Walker Lake Bulletin

Candelaria Letter,
To the Bulletin - The excitement over the death and concealment of the infant Pedro Elquetta still continues, sufficient evidence being received by his Honor, Judge Holland, and on sworn complaint of Dr. J. F. Summers, the mother of the child was lodged in jail. Her sworn statement before his Honor last night (the 15th) is different altogether from that given before the Coroner's Jury, which, in substance, is that the child was taken from her after it was nine days old: from that time until its death she could only see it once or twice a day, never, for one moment, was she allowed to take the baby in her arms or attend to it in any way. It may seem strange to your readers that a mother could be treated in this way, but she was afraid of her life of Lola Webber, who had possession of the child, who continually abused and ill-treated her, and removed it to her own house, across the street. The mother has even been in the same house and was so scared that she did not dare look at her own child. This old virago, Lola Webber, alias "Nicholasa Montana," has a mania for torturing and inhumanly treating children. She had possession of a child belonging to another Mexican woman named Jenny and has been known to hold its fingers against a hot stove until it screamed alarmed the neighborhood. She had a boy and girl belonging to Mrs. Deolinda Elquetta and she made the children sleep in a cellar, 100 yards from a dwelling house, and kept them there against the protest of the mother, who was driven to such desperation that she gave the boy away to Angelo Lanches, who formerly kept a dance-house in Bodie, Lola Webber, still retaining the girl, who was but three years old. One morning she beat the child in a shocking manner and when it cried she stuck its head in a coal oil can full of water; luckily for the little girl she was seen by a gambler named Mormon Joe, who swore a complaint against her. She was found guilty in Judge Holland's court, and fined $50 and costs, and the child taken from her. The citizens here interested themselves in the matter, and sent it to the Orphan's Home, at Carson, where it is at present. This villainous old strumpet has escaped so far, owing to the terror she inspired in the mothers of these children, but his Honor, Judge Holland, is determined to ferret out everything concerning the death of the last infant, and deal with the woman as she deserves. If sufficient evidence cannot be procured to hold her over, the citizens here, I have no doubt, will take the law in their own hands, and, at the very least, treat her to a coat of tar and feathers, for they are thoroughly convinced of her guilt. The evidence produced before the Coroner's jury was sufficient to bring in a verdict that the child died from neglect and starvation. The testimony of Dr. J. F. Summers corroborates the above in every particular. That the law may make an example of this brutal old wretch, is the present wish of the people of Candelaria and vicinity.

Later-Madame Webber has been put in jail by order of Judge Holland. The sworn testimony of the mother and Pomposa Padeo was sufficient evidence to have her locked up.

MAX.