Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-01-28
Even a Criminal Should Be
Given a Sporting Chance
Without Being Forced to
Draw Halter Around Neck.
WOULD HAVE LINCOLN
COURTHOUSE MUSEUM
Famous Edifice of Frontier
Days to Be Used for Relics
of Wild West if Legislature
Adopts Measure.
(By II. l.. ID. McAllister. Staff Corrc-
SpOndent.)

spOpdent.)
Santa Fe, Jan. 27.-Mr Wetmore of
Lincoln county, does not believe in
the third degree, He thinks that even
a criminal should be given a sporting
chance without being forced to draw
the halter about his own neck or turn
the prison key against himself. He
has introduced a bill in the house
which expresses his views on the sub
feet.
There are already laws on the stat
ute books touching the probative value
of evidence forced from an accused
person tending to incriminate him, but
Mr.. Wetmores bill goes further and
makes it criminal act for the officer
or other person having one in custody
to put his man through the third de-
gree. The bill makes it unlawful for
an officer to compel a prisoner Ito
manufacture evidence against himself
by harsh and cruel methods or by
compelling said prisoner or prisoners
to perform or do any act or thing
which would tend to incriminate such
prisoner or prisoners either mental or
physical" and imposes on any vio-
lator of the act a fine of from 500
days to one year.
Wild West Museum.
Another bill by MI. Wetmore will
appeal strongly to all the old timers
of New Mexico, especially those who
lived through the stirring days of the
Lincoln county war and hold recoliec-
tons OF that daring adventurer. Billy
rla fn
convey TO the state the historic old
Lincoln county court house and Jail
at Lincoln to be used as a museum and
repository for relics of the pioneer
days of the southwest
There is no edifice in New Mexico
that is surrounded with more vivid
memories of the period when the west
was really wild than the old court
house and Jail at Lincoln. 1t was there
that Billy the Kid, after having been
brought from Las Cruces under sem
tence of death, slipped his slender
hands through the manacles that
bound him, took pistol away from
his guard, killed two of his captors
and escaped to the hills. The Lincoln
county war was fought all around the
country where the building is located,
and almost every tree in the locality
holds memories of some fierce gun
fight or some grim necktie party.
The building has been unoccupied
for long time now, though it has
been taken care of by the citizens of
Lincoln county and is in good condi-
tion. The removal of the county seat
from Lincoln to Carrizozo has render
ed it useless. Mr.. Wetmore's bill
would make it the property of the
state, to be taken care of as one of the
most interesting of all state relics.
Eight Hour Law.
Eight hours out of twenty-four is |
enough for anybody to work in any
underground mine, according to the
opinion of Representative Cipriano
Lucero of Santa Fe county, who has
introduced a bill to regulate the hours
of employment in such mines. Only
in cases of emergency where life or
property is in immediate danger
would Mr.. Lucero make an exception.
The bill is a brief one, providing |
merely that the hours of employment
of men working in all underground
mines, underground workings, open
cut workings, stamp mills, concentrat-
ing mills chlorination processes and
cyanide processes shall not exceed
eight hours within any twenty-four,
with the exceptions already noted. and
that violation of the act shall be-
punished by fine of from $3.50 to
$500 or Imprisonment from ninety
days to six months.
The bill by Mr. Mehlhop of Chaves
and Mr.. York of Otero, providing for
the time and manner of calling and
holding elections, etc, is one of the
most advanced measures for ballot re-
form that has yet been introduced in
a New Mexico legislature. Here are
some of its provisions:
Provides for the adoption of an Aus
tralian ballot system, with the names
of all candidates, party emblems, etc.,
to be placed on one ticket;
Provides booths for voters, to be oc-
cupied by only one voter at a time, the
ballot to be prepared by the voter un-
less he Is unable to do so on account
of physical disability;
Strict accounting of all ballots by
manager of printing establishment,
printer having actual charge of the
printing of ballots. county clerk and
judges Of election;
Is a revision of all existing election
laws except relating to registration
and absent voters;
Provides for certification Of nomi-
nees of primaries;
Provides for canvassing returns Of