The Clayton news. (Clayton, N.M.) 19??-1954, 1915-05-01
GOVERNOR DEMANDS FAIR PLAY
Grants Pardon TO Jose P. LucerO,
Alleging Discrimination in Favor
OF Others.

SANTA re, ~. Mf hplh So-OONtA-
nor Mcdonald today took action
which means the Immediate release
from the penitentiary Of Jose p. Lu-
cero, the only one OF the four men
indicted in connection with the no
torious Room 4&" bribery case who
was given & penitentiary sentence.
His action was based on the ground
that Lucero's punishment was dis
criminatory-in other words, that
he was made the goat"
The executive order provides for
the comutation Of Lucero's sentence
from a penitentiary term and the
payment of the costs of the prose-
cution to the payment of the costs
alone. The penitentiary sentence
given Lucero in the district court
here, and affirmed by the supreme
court in january was for not less
than one year and not more than
eighteen months
There were three other men in
dicted with Lucero on March i8,
1913, for the same oifense for which
saio Lucero was. convicted" says
Governor Mcdonald in his execu-
I tive order, "and who were un-
doubleday guilty If Lucero was
guilty" He then calls attention to
the fact that one Of the other men
1 ,Montoya,) was fined 500 at the
March, 1915, term of court NO
thing apparently having been done
with the other two"
Equal and exact justice and fair
play ought to be done by all men, "
declares the governor. II am dis
tinctly opposed to anything that
even indicates discrimination or un-
fairness of any sort
The executive order committing
Lucero's sentence in full, is as fol-
lows:
Executive Qllce Santa Fe,
Whereas, at the regular term Of
the district court sitting within and
for the county of Santa Fe, on 0c-
tOber ist, 1913, Jose P. Lucero was
+, convicted and sentenced to serve Q
, term of not less than one year mol
more that eighteen months in tht
9 state penitentiary and to pay the
!, costs incurred in the case, the sale
! case having been affirmed by the su.
!, preme court on January 18th, 1915
. and
Whereas there were three othel
/, men indicted with Lucero on Marcl
. 18th, 1918, for the same Offense fo
= which LucerO was convicted, ant
who were undoubtedly guilty if Lu
cero was guilty. In one of thes
other cases a fine of one hundre'
: dollars was imposed at the Marcl
= term, 1915, of court; nothing appar
! emily having been done with tn
n other two. The final disposition u
these cases is rather uncertain fror
what | am able to learn from tn
% court records; and
y Whereas, equal and exact justic
} and fair play ought to be done b
all men, and as | am distinctly op
u posed to anything that even indi
Gates discrimination or unfairnes
of any sort;
Now, therefore, I, William C. Nc
!, Donald, governor Of the state {
" New Mexico, by virtue of the aU
thority in me vested, do hereby col
mute the sentence of the said Jo:
:. p. Lucero from the said term in I'll
- penitentiary and the payment Of u
!; costs of prosecution in his case
- the payment Of the costs, and it
= hereby ordered that upon the pa!
=, ment of these costs, the said Lu
- cero shall be discharged from u
penitentiary.
;, Done at the executive Office th
=, the 26th day of April, 1915. Witne
-. my hand and the great seal Of Il
- - state of New Mexico.
" WILLIAM C. MCDONALD,
q "Attested: Governt
~ ANTONIO LUCERO,
a. Secretary Of State"
pw AS stated in the executive ord
la the sentence given Lucero in I
cd. district court was affirmed by {
led supreme court January 18th, la
r However, Lucero was not comm
nd ted to the state penientiary he
until last Thursday, April 22.