The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1898-02-13

of Promise suit.
Among the wild, wcr.' and wonderful
things to bc found in tho southwest aro
tho decisions sometimes mado by Mexican
justices of tho peace. Most of tho Justices
in this territory are Mcxicans. a fow of
them are men of sufficient intelligence and
education to know something about tho
first principles of law, but most of them
AFRO very mcagcrly equipped
Ono such administrator OF tho law hold
ing Office in northern Now Mexico decided
that IL was his duty to try man who had
been charged with murder. Accordingly
he impanclcd IL jury of six persons and
tried tho case. The jury found tho man
guilty, ana tho Justice ut once ordered tho
prisoner to stand up for sentence. lilo de-
livcrcd long lecture to tho murderer up-
on the Nervousness of his crime and warned
him mover to appear in his court again up
Oh such n charge. Then he imprcssivcly
pronounced scntcncc-$5 and costs-anu
dismissed the court, his face bcaminty with
pride and satisfaction over his oratoricul
effort.
Before another Mexican justice of tho
peace who dispensed his ideas of law in
southern New Mexico there came Il Next
can man and maid to be tied in wcdlock
Tho Judge looked them over critically and
apparently had doubts about the conpati-
billty of their tcmpcrs, for ho put IL tiino
limit upon the combination, and us no
pronounced the words that made them
man and wife no added with eInphnsis.
for the space of two years only AS the;
went away he told them if thcy were dis
satisfied with their venture before that
time to come back and he would divorce
them for the Same fee.
Stlll another, who won his fame in
Texas, tried Il man for some petty ollcnsc,
found him guilty and fined him 50 and
costs. But this was too much for the pris-
onCr ut the bar, who declared that he could
not pay the fine; that he had not so lnuch
money in the world. Tho justice looked
him over with iinc, large, Texan contempt
FOR any one SO orncry, shrugged his shout
dcrs and turned to tho marshal with tho
nonchalant alternative:
Very we'll Then take him out ON the
mesa and shoot him.
Ono venerable disciple Of tho law. who
for long time has balanced tho scales of
Justice in the town of Las Cruces. is IA
nous through all that region for his re-
markablc decisions. Before him a MeNi-
can boy, through his father, sued an Amer
lean rancher for $50 which he claimed rs
tho wages due for three months work.
Between Mexican and an American any
Mexican justice can always see that the
right Is plainly on tho side of tho suitor of
his own nationality, and no matter what
the evidence he can usually find some wav
of making his decision express his sylnpa.
thy. In this case the defendant proved
that the boy had been hired to do chores
for his board and that it had been express
ly stipulated that he WAS not to receive
money payment. The Justice considered
tho cHSr with trnIV1 L.,
brains for some time. Then lie announced
that the plaintiff had failed to prove his
case.
But, " no added, 'thc boy is Il poor boy
ana 1t would be II Shame if lie did not get
something out of his suit. I!o is entitled
to something, and hereby award him the
defendants black mare that is tied i'm front
of tho door. -
The same Justice had to decide Il uniu,,o
breach Of promise suit. Among tho Mex
leans 1t Is tho universal custom for the
bridegroom to dcfray all the expenses of
the wedding. He must furnish the brides
trousscau and all the housekeeping equip
mcnt, and no must pay for tho wedding
least and all the native wine that tho
guests can drink. He may be so poor that
he will have to 1.-Two with his wifcs parents
aftcrward, but he must not think of matri-
mony until he has money enough to uav
for the whole affair, from the first article
In his brides trousscau to the photograph
III their Wedding garments. which they in
Varinbly have taken after the feast is over
"A Mexican bridegroom would no more cy-
pccG MS bride to pay for her wedding
clothes than an American lover would OK
pcct his bride to pay for the license.
An elderly Mexican in tho town of Las
Cruces whose heart WAS us warm as his
head was white, had gained the promise
of pretty young scnorita, and together
they went to the store to buy her trous-
sea'I. From under her long black lashes
she flashed her black eyes at him with
such effect that he opened wide his purse
and bought her all 10 pretty clothes she
wanted. And the ST .orita took advantage
of the occasion to mt pretty much cv-
crythinS she saw. : soon as she had got
tho pretty things ; icly slowed away at
nome she jiltcd hts elderly lover and
would not even allow him to come to her
house. While clad in the dresses he had
pald Ter Sho would sail past him in the
street with her head in the air and give
him not the least notice That was too
lnuch for Il hot hearted but cool headed
lover to stand. and he brought suit for
breach of promise, asking damages to the
amount of the value of the rousseau. 1t
came out on the trial that tho elderly Low
or had borrowed tho money with which he
hnd bought the wedding tinery. Then the
justice decided in the girls favor on the
ground that the things did not belong to
tho man because they had not been bought
with his own money.
Many of these Mexican Justices cannot
speak English But that is not so much
of disqualification as it might appear,
for the territorial law commands all court
proceedings to he carried OH in both Eng
lish and Spanish. Every New Mexican
court has its official interpreter, and every
word spoken in either language by judge,
lnMXcrS or witnesses Is 1runslutcd nlnnI