By Charles P. Stanton and edited by Parker Anderson
(Last week, in part one, we found Stanton and Rodrigues having a discussion in the Prescott jail about the murder of Timmerman and the possibility of a conspiracy against Stanton by Law Enforcement officials.)
The following is reprinted from the Arizona Miner of June 18, 1879. The author, Charles P. Stanton, recently arrested and later freed from a theft charge, alleges a vast conspiracy among top Yavapai County officials to frame him for murder and/or have him killed.
"And sure enough, the man's statement and information was too correct, for soon after Mr. C.W. Beach informed me that a certain party had visited his editorial room, accompanied by a man named Napper, whom he introduced with the precursory, 'He will tell you something about your friend Stanton'. This man, who has his arm in a sling, and who is a Mormon of a notoriously disreputable character, told Mr. Beach that I had stolen a number of his cattle and sold them to the Mexicans at Weaver.
"While I was undergoing an examination before the Justice, to my astonishment on returning to the jail, I found that Nicanora Rodrigues was bailed out and gone. On speaking to Mr. Masterson, the District Attorney, about his being allowed to go at large-as I had some information at this of his being implicated in the murder of Timmerman-that gentleman informed me that the Sheriff showed him the letter written by Rodrigues, that he sent for Rains about it, that Rains jumped six feet off the ground on the letter being read to him, and that soon after he received a telegraphic dispatch from Thacker, to reduce the bail of Rodrigues to $1000, as he wanted him out for the purpose of hunting up some other robbers in the southern part of the Territory, that Rains entered his office accompanied by Mr. Churchill and James Bright, that Bright and Fred Williams went on his bonds for $1000.
"After Rodrigues was bailed out, I ascertained from Juan Ruibal, who was still in jail, that himself and Rodrigues killed John Timmerman on the 26th of January.
"Ruibal turned States Evidence on condition that his life would be spared, which was agreed to between himself and the Dist. Atty. In less than two hours after this occurrence, Rains came into the Dist. Atty.'s office with James Bright, one of the men who went on Rodrigues' bonds, and the same Bright swore out a warrant charging Nicanora Rodrigues and Juan Ruibal with the killing Timmerman, Rodrigues at this time was gone and has not been heard of since.
"This same James Bright, I believe, was covered by the parties against me to swear that I stole a gun from Mr. Bennett, and when they ascertained that Mr. Bennett lost no gun, he then amended the complaint and swore I must have stolen it from somebody else. All this swearing was on the information and belief, a very specious way of covering up perjury. This charge was dismissed by the Justice, as no person would take the stand and testify to anything. To gain time was their object.
"In (the) charge of stealing the gold specimen, W. J. Tompkins swore out the warrant on information and belief also, and when placed on the witness stand, stated that he knew nothing about it.
"A man named Johnson swore that I stole the said specimen from him, that it was never out of his possession up to the morning of the 12th of January 1879, that he had it that morning in his possession. This he swore to in the most positive manner, and he was the only witness against me.
"I testified, and my evidence is in writing, that this gold specimen was stolen from the tunnel in my mine, together with about 15 pounds of specimen rock, valued at $300. Thirteen of the most respectable inhabitants of Prescott, namely: C.P. Dake , C.C. Bean, A. J. Mason, P. Hamilton, Dan Hatz, Geo. W. Bowers, Ed W. Wells, John Bohn, T. J. Dougherty, W. J. Howard, Mr. Patterson, W. A. Cline, Mr. Westgate and others who I do not remember, testified that I was in Prescott from the 11th of January 1879, and that I had this identical gold specimen with me, together with a number of other gold specimens.
"In the face of such evidence, Justice Cate bound me over in the penal sum $600 to await the decision of the Grand Jury. The Justice declared in his court room, when no other persons were present but C.C. Bean and myself, that he intended to buy the gold specimens when the case was disposed of, and I have been informed that he did purchase the gold specimens which I swore to as being my property in his court.
"I take this opportunity of thanking my lawyer, John A. Rush, for the manly and eloquent manner in which he defended me, and combated with the conspirators before what I considered a prejudicial court, and of his legal acumen in having the case brought before a higher tribunal on a writ of habeas corpus.
"I have also to thank the Honorable J.P. Hargrave, Court Commissioner, for his review of the whole of the evidence in my case, which occupied him three days, and his able analysis of that testimony, criticizing and censuring the high handed illegal proceedings of the Justice's court and all parties concerned, and declaring that there was no evidence before him to show that a public offense had been committed, and directed the Sheriff to release me from his custody.
"Mr. Masterson, the District Attorney, informed me after being discharged, that everything that men and money could do, was done in my case to try and convict me, and I must say that he, as Prosecuting Attorney for the Territory, did his best; I hope he will now do the same on the other side.
"By the advice of friends, I have abstained up to the present time from publishing this, so as to enable the authorities to do their duty. I have reported the whole case to J. J. Valentine, Superintendent of Wells Fargo & Co., San Francisco.
"In conclusion, I beg to say, that I have been nearly 18 years engaged in mining in the United States, and portions of South America, that my character is well known during the time I have been in this county-that Yavapai County has been my home since 1870, that before coming to this county I filled important positions in various parts of Europe, and that I came to the United States as a political refugee, which can be ascertained by reference to the Records of the Court of Common Pleas, New York City. That therefore, I am no escaped convict, etc. as the secret emissaries and spies of private corporations, in conjunction with their collusive confederates, for their nefarious purposes would have me be.
"It is to be regretted that Prescott, the Capitol of the Territory should be the refuge of every precarious vagabond who can with impunity, raid therefrom, on any part of the country, and pounce with the average ferocity of the hyena, upon any selected victim who invariably is a respected citizen, who finds himself in the short space of 24 hours, emblazoned by those rapacious vampires as a notoriously bad man. In Justice to myself, I could not keep this from the public longer.
"The Grand Jury is now in session, and the law is supposed to protect every citizen. If this inalienable right is denied them, the citizens of Yavapai County will have to give themselves that protection against the predatory incursions of the pompous, vainglorious and ostentatious vandals of Prescott, which that law is supposed to guarantee."
(Chas P. Stanton, Prescott, June 18, 1879. Charles P. Stanton was a miner and businessman who built the once bustling, but now nearly deserted, town south of Yarnell that today bears his name. He was gunned down in an unsolved murder in his store in 1886. Parker Anderson, who edited Stanton's account, is an active member of Sharlot Hall Museum's Blue Rose Theatre.)
The Sharlot Hall Museum's Blue Rose Theatre will be presenting "Stanton: The Rogue who would Be King," a play written by the late Larry Schader, about the life of the infamous and notorious, Charles P. Stanton, on June 17-18, 24-26 at 415 W. Gurley. Call 445-3122 for more information on this fascinating play
Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(bub8097p)
Reuse only by permission.
Stanton's Store, Weaver (Stanton), AZ. Charles P."Irish Lord" Stanton stands in the doorway.