The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
DoGBERRY IN NEW MEXICO
WILD, WEIRD JUSTICE REND FRED
BY MEXICAN MAGISTRATES.

Tate or n Murdcrcr-A Marriage with Limits
\ Fiuc or IS, with nh Alternative OF BciuR
Shoi-JuStIcc for II Poor RIOS ola A1ext-
cans Hrcnch of 1'romisn suit.
ALBuQuERoUT, \. NJ. Nov. 22.-Among tho
wild. weird, and wonderful things to he found
In tho Southwest aro the decisions sometimes
made by Mexican, Justices Of tho Peace. Most
Of the justices in this Territory are Mcxicans.
\ few of hem are men of sufficient Intelligence
and education to know something about the
first principles Of law, hut most of them are
very mcagro!y equipped. -
One such administrators OF tho law holding
office in northern New Mexico decided that 10
was his duty to try u man who had been
charged with murder. Accordingly, no i'm
pannelCd n jury of six persons and tried tho
case. Tho jury found tho man guilty. and the
Justice vt once ordered the prisoner to stand
up for sentence. lie delivered II long lecture to
tho murderer uron the Nervousness OF his
crime and warned him never to appear in his
court again upon such Il charge. Then no i'm.
prcssivcly pronounced sCntCncc--S5 and costs
and dismissed the court. his face bcaming with
pride and satisfaction over his orator!cal effort.
Before another McSican Justice of the Peace
who dispensed his ideas of law in southern
New Mexico there came u Mexican man ana
maid to he tied in wcdlock. The Judge looked
thom over critically, and apparently had doubts
about the compatibility of their tempers, for
he put n time limit upon tho combination, and
as he pronounced the words which made them
man and wife he added with emphasis, for the
space of two years only" AS they went away
he told them il they were dissatisfied with their
venture before that time to come back and he
would divorce them for the same fec.
Still another, who won his fame in TexaA
tried a man for some petty offence, found him
guilty, and fined him So and costs. But this
was too much for the prisoner Mt the bar, who
declared that he could not pay the fine; that he
had not so much money in the world. The
Justice looked him over with fine, large Texan
contempt for any one so ornery, shrugged his
shoulders, and turned to the marshal with the
nonchalant alternative:
Very well. Then take him out on the mesa
and shoot him.
One venerable disciple of the law. who for q
long time has balanced the scales of justice ID
the town of Las Cruces, is famous through ali
that region for his remarkable decisions. Be-
fore him a Mexican boy, through his father,
sued an American rancher for $50, which he
claimed MS the wages duo for three months'
work. Between a Mexican and an Americana
any Mexican Justice can always see that the
right is plainly on the side of the sutton of his
own nationality, and no matter what the eyis
dcncc. he can usually find some way Of making
his decision express his sympathy. In this case
the defendant proved that the boy had been
hired to do chores for his board and that it had
been expressly stipulated that he was not to res
ceive money payment. The Justice considered
the case with frowning brows and laborin8
brains for some time. Then he announced that
the plaintiff had failed to prove his case.
"But," he added. tho boy Is a poor boy, and
out Of this suit. He is entitled TO something.
and hereby award him the defendants black
NH This sns same ls 'i justice .so had 9' to to' decide HSdti a unique
breach of promise suit. Among the Mexicans
Il is the i, universal tT g slG custom 6 for tho the S tSddsgro to to
must furnish the brides trousscau and all the
t hSogs %sssp{nps fs eaaiP pms IT, 4 tha a me Rss Ii pay tf for
tho guests can drink, He may be so poor that
he will have to live with his Tifc's parents after.
until he has money enough to pay for the whole
affair, from the first article in his brides trous.
ments. which they ipyariably, have taken afte.
the feast is over A Mexican bridegroom would
clothes than an American lover would expec6
his bride sIsd to pay for the II License zen towr ., T., crr.
ces, whose heart was as warm as his head was
white. had gained the promise of a pretty young
buy her ,trousseau; From, under her long
black Iashes she flashed he'd, her black eyes as
purse and bought her all the pretty, clothes she
wanted. And the senorita took advantage Of
thing. safely slowed away. at home she Tilted
to tor come onSsf to h 1erf house, %aa Viii, While clad in the held dTes 1 :
he had paid for, she would sail past him in tho
street with her head in the air and give him NOT
the least, notice, That was too much for a hot
brought suit for breach Of promise. asking
damages to the amount Of the value of the
trnusseau. II came out on the trial that the
elderly. lover had borrowed the money with
which he had bought the wedding tlnery. Then
the Justice decided in the girls favor on tho
ground that the things didn't belong to the
man because they had not been bought with
his own money. ~
Many of these Mexican Justices cannot speak
English. But that is not 30 much OF a dis
qualification as it might appear, for the terri
torial law. omman all court proceedings 10
be carried on in both English and Spanish.
Every New Mexican court has its official in-
terpreter. and every word spoken in either lan-
guage by Judge, lawyers. or witnesses Id
translated aloud into tho other tongue.