Attempted Wife Murder
source date: 1891
availability: public-domain

Attempted Wife MurderOn Sunday night last a Mexican baile (dance) was held at Frank Silvas’ ranch, three miles above Silver City. Juan Rodriguez and wife were among the guests. All went well till about 11 o’clock when Rodriguez became jealous of the attentions paid his wife and quar- relled with her using as a pretext that she had sold some eggs too cheap. He however soon appeared to be pacified and the dance went on till about midnight when the treacherous brute induced his wife to accompany him to the spring, about fifty yards from the house, whence in a few minutes issued the shrieks of the terrified wife and her cries for succoj* from the murderous assault of her husband. The victim’s mother and stepfather and others ran to the place and found her lying on the ground bleeding freely from many wounds while the cowardly wretch who perpetrated the crime was running toward the woods as fast as he could. The woman was taken to the house and the wounds staunched as well as possible by the application of cloths. From 12 o’clock till 10 in the morning the woman lay without other care.

he cowardly wretch who perpetrated the crime was running toward the woods as fast as he could. The woman was taken to the house and the wounds staunched as well as possible by the application of cloths. From 12 o’clock till 10 in the morning the woman lay without other care. At seven o’clock Monday morning somebody reported in town that the woman was dead, when Justice Givens summoned a coro- ner’s jury of six and proceeded to where the woman lay, finding the woman still alive, but like free and enlightened Americans intent only upon the duty which they came to fulfill, they sat down to patiently await the departure of life, it being apparently beyond their province to try and save it, as they were only summoned to inquire as to the cause of death were caused their their own culpable negligence.