Last Hanging in New Mexico
On September 3, 1921 five Mexican Nationals entered the Coury Store to rob it. Mr. Coury was shot and killed; Mrs. Coury struggled with another thief and was wounded in the process. A bullet glanced off her corset stay, saving her life. The gun jammed and was dropped. One of the men shot at young Fred Coury and missed. Fred began throwing cans of tomatoes at the men, hitting the head of the one that shot his mother and knocking off his hat.
The men escaped, but their horses left a plain trail to the east. Bloodhounds from the state penitentiary helped track them down with the scent from the gun and hat. Four of the men were captured a few days later near Roswell. One man, Eziquel Machucha, presumably escaped to Mexico and was never found. The four captives were tried in Estancia and convicted of first degree murder. On June 30th Judge Edwin C. Mechem ordered them to be hanged in the jail yard at Estancia on Friday, July 28, 1922.
On Demand Performance - KXNM archives Archaeology In Your Backyard as MP3 files, allowing you to listen to your favorite shows on demand, whenever you choose. Click on the audio file below to hear the story about the Last Hanging in New Mexico, or click on the Download File to read the whole story.
On September 3, 1921 five Mexican Nationals entered the Coury Store to rob it. Mr. Coury was shot and killed; Mrs. Coury struggled with another thief and was wounded in the process. A bullet glanced off her corset stay, saving her life. The gun jammed and was dropped. One of the men shot at young Fred Coury and missed. Fred began throwing cans of tomatoes at the men, hitting the head of the one that shot his mother and knocking off his hat.
The men escaped, but their horses left a plain trail to the east. Bloodhounds from the state penitentiary helped track them down with the scent from the gun and hat. Four of the men were captured a few days later near Roswell. One man, Eziquel Machucha, presumably escaped to Mexico and was never found. The four captives were tried in Estancia and convicted of first degree murder. On June 30th Judge Edwin C. Mechem ordered them to be hanged in the jail yard at Estancia on Friday, July 28, 1922.
On Demand Performance - KXNM archives Archaeology In Your Backyard as MP3 files, allowing you to listen to your favorite shows on demand, whenever you choose. Click on the audio file below to hear the story about the Last Hanging in New Mexico, or click on the Download File to read the whole story.
| coury_store_and_hanging--word.doc |