The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-09
HOSTILE | \ M ? $ PITCHED IN EVE
 OF EDITORS { TRIAL
New Mexico City Is Stirred By Fight To Imprison News
 paper Man
By SIDNEY B. WHIPPLE Ueased Wire to Age-HeraId.)

LAS VEGAS, N. M. July S-Twenty- three COW punchers. dressed in their best Sunday chaps. took a day off to ride into town Sunday from S<l Miguel county ranches and hunt up Editor Carl c. Magee, of Albuquerque.
 When they found him they turned over a fund of $6O, contributed from their 80 a month wages, to aid in his defense on fifteen charges of contempt of court. levelled against him by Judge David Leahy, of the state district bench.
 The trials begin Tuesday morning. This yer money" they said, shows where the cowboys stand And if you need body guard you can count on us" Pubelo Indians | but who do know that Magee-who has consistently fought for their landrights-is in trouble,' have con- tributed to the defense fund which today passed the S15,000 mark. And those travellers who have bought pottery and beads and blankets from these same Indians know that they must nave been profoundly stirred to surrender nickel-to any cause. Hostile Camps Pitched.
 Sunday night two hostile camps were pitched in town. The Magee case is the sole topic of conversation. Almost to a man the Mexican in- habitauts of San Miguel county are loyal to Sccundo Romero, Who is ac- cused by Magee of ruling the coun- try with a heavy political hand. and are anticipating heavy penalties aganst the editor for his attack on the judiciary. On the other hand, thousands of whites have signed pc titions to the governor asking for an investigation of every court in the state and impeachment by the legislature of the judges whom Ma gee has assailed through the columns of his paper.
 Magec and Judge Richard II, Hanna, his chief counsel against whom disbarment proceedings are of 1,5d0 citizens of Las Vegas, in the opera house. The speakers were cheered when they repeated their charge that the state courts were under the control of Sec Romero and that it was impossible to obtain justice in San Miguel county" Stenographers, acting under the courts instructions, were present to report the speeches.
 And I suppose that means a few more contempt charges" Magee told the audience. Meanwhile" Magee charged. the prosecuting attorney says that he will have everybody who attends this meeting cited for con tempt: Well, I'll have good company in jail, anyway"
 Describes Original Trial.
 The editor described the original trial for libel against Judge Frank w, Parker, of which he was con victed by jury of twelve Mexicans none of then able to read or write English, as a proceeding which might have taken place in Russia. | T asked them to try me for libel, MaSee continued lon some of the 1 other things l said about them-such as my charge that Jose o. Ena, clerk of the supreme couEt of New Mex i ico, deposited S2,7O0\ of the court s money without bonds\and under his own name, in a bank that later failed-and they said No. we'll try l you for what we please
 They didn't dare try me for any thing but the remark I made about
 Judge Parker, a mild statement that the judge had grown too accustomed to old methods to make 1t worth
 while calling these things to hls at l tention."
 Judge Leahy will try Magee on
 the fourth contempt citation first
 The citation contains two counts
 and is based on an editorial writer
 by Magee during the progress of the
 previous libel trial in which he &C.,
 cused the court of taking arrogant power.