ONE MEXICAN KILLS ANOTHER

Mitchell Index.—Trouble last Friday between two of the inhabitants of the Mexican colony of the sugar company resulted in the death of one and the holding of the other on a murder charge. The man who was killed was John Martinez, aged 25; the name of the one who fired the fatal shot is Jim Gonzalez, aged 35. Both were unmarried and it is understood that the trouble was over a woman or girl of the settlement.

The affair took place at about 9:30 in the forenoon. After having killed his antagonist, Gonzalez came to town to the office of Judge Burrows and gave himself up. He said that the other man fired first and that in return he shot to save his life. But at the coroner’s inquest other Mexicans as witnesses to the affray did not attach so much blame to the dead man. They said both were on the warpath. Two shots were fired, both by Gonzalez, the second one being the one that found its mark and produced almost instant death. However, Martinez had attempted to shoot but the gun had failed to go off. The evidence at the inquest was given through an interpreter.

The body of Martinez was buried Saturday with honors by the Mexican fraternal society, the name of which when interpreted is “Friends of the City.” His was the 13th body buried in a section of the Mitchell cemetery devoted to such. Gonzalez is in jail at Gering to await trial.

The Western Nebraska Observer (Kimball, NE) Thursday, March 27th, 1927