Frank (Francisco) Contreras |
| Posted 2019-01-07 by Judy Wight Branson |
| Prescott Evening Courier, Prescott, Arizona Monday, May 23, 1927, page 5, column 1 Mexican Slain By His Brother Frank Contreras, Mexican laborer of this city, who had been employed for the last week or son on the construction job at the Hassayampa Inn, was shot and killed about 9:30 o'clock Saturday night by his brother, Joe Contreras, a member of the Santa Fe bridge gangs. Inter-family difficulties are alleged to have been the cause of the fatal quarrel which preceded the shooting, although none of the three or four eye-witnesses to the murder heard what the two men had been talking about. They parted, according to the story told by the witnesses, in front of the Bear Cafe' on North Cortez street, near the Grant hotel. Joe walking toward the depot, followed by his brother, who was about eight feet in the rear. Suddenly Joe turned, pulled his gun and fired three times, only the first shot meeting the mark. The bullet entered his brother's body high on the right side of his chest, which caused the man's death, and emerged above the waist line. Frank Contreras staggered, witnesses said, and then fell forward. He was carried into the Grand hotel but expired within a few minutes. Following the slaying, Joe Contreras walked off, never waiting to see if his brother were dead, and then, after a second or two, started to run in the direction of his home. Sheriff Ruffner and his deputies were unable to find the man there, however, when they started a search for him, but later, the sheriff is said to have notified Mexican friends of the man that it would be better for him to surrender, and as a result, Contreras gave himself up. He is being held in the county jail without bond pending his arraignment and preliminary hearing, which are set for tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock before Judge Gordon Clark of the justice court. While nothing of a definite nature has been learned concerning the cause of the trouble, so far, a quarrel over Frank's wife, whom he had deserted some time ago, is supposed to have been the reason for the shooting. According to friends of the two men, Frank left his wife and two or three children, neglecting to support them in any manner, whereupon Joe assumed those duties, moving into the home, where he had lived ever since. An inquest was held yesterday afternoon, with Coroner Clark presiding, at which time Frank Contreras was found to have met his death as the re3sult of gun shot wounds from a gun in the hands of his brother, Joe. The jurors included Ernest McLaughlin, Brooks Dudley, S. W. Mathias, Dannis Landry, Ben Silverman and B C. Taylor. Transcriber's note: Mr. Contreras is buried in an unmarked grave at the Citizens Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona. |
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