Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1913-09-20
ROOM a. ONCE
MORE IN The
LIMELIGHT
ECHO OF FIRST LEGISLATIVE SESSION
IN new STATE IS HEARD NOW
THAT CASE AGAINST JOSE P. LU-
CERO IS Being TRIED BEFORE
JUDGE ABBOTT
QUESTIONS IN ENGLISH
ANSWERS IN SPANISH
Room Az is again in the limeligh

NOUN II 10 again III lut lilltllSul
The occasion is the State VS.. Jos,
P Lucero, the legislator charged will
solicitation of bribery.
The trial began yesterday Afternoon
before Judge E. C. Abbott in the dist
riot court and was continued las
night and today.
Questions placed witnesses in Eng
lish, replies given in excellent Span
Ssh, frequent objections raised b,
Attorney Davies, representing the de
tfCndant and as frequent overrulin.
by the court, the repetition of man,
incidents which were brought out a
the legislative investigation concern
ing the alleged solicitation of a bribe
for vote for United States senator
shortly after New Mexico became a
state-these We're striking features OF
the trial today.
OverruIes Demurrer.
Shortly after the case was called
I by Judge Abbott, Attorney e. p Da-
vies, for the defendant filed demur-
rer to the indictment, but it was over
ruled by the judge. Then the work
began. Former Judge f. r. Wright
! District Attorney Read and Assistant
! District Attorney Herring marshalled
! their combined forces for the state.
Elfego Baca, who figured prominently
in the legislative investigation as
witness against the four legislators,
took the stand at $50 last night and
did not leave it until 10 p. M.
Mr.. Baca told practically the same
story as before concerning his part
in the Room A drama telling var
ious incidents leading up to the ar
rest of the four men.
Court adjourned shortly after 10 p.
m., and at 9 O'Clock this morning, Mr..
Baca was cross examined by Attorney
Davies. This lasted an hour.
Then Assistant Secretary of State Ro-
nero took the stand to verify the re-
port of the proceedings in the house.
A. A. Sena Called.
AT 1920 former Mounted Policeman
A. A. Sena was called and told of his
part in the Room A drama. He was
asked by Attorney Davies to make
diagram of the rooms, IA and 46, and
The bath room.
"T am not very good at diagram
but will do the best | can, -
Mr.. Sena replied, as he took the pen
Gil and sketched roughly the outline
of the rooms. He was asked where
the different Legislators were stand
ing or sitting, and as regards the fur
niture. Sena told of looking through
the crack of room 46 and seeing the
men in room "A.
Mr.. Davies. Were all five men in
range of your vision" referring to
Elfego Baca and the four Legislators. |
Mr.. Davies asked Mr.. Sena if he
could see the five men speaking.
Mr.. Sena. No, | was not paying so |
much attention to them but what they |
were doing. They were all talking at .
once.
Q. And yet you mean to tell this
jury that you knew what they were
saying when they were all talking at
once?
A. What | heard, yes.
@. You could understand any par
icuars?
A. They were all discussing the
same subject
@. And all were saying the same
hing? How could you distinguish :
'nything? II
A. I'm telling the truth, Mr., Da ,
lies. +
Mr.. Davies asked if he had said Mr. 4
'ena was not. Judge Wright arose
md interposed: 81 do not think this {
rgument is necessary" /
Judge Abbott. We are not getting S
long very fast, / admit
Mr.. Davies then said something
bout the witness asking questions.
he cross examination continued:
G. Can you tell of any particulars c
aid by any one of the individuals in I
hat room besides Mr.. Baca? T
A. They told him they were ready v
D vote for him and Fall. Y
Q. Who said that +
A. All said it. s
A. All at the same time?
A. Lucero said it first and Montoya
lso said it. Mr.. Baca said I don't C
ant you to vote for me or Fall but a
,r the person ] wish And they said IL
ley would. G.
O. You didn't know all of their p
oices and could not see them speak t,
lg? il
A. I said not from the beginning.
ater on could see them. M
There was further discussion as to
hether Elfego Baca had announced
ie name OF the man ne dld WISH the el
pi q 1ot tcrc tn upto fop hiIt fbic potno -,