Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-30
STRONG APPEAL FOR
ACQUITTAL or
FOUR HOUSE
MEMBERS
Case of Senator Lorimer Cited
as Precedent for Retention
of House Members Accused
Of Bribery.
LONG DRAWN OUT FIGHT
EXPECTED NEXT WEEK

(speeiai Telegram 60 Evenlag EevnId)
santa Fo, N. NJ. March 30.--The
final argument IN the bribery charges
against four members OF the house,
Trujillo. Lucero, Moutoya ana Cor
dova, were made yesterday afternoon
by the attorneys. Benjamin NJ Read,
for the defense. closed with a strong
appeal to the house investigation com.
mittee 10 retain the men In their seats
and 70 resent the assumption OF au-
ihority by the local officers who ar.
rested and held the men, refusing to
turn them over to the sergeant OF
arms Of the house.
Mr. Reads address to the COM
mittee lasted for almost three hours
and while II was strong plea for
the accused, Il did not partake OF the
sharpness Of expression exhibited hy
Colonel Prichard in his argument
which resulted In clash between
himself and Judge Wright, the attor.
ney for the committee.
Mr., Read cited a number OF prece-
dents against the suspension OF the
men, one being the fact that despite
the extensive charges against Senator
lorlmer OF bribery and corruption In
the legislature. he was permitted TO
retain his seat and TO vote In the
United states senate even while he
was undergoing a hearing or charges
much more serious than those against
the house members.
Mr. Read. instead OF accusing State
Chairman Jaramillo OF treachery and
the other members of the committee
With having aided In framing n plot
10 win tae -four men, laid the CEN
surept the door OF Ellego lsaca, as
aerii4g that because Daca had not Sc
caref the support OF the Spanish.
Amcticaps IA caucus. he had resolved
20 oYuuHc fituIseir up0n tnem re
said. however, that the Republican
committtee had given the accused no
opportunity 10 explain or 10 exon
crate themselves but had accepted the
statements Of ElfegO Baca as the
truth. he demanded that the commit
tee take into consideration that El-
fego Baca and Jose d. Sena and Cot
Jarnmilio were not arrested by the
OiitcF when they wqre clearly as
much parties 10 the AFFAIR. 30 far as
the officer had personal knowledge,
as were the accused house members
bcrs
He declared that room "A In the
Palace hotel would always be remem.
bered aa The Conspiracy Room" and
that Il would be- as famous In Santa
fe as the Ben Hur room In the Old
Palace.
Judge Wright then took up the pre-
sentation OF facts for the committee.
He avoided personalities and devoted
his entire speech to a cold, severe
and impressive argument on the facts
as laid before the committee in the
record OF the case, all of which has
been published. The members OF the
committee said that they dld NOT
propose TO act hastily in the matter
and that they expected to have print
ed transcripts OF the entire testimony
prepared before debating upon the
matter II Ia expected. However, that
the oomntlttee viii report TO the house
tate next week and a long drawn out
fight Ia likely 10 result before the
house takes final action on the ques-
ton OF retaining or unseating the
four accused men,
The investigation committee ad-
journed 60 convene again week from
Monday next and IN the meantime
the formulation Of the report win
proceed, to bo submitted 10 the COM
mittee for discussion and action. A
strong effort viii be made to secure
unanimous agreement on the re-
port In committee.