A dead body was found in Tom Post’s orchard in 1891. I never know what I’ll find in old newspaper articles when researching Charles A. Bottger.
April 1, 2010:
Here’s another gem from the newspaper archives of the Albuquerque Daily Citizen, June 30, 1891, page 4. Tom Post was Miguela Bottger’s stepfather. An acequia is an irrigation canal which has a shut-off to turn the water on and off to irrigate certain sections of land. Acequias are still used in New Mexico for irrigation.
“Found Dead. Yesterday afternoon, while several boys were playing along an acequia, which runs through the orchard and vineyard of T. D. Post, near the river in old town, the dead body of a man was discovered. The news was imparted to Cristobal Romero, who informed Justice of the Peace Manuel Armijo and Coroner Jesus Romero. They repaired to the place, and on lifting the body from the water in the acequia, found that it was that of Salvador Garcia, a well-known dissolute character around the old town. He was subject to fits, especially after a hard drunk, and on Sunday it was learned that he was on a big spree. Monday morning he went down to Mr. Post’s place, turned on the water, and sat down on the side of the acequia under the shade of a small tree. It is supposed that he had a fit and fell over into the water, which covered his body entirely. In any event, the coroner’s jury, empanelled by Justice Armijo, returned a verdict in accordance with the above facts. He was about 50 years of age, and was half Navajo and Mexican. His remains were buried this morning.”
I’m not sure where Tom Post’s orchard was located in Old Albuquerque. Tiguex Park used to be a large marsh with orchards and truck gardens around it, so it was probably somewhere nearby.
