ACOSTA, Modesto

Arizona Republican, Phoenix, Arizona Territory Monday, July 13, 1908, page 6, col. 4 Fatal Shooting In Prescott Saloon Accidental Discharge of a Rifle Kills One Man and Wounds Another Modesto Acosta, a gambler, who was shot and willed (killed) and Marcus Cisnero painfully wounded by Bartolo Sequeiros Friday night at 9 o'clock in G. Hortado's saloon, 223 South Granite street, Prescott, says the Journal Miner. Only one shot was fired, the shooting being accidental, according to Sequeiros, and one eye witness. The bullet entered Acosta's right leg in front near the body, ranging downward, passing through the limb, and cutting an artery in its course. Death ensued ten Mines later from loss of blood. After inflicting the mortal wound on Acosta, the bullet struck Marcus Cisnero in the fleshy part of the left thigh, passing through, and falling out of his clothing. At the time of the shooting the men were standing in front of the Hortado bar, apparently engaged in pleasant conversation. Sequeiros was standing at the end of the bar near the door. He reached across the bar for a 44 calibre rifle Standing behind it. With the weapon pointing slightly downward and in the direction of Acosta and Cisnero, he pulled the lever accidentally, and the weapon was discharged. Acosta fell to the floor and was dead from the loss of blood before the arrival of a surgeon. He never spoke after the weapon was discharged. Sequeiros made no attempt to escape. Night Officer William Barclay was promptly on the ground and placed him in the city jail. Cisnero's wound was dressed by a surgeon. It is painful but not considered serious. Acosta was proprietor of a poker game in the Hortado saloon. Sequiros is a woodchopper in the employ of Alberto Najera. The men were on friendly terms. Cisnero is a miner. Eye witnesses to the shooting way it was accidental. The weapon was left for safe keeping in the saloon ba a visitor a few days ago. -------------------- Weekly Journal Miner, Prescott, Arizona Wednesday, July 15, 1908, page 8, col. 4 Acosta's Slayer Not Exonerated By Jury (From Sunday's Daily) Outside of the facts of the shooting of Modesto Acosta in the Hortado saloon on south Granite street Friday night at 9 o'clock, as published in yesterday's Journal Miner, no evidence was introduced at the coroner's inquest yesterday afternoon, although five witnesses to the shooting testified. The jury, however, did not exonerate Bartelo Sequeiros from blame. He will be arraigned before Justice of the Peace McLane Monday to answer to the charge of murder. The verdict returned by the coroner's jury is in effect that the body is that of one Modesto Acosta, Mexican, aged 38 years and a resident of Prescott precinct. That on the evening of the 10th day of July, 1908, about 8:30 o'clock, deceased came to his death from a bullet fired from a rifle, said rifle in the hands of Bartelo Sequeiros, said shot being fired in a said saloon on South Granite street, owned by Hortado brothers. Said bullet entered the said body of said deceased through the right leg, in the said back, coming out in front, causing him to bleed to death. Transcriber's note: Mr. Acosta is buried in an unmarked grave in the Citizens Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona.