The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-06-14
THE FIGHTING
EDITOR GOES
ON TRIALS00N
Magec, New Mexico Attorney
and Newspaper Man, Faces
Climax of Career

Las Vegas, n. NJ. June Carl
Magcc, fighting editor who doesn't
know what il is to be in Il battle un-
less it is against tremendous odds.
has reached the climax of his color
full. heroic career.
He is ~oing on trial juno 10. for
granddaughter rs a result Of killing
that came by Il tragic stroke Of mis-
fortune just when his long series
Of fights was being crowned with
success.
Magcc is accused of killing John
i. Lassitcr on August %, 1928.
Lasster las not a foe; he was a
friend. VIII ..cidcntally stopped Il
stray bullet from Magec's gun while
trying to defend the editor from an
assault by Magee's bittcrest enemy
former Judge d. J. Lcahy
4 Long Struggle
Back of this even lies Il long
struggle. in which Magec had dared
the might of powerful political
ring, hammered with nevcrfailing
tenacity at corruption in high places
and fought for six long years to rid
New Mexico of vcnality and bossism
in it's legislative and judicial halls
1t was in 1920 that Magcc, an Ok
lahoma attorney, moved to New Mex
leo and bought the Albuquerque
Morning journal from Albert b. Fall
who was just about to begin his
career in the cabinet.
As an editor, Magcc dclvcd into
politics bit. What he found dis
concerted him. New Mexico, polit-
ically, was under the thumb Of a ring
that maintained its power through
manipulation Of the non English
speaking Mexican voters in the state.
Magcc, through his editorial col
umns, began to speak up.
Mr.. Fall. prospecting in his new
cabinet position, spoke to Magcc
about it. Magec replied by opening
up wider than ever.
Magec owed money TO two banks.
They abruptly refused to renew his
notes and forccloscd. Magcc was
compelled to sell his paper.
Started Weekly Paper
But in few weeks he was back
again, editing a weekly paper called
The Independent. which he later
made "A daily under the name Of The
Mex Mexico State Tribune. He sold
stock to the people of the state and
got an instantaneous response.
About this time Magce took occa-
sion to criticize Justice Parker Of
the state supreme court. A criminal
libel suit was brought against him
but not by Parker, who later said he
did not believe the accusations of
Magee libclous. And Magec was
tried, not in his home county, but in
the distant county of San Miguel,
before his bittcrcst enemy. Judge
Leahy.
The jury was composed Of " McXi-
cans, who could not read the SEN
fences they were expected to pass on.
During the trial the pages in Magec's
law books relating to libel were torn
out. and tho Judge refused to give
him time to get new ones. Naturally.
he was convicted.
Magcc expressed his mind about
Judge Lcahy; expressed it so vchc-
mcntly that Leahy cited him for con
tempt of court on five counts. He
ordered Magee to jail for Is months.
The state was aroused. Governor
Hinkle partOned Magee in "a hours,
and the editor went back to his paper
and renewed the fight.
1t was then that Magec struck oil.
Not in literal sense, exactly; but it
was a momentous discovery
w men Magce bought the Albuqucr-
que Journal, Fall told him he was
broke. Now, four years later, Magcc
found that ten years back taxes on
Falls ranch were paid up; that ex-
tensive improvements had been made
and that general air Of prosperity
had descended on the place.
He gathered evidence, documentary
and verbal, and in due time went
to Washington, where he told the
Senate investigating committee
enough to start Senator Thomas j.
Walsh on the trail that eventually
laid bare the whole Teapot Dome
scandal
Then the Scripps- Howard newspaper
interests came to Magccs aid and
gave him new backing. He returned
to New Mexico to renew his fighting
campaign against the political ring.
Offered to Free Him
Lcahy, meantime, had been waiting
he had reserved one Of the contempt
charges against Magee, waiting his
time. Now he struck. He revived
this old charge, called Magee before
him, and sentenced him to three
months in jail after spending solid