Albuquerque Morning Journal

PROMINENT TAOS COUNTY CITIZEN DONE TO DEATH

Don Antonio Martinez Is Victim of Atrocious Murder at Lonely Spot in Carson Forest; Hunter Arrested.

[SPECIAL DISPATCH TO MORNING JOURNAL]

Santa Fe, Dec. 13.—News of an atrocious murder in Taos county reached Santa Fe yesterday, the victim being Don Antonio Martinez of San Cristobal in the northern part of the county, whose body was found at a place in the Carson forest known as Garrapata. The body had been covered with stones and branches from trees. A hunter from French, Colfax county, is under arrest. One of his companions, hailing from Dawson, made his escape after being arrested and a third nimrod, who was wounded in the right leg and left shoulder managed to get away after calling at a drug store for ointment for his wounds and consulting a doctor.

There are evidences of a terrific struggle, with the three American hunters on one side and the Spanish-American, who is well known throughout the county, on the other. It is supposed that Martinez came upon the hunters as they were baiting a bear trap with a horse they had apparently stolen and killed. Martinez recognized the robe, it is said, taken from the horse. To hide the crime of horse-stealing, so it is reported, Martinez was attacked with the intent of killing him. Martinez drew his gun and wounded one of the hunters and then was killed himself by a fusillade of bullets. The fatal bullet is said to be of the same calibre as that of the gun of the hunter under arrest.

There is considerable excitement over the murder in Taos county and posses are hunting for the companions of the man now under arrest.