Search the Encyclopedia Mavericana:   ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Fillipe, Henrique

Attorney and rancher in Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory, in 1876.[1] (November 4, 1847 – who-knows-when)[2]

Owner of the Fillipe Ranch.[1]

John and Daisy Haskell were guests of the Fillipe Ranch in Santa Fe[1] in early April, 1876.[2] Fillipe and Daisy soon realized they were attracted to each other and began a clandestine romance. Haskell became aware of the relationship and confronted Fillipe about it. The argument escalated quickly and Haskell drew a gun, threatening Fillipe. A duel ensued and Fillipe shot and killed Haskell. To hide the body, Fillipe threw it into a mine shaft on his property and began planning an elaborate scheme with Daisy to make it appear that Haskell had died in another way, casting suspicion away from Fillipe.[1]

Later in the month,[2] Daisy met Bart Maverick, also a stranger to Santa Fe. After an afternoon with him, Daisy had Fillipe — acting as her attorney — approach Bart and offer him the job of posing as her husband and escorting her by stage to Laramie, Wyoming Territory. Bart declined at first, but later accepted in order to raise a stake in a poker game at Santa Fe's Barker House. Bart and Daisy met Fillipe at his ranch the next morning to depart on the stagecoach, but before they left, Fillipe gave Bart a Winchester carbine to carry with them for protection.[1]

Four nights later in May, along the Santa Fe Trail at the La Mesa Hotel, Daisy shot Bart with her  derringer to make it appear he had been killed by a burglar who had broken into their hotel room to steal her jeweled necklace. Bart had realized part of her plan earlier and had replaced the bullets in her gun with blanks and fake his death. The town sheriff and undertaker played along with Bart to stage a mock funeral for "John Haskell" once Fillipe joined Daisy in La Mesa. Once convinced Bart was dead and buried, the conspirators — believing they were alone — spoke of their plan while Bart hid in the shadows and overheard everything. When Bart stepped into the light, Daisy fainted and Bart was able to get the drop on Fillipe, knocking him out. With their murder scheme revealed, the sheriff took Fillipe and Daisy into custody and returned them to the authorities in Santa Fe to stand trial for the murder of John Haskell.[1]

Based to Bart's information, Haskell's body was found buried under a half a ton of rock in a mine shaft on Fillipe's ranch. At trial, it was determined that Fillipe may have acted in self-defense against Haskell, but was sentenced to ten years in prison for obstruction of justice and his involvement in the attempted murder of Bart Maverick. He returned to his ranch after prison, where he lived for the remainder of his life.[2]

See: The Jeweled Gun