The Eagle, 1894-10-24

has always worked for the republican ticket. Since the Enterprise made the matter public property there has been consider considerable - able considerable talk about the affair and, although the democratic leaders had no intention of printing the story of the drunken re republican - publican republican soldier's arrest and release by a republican deputy sheriff and the ob obtaining - taining obtaining of an affidavit in regard to the matter by a republican ex-deputy U. S. marshal, since it has linen made public by a republican paper in such a form as to mislead some of the voters of the county, the democrats consider that it is doing simply justice to themselves to let the voters have the facts just as they are. Perhaps as clear an account of the facts in the case as has been brought out is contained in an allidavit which was made by Mrs. Potter and sworn to lc lc-fore - fore lc-fore Judge Corbin. The affidavit is as follows : affidavit of mrs. l'otthk. Tkkmtoky of New Mexico,) County of Uiunt. )" " ' On the 20th day of October 1894, le le-fore - fore le-fore me the undersigned authority per personally - sonally personally appeared Lizzie S. Potter, to me well known, who being by me first duly sworn, deposes and says, as follows, to to-wit: - wit: to-wit: That she is the wife of Delbert M. Potter and resides in Silver City, Grunt county, New Mexico. That on" OcIoIht ltilh 1894, after (and on the same day) her husband hail gone on the train to Deming, X. M., one Lafayette Fox, a colored man, called at alliant's house and inquired for her said husband and suid that he, said Fox, had, on Sep September - tember September 2!lrd, 1894, made a certain allida allida-vit - vit allida-vit liefore J. Crockett (iivens, notary public, relative to a certain financial transaction of one Cipriano liaca, the present candidate for sheriff of said ( i rant rant-county - county rant-county on the republican ticket. That said allidavit was made in good faith and that all the statements made therein were true as he said Fox and several others would have to testify if asked in a court of law, but that on that morning (said Oct. itl, 1894,) he, said Fox, had leen, for two (2) hours, conversing with said liaca and that said liaca had told him, said Fox, that if the democrats got hold of said allidavit they would use it against him, said liaca, in the coming election. That the facts contained in said allidavit would work great injury to and ruin him, said liaca, lcfore the people and cause his defeat. That said Baca felt very badly about it and that he, said Fox, was sorry for liaca and, under the circumstances, was sorry the said alli allidavit - davit allidavit had been made, lieing so danger dangerous, - ous, dangerous, to Mr. liaca's political interests. That although the facts stated in .-aid al allidavit - lidavit allidavit were true he.said Foc.on account

the affidavit they set to work to save Baca. Fox was "interviewed" and he immediately evinced a strong desire to get the affidavit back. In fact he offered $ 100 for it. Then he madti another affi affidavit - davit affidavit which shows that the "interview" was perfectly satisfactory as far as he is concerned. All this time Mr. Potter was not asleep. As soon as the fact that he had the affidavit in his possession became known he took steps to secure other affi affidavits. - davits. affidavits. Ho visited Central and the pur purpose - pose purpose of his errand was made known in Silver City by trusted couriers who rode like the wind to get here before Potter could get in with the papers. He was met by some of the leading republicans of the county, among them being Sheriff Laird, Deputy Sheriff Haca, Deputy Sheriff Welty and Hon. J. 11. Johnson, once the chairman of the republican county committee. These prominent republicans met him at White's corral and tried to bluff him into giving up the papers. He first ascertained that they had no papers which would warrant them in arresting him or in searching his person and he then flatly refused to produce any papers. They followed him part of the way to his home while the man at the corral went down town and informed John Uillett of what had taken place at the corral. Gillett, fear fearing - ing fearing that there might be trouble over the mutter, took three men with him, Win. Conunt, E. M. Young and Baylor Shan Shannon - non Shannon and immediately went to Potter's house in order to protect him if he need needed - ed needed protection. Meantime there was a number of men watching Potter's house. The affair created a sensation and the greatest surprise was manifested that two of the republican candidates should resort to such desperate means to get possession of papers which hud not been offered for publication, but which they, perhaps, supposed would work untold injury to the sheriff's office if the con contents - tents contents of the papers should become pub public - lic public property. Potter states that he obtained the alli allidavit - davit allidavit of Fox for use at the coining term of court and his actions certainly bear out this statement. He is more deeply concerned in clearing himself of the charge which hangs over him than he is defeating the republican candidate for the office of sheriff, inasmuch as he is nnd has always been a republican and

The republican leaders of this county are very much distressed. Their distress is not of the kind which is sometimes produced when a small boy fills himself up on green apples, but it is quite as acute. Last summer some one broke into J. J. McEwen's store and D. M. Potter, of this place, was arrested and put in jail for the offense. At the lust full term of the district court he was indicted for the offense committed and since he was released from jail on bond he has been busy gathering evidence to aid him in his trial. At the time of the arrest C. Baca was a deputy sheriff as he is now and he is an important, witness in the case. Nat Naturally - urally Naturally Mr. Potter kept on the lookout for evidence which would tend to discredit Mr. P.aca's testimony before the court. Last month he found what he had been looking for and lost no time in getting the facts in the form of an affidavit. l!y some means the fact that he hud an allidavit which was very damaging to Mr. liaca leaked out and the republican leaders got hold of the information. They at once jumped at the conclusion that the allidavit was obtained for use in the campaign and the last Enterprise, notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Pot Potter - ter Potter has lieen a life long republican, and had served as a United States deputy marshal under the Harrison administra administration, - tion, administration, got out its mud machine and promptly covered Mr. Potter with mud. It discredited the allidavit which Potter had in his possession and which, as Mr. Potter avers, had been in the possession of no other person. The Enterprise de denied - nied denied that Lafayette Fox, after having been arrested, at Earnest's, for violation of the laws of the territory, had paid Mr. linca a sum of money for his release, and charged that ttie democrats were respon responsible - sible responsible for the allidavit which had been obtained but which had not lieen pub published - lished published although it was obtained a month ago. As soon as the republicans got hold of