Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-06-27
MUST OBSERVE THE
SUNDAY CLOSING LAW
District Attorney Instructs Sheriff
Closson to See That Merchants Do
Not Violate Statute,

District Attorney r. G. Gortner no.
titled all merchants in Santa Fe this
morning that they must close their
places Of business on Sunday There
is a territorial statute commanding
Sunday closing an dfixing fine and
prison sentence for violation Of the
same
The Santa Fe Commercial Club, by
resolution, declared that this law was
being violated and called the attention
|of Judge John r. McFie to the mat
ter. Judge McFie, by request, noti-
fled District Attorney r. G. Gortner,
who in turn transmitted the law and
some instructions to Sheriff C. C. Clos
son. The laws contain exceptions
which It is understood will be liberal
| ly construed such as allowing drug
stores to deal in medicine, bakers to
sell bread and hotels to feed the hun.
CRY
Contrary to common report there
| will be no interference with the dis.
pensing of soda water or the band
concert. Cigars, however come under
1.-THE ban.
The order reads as follows
Order Of District Attorney.
! Santa Fe. N. NJ, June 2G, 1908.
Sheriff c. c. Closson,
Santa Fe. N. M.
Dear Sir:
"On June End, 1908, the Commercial
Club of Santa Fe county passed res
IolutiOn declaring that the Sunday
law is being violated in Santa Fe, and
calling the attention of Associate Jus.
tice John r. McFie to the matter, with
the request that he direct me as dis
ltrict attorney to see that the law is
properly enforced. On June 23rd 1908
Judge McFie transmits said resolution
to me, making such request.
| "I therefore have the honor to re-
Iquest you, as the principal police and
|peace officer Of the county. to make
Vigorous efforts to discover any viola
ltions of this statute and to arrest the
defenders and advise me, whereupon
prosecutions will be instituted. The
|statute in question reads:
Section 1868 G. l.. Any person or
persons who shall be found on the
first day of the week, called Sunday
engaged in any sports, horse racing
cock fighting, or in any other manner
disturbing any worshipping assembly
or private family, or attending any
public meeting or public exhibition
lexcepting for religious worship or in
|struction, or engaged in any labor ex
Icept works of necessity, charity o.
|mercy, shall be punished by fine o
mot exceeding fifteen dollars. nor les'
THAN five dollars, or Imprisonment il
1.-THE county Jail of not more than fiji
Iteen days, nor less than five days II
the discretion of the court, upon con
Eviction before any district court.
i " Section 1870. It shall be Lawful
lin cases OF necessity for farmers OF
gardeners to irrigate their lands, ant
when necessary to preserve the same
Ito remove grain or other product!
from the fields on said day, and moth
ling in this act shall be construed tt
Iprevent cooks, walters and other EN-
lployes of hotels and restaurants ant
OF butchers and bakers, from perform
mig their duties on said day
"a strict enforcement of this lay
now being demanded, beg to advis
you that any labor on Sunday, no
within the excepted classes as stated
is a violation of this law. I will b
, ready at any time to secure warrant
for you for the arrest of any perso
found violating this statute, and woul
suggest that on next Sunday, and o
following Sundays as may seem nece'
sary, you, as sheriff, make all poss
BILE efforts to prevent any breakin
of the law in question.
I "Very respectfully,
"R. c. GORTNER,
District Attorney