Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1920-04-27
Morning After in Columbus

sslorning After In Columbus
| An after-clap from the bitterly
fought municipal election mt Columbus
Is the indictment for alleged criminal
libel In the district court here OF
Charles Powers, who opposed Mayor
Blair for reelection; Ernst Engen-
dorf, elected TO the board OF trustees,
and Frank Manzanares. The day the
election was held a hand bill was dis
trf.,uted over Columbus making some
quite scandalous allegations TO the eff
feet that Mayor Blair sought to profit
by the sale OF lots for public park
through his official position and In
general charging the board Of trustees
with like grating activities. The cir
cular was signed Citizens Commit
tee" 1t seems that the printer who
printed the circulars could not read
English and did not know that he was
issuing a scurrilous attack on the char
acter Of the mayor and board OF trus-
tees. II will prove n nice little airing
OF soiled linen In the district court and
won't help much, from indications, In
promoting the brotherhood OF man"
in the border community.
The Columbus Courier says:
G. w. Powers. Ernst Engendorf and
Frank Manzanares were arrested this
morning about 10 o'clock on warrants
issued by Judge Raymond II. Ryan of
the district court of Luna county.
The grand jury returned, lit Is said'
80 indictments, and six were thrown
out by Judge Ryan.
The grand jury returned the indict-
ments against the three citizens OF Co
lumbus above mentioned.
The Daily Courier suspects, but
without official verfication, that the
warrants charge criminal libel, an
aftermath OF the recent election.
A circular or handful containing al
legged acts OF wrongdoing by Mayor
Blair and signed by a Citizens Com
mittee." Il Is said, Is the basis for the
indictments
This circular created sensation,
was printed at night and given wide
circulation on the streets OF Columbus
early on the morning Of the election.
The charges IN the circular, II not
true, were defamatory and scandalous
in the extreme. and evidently the facts
mt issue were placed before the grand
jury.
Anyway, Il Is fact that Messrs.
Powers. late candidate for mayor En-
gendorf, who was elected TO the board
OF trustees by an overwhelming ma
jOrity, and ManZanares, a political
worker. were arrested and taken to
Deming Undoubtedly they Will be
placed under nominal bond and re-
leased, to appear later on and have
their hearing In court, where the facts
In the case will be made plain.
c. w. Powers had little to say ex-
cept TO casually remark that "he
thought someone was playing with fire
and that the conflagration would take
place later on"
Ernst Engendorf was also non-com-
initial. When pressed to say something
for the benefit of the readers of the
Courier. he said, like blushing
maiden, "This Is too sudden. I'll have
my say later on"
Frank Iarzanares could not be
found but the irrepressible Frank
probably did have something to say.
c. w. Powers, in conversation with
the reporter at the First National
Bank, of which he is director, several
days ago, denied having anything TO do
with the circular and said he would
have prevented its circulation II he
had known the nature of II. He ex-
cused it by saying his friends were too
enthusiastic, and admitted it had done
him more harm than good.
Mayor Blair was found in his Of
flee and said he hopes the right men
were arrested and that their defense
will be an attempt to prove the
charges. and not that they had moth
ing to do with 1t, and in the event of
their proving the truth Of the charges
alleged in the circular he should re-
sign as mayor and would do So
He added IL want the men who are
actually responsible for the circnlar to
be punished, not innocent people
The arrests proved big sensation
In Columbus. Political circles are
again stirred and the end is not yet