The San Francisco call., 1910-03-17
PRONOUNCING THE DEATH
PENALTY PLEASES JUDGE
Jurist Scores Murderer Unmer-
cifuIIy When Passing Sentence

Jose Maria Martin was convicted of
murder in the district court of Taos
county under a state of facts showing
great brutality and with absolutely no
mitigating circumstances. Judge Ben
edict said:
Jose Maria Martin, stand up, Jose
Maria Martin, you have been indicted,
tried and convicted by a jury of your
countrymen of the crime of murder
and the court is now about to pass
upon you the dread sentence of the
law AS usual thing. Jose Maria
Martin, 1t is a painful duty for the
Judge of court of justice to pronounce
upon a human being the sentence of
death. There is something horrible
about it and the mind of the court nat
urally revolts from the performance of
such a duty. Happily, however, your
case is relieved of all such unplea SAINT
features and the court takes positive
delight In sentencing you to death
You are a young man, Jose Maria
Martin, apparently of good physical
constitution and robust health Ordi-
narily you might have looked forward
to many years of life and the court has
no doubt you have, and have expected
to die at a green old age; but you are
about to be cut off on account of your
own act Jose Maria Martin, it is now the
springtime; in a little while the grass
will be springing up green in these
beautiful valleys and on these broad
mesas and mountain sides flowers will
be blooming; birds will be singing their
sweet carols and nature will be putting
on her most gorgeous and her most at
tractive robes, and life will be pleasant
and men will want to stay; but none of
this for you, Jose Maria Martin; the
flowers will not bloom for you, Jose
III 4
for you, Jose Maria Martin; when these
things come to gladden. the senses of
men you will be occupying a space
about six by two beneath the sod and
the green grass and those beautiful
flowers will be growing above your
lowly head
The sentence of this court is that
you be taken from this place to the
county Jail; that you be kept there
safely and securely confined, in the
custody of the sheriff, until the day
appointed for your execution. Be very
careful, Mr.. Sheriff, that he have no
opportunity to escape and that you
have him at the appointed place at the
appointed time; that you be so kept,
Jose Maria Martin, until-Mr. Clerk, on
what day of the month does Friday
about two weeks from this time Gomez
March %, your honor"
Very well, until Friday. the twenty
second day of March, when you will be
taken by the sheriff from your place of
confinement to some safe and conven-
lent spot within the county-that is
your discretion, Mr. Sheriff. you are
only confined to the limits of the coun-
ty-and that you there be hanged by
the neck until you are dead, and, the
court was about to add, Jose Maria
Martin may God have mercy on your
soul but the court will not assume the
responsibility of asking an all wise
providence that which a jury of your
peers has refused to do. The Lord
couldn't have mercy on your soul.
However, if you affect any relig-
ious belief or are connected with any
religious organization it might be well
enough for you to send for your priest
or your minister and get from him
we'll such consolation as you can, but
the court advises you to place no reh
ance upon anything of that kind. Mr.
Sheriff, remove the prisoner. Green
Bag.