Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-06-03

A recent Issue or the index P0puilS
tic-Democratic In politics published in
Aztec, San Juan County, contained
the following editorial item:
Authentic history dates back some
1000 odd years and its darkest pages
have caused thrills Of horror in mil
lions of civilized breasts down to the
present day. The Roman pastime of
throwing defenseless Christians to
Wild beasts, the human sacrifices of
the ancient Druids, the cruelties of
Russian autOcracy, and of the Spanish
inquisition, the burning of witches in
America and the savagery of wild
races in all parts of the world are fa
miliar to all. There prevails at this
time a feeling that those days have
passed forever and such brutal perpe.
traitors will never again blacken the
light of progress.
How many of the people of New
Mexico know of the practices in vogue
at our territorial penitentiary under
the rule Of H. O. Bursum?
Hon. Price Walters, member of the
penitentiary commission, has just re.
turned from an inspection of that in
stitution, Among other things he saw
was a spanking machine" now rele.
gated to the curiosity room alongside
the tomahawk, scalping knife and
other relies Of barbarity. This ma.
chine was used on convicts for viola
ton OF prison rules. 1t was made
from barrel, over which the victim
was securely strapped, A large pad
die, in which small holes had been
bored, was arranged to descend with
terrific force the flesh of the tortured
man being drawn into the holes at
each blow and causing intolerable
agony.
Governor Hagermau had this prac-
tlce abolished.
Should Superintendent Trelford re.
sign, Reynolds would doubtless reap
point Bursum.
This is not pleasant reading to
scatter abroad, but as our Rough
Rider President seemed to heed the
advice OF Rough Rider Llewellyn
Bursum etc, in removing a Governor
who was cleaning house" in New
Mexico, we'll have to let Ii go at that
What Price-Walters does not know
about the management Of the Terri.
torial Penientiary at this or any other
time would fill great big book, and
what he does know about it might be
placed under the space covered by a
thumb nail Of an average sized hand
1t Is probable that the machine above
referred to by this more or less as.
tute (?) and experienced CD mem.
Der OF che House of Representatives
OF the Thirty-seyenth Legislative As.
sembly was used at times under the
Bursum administration of the peniten.
tiary for the punishment of most seri
GUS breaches Of discipline or criminal
acts by convicts which, had they been
condoned or punished less severely
| might have endangered and greatly
injured the discipline and safety of the
institution and might have led to re-
volts, dangerous outbreaks, escapes
and a killing of guards and officials.
OF these punishments the New Mex.
lean is informed record was kept
and while as said above they may
have been severe, they we're never
brutal, they were never applied as a
torture, or given except in cases where
absolutely deserved and imperatively
necessary.
There is not man who knows ex.
Superintendent Bursum in this Terri.
tory and who desires to be fair or
just who Is not strong in the belief
that Mr.. Bursum Is what is called a
"big-hearted" man, and was as lenient
and as considerate an Official as it
was possible for man to be.