Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1890-08-29
TH1RTY-FIvB YEARS AGO.

MORA, n. NJ, August l4th.-Ih thirty
Eve years age Mora and COlfax sounties
we're the eastern portion Of the grand, old
county OF Fernandez dc Taos From that
mother Of ehivahy we learned
what little We knew Of civil law and or
der. Our county seat and court Of justice
was in Fernandez, far aersss the rugged,
but romantic, TRos trail, whose history is
the hiStory Of many drsary, dangerous
march Of such heroes Of TIE mountains as
St. Vrain, ROuslla. la Roux, Carson and
host Of Sthers Of pioneer fame. Can
tonmsnt Burgwin guarded the southsrn
pass into Taos valley and Fort UniOn
stsod sentinel on the extreme limit Of eur
eastsra civilization.
Our lawyers, Ashurst, Houghton,
wheaton and TSmkiAs, we're few, but
strong IN brains and talent There was
no putting off and sRdlsssly continuing
cases with those fellows, for they were al
ways ready, bit or MISS, win or lose, sur
vive or perish" Our Old-tms lawyers
had practical training in preparation for
the bar and our judges had the same, and
the talent and ReRiSs of q governor and
ruler. The latter are certainly the hard
est worked class oil holders, and are blan-
ed for thousand things that are the fault
of the bar, aud this constant judicial pro-
erastination breeds rapidly thcertain de-
eisionS, as well as the contsnpt Of the
people.
Isolated az were east Of the Taos range
and constantly subject and threatened BY
raids FROM hostile Indians, with the meun-
tain trails often impaHsAble, were cut efi
froR aid Of civil authority, and svil-deerr
clean swing uutil the people took the
law ints their Own hands and made things
squat"
Oar reprsbates Of those days were not
so low Aung as to cat and destroy the fen
ces Of ianse0nt neighbOrs, but they would
use the billy" and ran knife int your
bowels for half dollar. No shorih was
called or (for he was In Taes) to spprs-
hend thsSs culprits, but they were taken
in" BY the people. A fair, square and
public examination Of the case was made
and the prisoner turned over 10 a guard
for transportation TO TAos jail Some
how, however, that night the guard
was evorpswerod and the prissner never
got nearer Taos than on old, frame fodder
rack that stood exactly on the ground new
eensseratsd to eur new teaplo Of justice.
ORe bright morning in the summcr Of
IS poor, harmless town hummer wac
found dead on the street with brutal stalls
Of knifo iu his heart We were all most
terribly excited fer the poor creature vas
locked upSn as kind Of useless necessity.
UGaSual extrsioEs we're made solve the
N urder and al that could DO lsaTnsd with
cortaiaty was that the victim vas seen
tLs evening bofere in company with a
stranger in rad shirt. Expert runners
were dispatched To the four points Of the
compass and abeat neoa the ''red shirt
was captured in.upper Mora concealed in a
Msxiean bake oven BE vas at Onea ok
amiIsd and a long, kaen butcher knife
taksn from his person Wits blood upon it.
The usual public examination, in presence
OF the dead kody, was made, but the svi-
desce seemed to strike the court, (f sueh
It may be so ealledl, as dou6tfully Oireum-
stantial A guard, however, was placed
over the prisoner, and during the silenI
watches Of midAiEAt 4 reverend father,
Tor cue So rsPrssentinE himself), requested
an interview with the accused. All re-
speotsd the sacred black coat in those
days, and the suppoSod padre, at one Rd
nsitted. II have como, said his reverence
10 prisoner, 'ts confess you, as l an as
sured your life will be takon ere the morn
ing, and my sacred duty to nay profession
will not allow human to enter eternity
.uRprsparod."
A confession Of the murder was mad,
and the padre departed with apparent evi
denes Of sorrow. Fifteen RihutOs later
band Of blaekenSd barbarian rushed up
on, and ever powered the guard, tOok tn
prisoHer out.
The morning san shOns once more mp
On the mortal remains Of confessed muir
dersr hanging gracefully on the beams 9
the old fodder rack from the soft end Of
trAwhids lasse. This was the seventh vic
tim Of upjustihab0 justice, and the RAm'
Of MoraniAn was feared and respected
from here 10 Chihuahua OLD FoGY.