Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-24
[BY A. w. LEE.]

" " v V " y 90 70 ~ @V - y VO0
[BY A. w. LEE.]
Mexico City, Feb. 16, 1906
Laws in Mexico are intended to be
respected and obeyed. Life and prop
erty are as well protected, and are as
safe in Mexico as in any country in
the world This I am told by men
who have travelled extensively, and
who know whereof they speak. Ny
observation confirms this statement.
Certainly I have never been in any
city that is better policed than the
capital city of Mexico. The police
force consists of 2,4o0 men, 400 Of
them splendidly mounted. These
men are equipped not only with the
ordinary policeman's club, but also
with large revolvers that are worn in
plain sight, and are ready for instant
use. The mounted police in addition
carry rifles. There is a policeman at
every street intersection, and he is
there at every hour of the day or
night. At night each policeman has a
lantern, and 1T is a mighty safe and
comfortable feeling that the night pc
destrian has, in going along the street,
to see row of these lanterns, one
at the corner of each block, extending
as far as the eye can reach. In the
country districts the rural guards
(the Rurales as they are called) do
equally as efficient service in the pro.
lection of life and property. Two of
these guards are on every passenger
train, and as result the conductors
do not have to indulge in wordy dis.
putes or at times resort to force, with
drunken or obstreperous passengers :.
| The rurales are there and the passen.
ger behaves himself in a proper man.
ner or goes to Jail, and there is no al
tentative.
Wholesome Respect for Law.
There is respect for law manifest
in this country that is exceedingly
wholesome. Highway robbery Is a
capital offense, and there is no senti.
ment wasted on man if he is found
guilty; he will be shot, and that is all
there is about it. About the only in.
fraction Of the law, Of which we hear
complaints here, are cases of petty
thievery and the light fingered work
of pickpockets; the latter gentry are
numerous and are very expert. In
deed, to beware of pickpockets" is
the first Injunction for the visitor to
give heed to in Mexico A gentleman
living here tells me of accompanying
two visiting ladies to the park one ev,
ening to hear the band music; he was
careful to caution them not to wear
anything that a pickpocket could pos
sibly secure, and they followed his ad
vice. Imagine his surprise on return
ing home, to find that the scarf pin
from his own necktie had been deftly
removed, unknown to himself, some
time during the promenade.
Experience With Mexican Law.
Along this line my own family has
just had personal experience which
In more respects than one, has beer
exceedingly interesting, as we'll a:
somewhat exciting. 1t shows how
speedily and surely Justice overtakes
the evil-doer il he once gets within
the clutches 81 the Mexican crimina
law. On Tuesday morning as my wife
myself and our 9 year old daughter
were boarding an electric car in the
! public square, intending to visit the
ancient town of Tlalpan, a pickpocke
crowded up against us, and throwing
a handkerchief over small and in
expensive watch, worn as pendan
!, from q breastpin by the little girl, hi
jerked 1t from its fastening and wa,
quickly making off with his plumber
The child realized what had beer
done, and cried out, "That man hal
taken my watch" The writer seizet
the fellow and policeman, who wa
only a few feet away, at once tool
j, him into custody and at the sam
time picked up the watch which tn
/. pickpocket had thrown to the ground
explained to the policeman that w
were tourists, and wanted to take tn
car to Tlalpan, that the watch was al
let us have it and then do what h
, pleased with the party under arrest
Now, the policeman could not under
J stand word Of English, and coul
not understand word Of what h
said in reply, as he could talk only Il
! Spanish. He was very polite an
courteous, but soon gave me to under
Y stand that could not have the watc
from him. He thereupon started Of
4 with the prisoner, and another police
r man stepping up made us understan
: that we should follow him to the pr
: lice station some four blocks away
!, which we did. There, after an hour
]. delay, an interpreter appeared. an
j with many apologies for having keI
us waiting, the delay he assured u
having been unavoidable (and I wan
to say that up to date the Mexican
are as a class the most polite peopl
that have ever metz he explained t
us that we must make declaration
against the prisoner. explained the
the watch had little intrinsic value
and was priced simply because it wa
gift to the child from her CRANE
mother. I presumed the total valu
was not over $40 gold, or $40 Mex
can; that we were sightseeing an
that it might be quite an inconyen
ence to us to have to appear agains
the prisoner; if they would kind
EDITORS WIFE YIELDS LASH