It’s time to check out a few deaths by pitchfork. I did not think that there would be so many of these incidents, and yet I am not surprised that there are.
Hungarian Wanted for Murder
TRINIDAD, Co., April 28, 1908 – Located by means of letters he wrote to relatives in his native land, Joseph Toth, a Hungarian employed by the Carbon Coal and Coke company at Cokedale, was arrested yesterday by Undersheriff Kreeger and United States Deputy Leonard De Lue on the charge of having murdered the son of the judge in his native village, Varbo, Hungary.
The deputy left yesterday for Denver with his prisoner and the matter will be brought before the United States commissioners at Denver to secure the necessary papers to enable the Hungarian authorities to take the prisoner back to that country for trial.
According to accounts of the crime for which Toth is wanted received here by relatives, the two men quarreled in a hayfield over the election of the parish priest.
Toth is alleged to have stabbed his victim with a pitchfork and Toth’s father is also said to have attacked him with a knife.
Both were tried and acquitted on the grounds of self defense, it not being known at that time that the judge’s son was seriously hurt. The assault is said to have taken place about eight months ago.
Following the trial, young Toth came to America and about two months ago, the judge’s son died of his injuries and the Hungarian authorities have since been trying to locate Joseph.
A few weeks ago, letters were received at the village of Varbo, postmarked Cokedale. Accordingly, Deputy De Lue was sent here in an effort to locate the man. Undersheriff Krueger had no difficulty in locating the man because of a peculiar scar which he has over one eye. The man made no effort to escape from the deputy. He has two brothers working in the mines in this section.
A report gained circulation yesterday that the man was wanted in connection with an anarchistic plot to murder Francis Josef, but this story is repudiated by those who are familiar with the true facts.
Source: The Cimarron citizen. (Cimarron, N.M.), 29 April 1908.
