it win knoen that there war hard fe4ings between
the parties, but there was not enough evidence to melte n real on
A.B.Palls ras drawn into the cane many believing that ,.,1* 7alls had
the murder done, but this wee mnother thing that wee only belief,
4aby said thnt Xr Palls committed the deed, but this was impossible ne
r Palls prove' thrt he loft Cold Dust thirty-five mils from Les Crwoeil
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st4 west LaS Crudes on the day that Colonel rountaine waE, killed, thereto
fore it would have been impossible for him to be 6n the other side of
4as Augustine in the organ Mountains.
It has always been hard for me to believe ths, Oliver Lee
could have had anythinr to have dens with the murder, but for the other
men theytwere the type.len thrt were pun men that lived the life of
out- lams.
Colonel asantaine was from Texas, and I undrstY,nd he WEIP
at one time a political leader in that state.Me was recognize*
se a brilliant man and a leader in -"as ,,ruoes.
LINGIIAv67 rage 60 wa born in Santa Pe, New mlexioo
NCI father Manuel Chaves Game to innt,9 ze from Louisana,the
family having eettled in the Louisana Territory Many years ago.
Shen N.F.Chavey was a young boy his parents moved to Lae ilruoes.