The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-06-14
FIGHTING EDITOR
COMES TO CLIMAX
OF 6-YEAR FIGHT
Magee to Go on Trial Tues
day on MansIaughter
Charge.
Copyright. 1925. YEA seratce


manslaughter as a result of killing
that came by a tragis stroke of
misfortune just when his long
series of fights was being crowned
with success.
Magee is accused of killing John
B. Lassiter on Aug. p, 1925.
Lassiter was not a foe; he was
friend, who accidentally stopped a
stray bullet from Magee's gun while
assault by Magee's bitterest enemy
trying to defend the editor from an
former Judge D, J. Leahy.
Back of this event lies long
struggle, in which Magee had dared
the might of a powerful political
ring, hammered with never-failing
tenacity at corruption in high places
and fought for six long years to rid
New Mexico Of venality and bossism
in it's legislative and judicial halls.
It was in 1920 that Magee, an Ok
lahoma attorney, moved to New
Mexico and bought the Alburquer-
que Morning Journal from Albert
B. Fall, who was just about to be-
gin his career in the cabinet.
AS an editor, Magee delved into
politics bit. What he found dis
concerted him. New Mexico, politi
cally, was under the thumb of a ring
that maintained its power through
manipulation of the non-English
speaking Mexican voters in the
State. Magee, through his editorial
10
Mr.. Fall, prospecting in his new
cabinet position. spoke to Magee
about it. Magee replied by opening
up wider than ever.
Magee owed money to two banks,
They abruptly refused to renew his
notes and foreclosed. Magee was
compelled to sell his paper.
Started Weekly Paper
But in a few weeks he was back
again. editing a weekly paper called
The Independent, which he later
made a daily under the name of The
New Mexico State Tribune. He sold
stock to the people of the State and
got an instantaneous response.
About this time Magee took occa-
sion to criticlse 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 1ibe1ous. And Magee was
tried, not in his home county, but
in the distant county Of San Miguel.
before his bitterest enemy, Judge
Leahy.
The jury was composed Of twelve
Mexicans, who could not read the
sentences they were expected to
pass on. During the trial the pages
in Magee's law books relating to
libel were torn out, and the judge
refused to give him time to get new
ones. Naturally, he was convicted.
Magee expressed his mind about
Judge Leally; expressed 1t so vehe-
mently that Leahy cited him for
contempt Of court on five counts. He
ordered Magee to Jail for eighteen
months.
The State was aroused. Gov.
ernor Hinkle pardoned Magee in
twenty-four hours, and the editor
went back to his paper and re-
newed the night.
1t was then that Magee struck OIL
Not in literal sense, exactly; but it
was a momentous discovery.
When Magee bought the Albu-
Querque Journal, Fall told him he
was broke. Now, four years later,
Magee found that ten years back
taxes on Falls ranch were paid up;
that extensive improvements had
been made and that a general air of
great prosperity had descended on
the place.
He gathered evidence documen-
tary and verbal, and in due time
went to Washington. where he told
the Senate Investigation committee
enough to start Senator Thomas J.
Walsh on the trail that eventually
laid bare the whole Teapot Dome
scandal
Then the scripps- Howard news
paper interests came to Magee's aid
and gave him new backing. He re-
turned to New Mexico to renew his
fighting campaign against the politi-
cal ring.
Offered to Free Him
Leahy, meantime, had been wait
ing. He had reserved one of the con-
tempt charges against Magee. wait
ing his time. Now he struck. He
revived this old charge. called Ma
gee before him, and sentenced him
to three months inc Jail after spend
ing a solid hour excoriating him
from the bench, using such terms
as horse thief
New Mexico came close to turmoil
then. Hundreds of cowboys sent
word to Magee that they would, if
he asked it, ride in, storm the jail
and set him free by main force.
Magee told them not to and APP
pealed to the Governor. Again the
Governor pardoned him. The sher-
1ff, under Leahy's direction, refused
to honor the pardon. 1t took
Supreme Court habeas corpus writ
to free the editor.
This was in the fail Of 1924.
Judge Leahy was running for re-
election. Magee took the stump
and campaigned again him; cam.
paigned so vel THAT Leahy was
badly beaten in a district where he
normally could count on a 5000 ma
jority.
Magee's troubles seemed over,
but the worst was yet to come.
1t was last August that Magee
went to Las Vegas on business. AS
he sat in the lobby of a hotel Leahy
entered, approached from behind
and knocked him to the floor. Then
he began to kick him, breaking
three of Magee's ribs.
NEo-oo Ixvi~-. 1, olyfo.- g.