BarbarousMexico JOHN KENNETH TURNER

296
BARBAROUS MEXICO
San Antonio Daily Light and Gazette, quotes Judge
Maxey as follows:
"If Jose M. Rangel, the defendant, merely went across the
river and joined in the fight, he had every right to do so, and
I will so tell the jury in my charge. This indictment is not for
fighting in a foreign country, but for beginning and setting on
foot an expedition in Val Verde county."
The exact text of the law is as follows:
"Every person who, within the territory or jurisdiction of
the United States, begins, or sets on foot, or provides or prepares
the means for, any military expedition or enterprise, to
be carried on from thence against the territory or dominions of
any foreign prince or state, or of any colony, district or people,
with whom the United States are at peace, shall be
deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor, and shall be fined
not exceeding $3,000, and imprisoned not more than three
years."
Magon, Villarreal and Rivera, the leaders, not only
did not set on foot an expedition against Mexico, but
they did not even cross the river and fight themselves.
Their conviction was secured through the palpably perjured
testimony of a Mexican detective named Vasquez,
w
ho presented the only direct evidence against them.
Vasquez claimed to be a spy who had penetrated a meeting
of a Liberal club. There, he declared, letters were
read from Magon ordering the club to constitute itself as
a military body and invade Mexico. At this meeting, said
Vasquez, military appointments, forwarded by Magon,
were made. The names, said he, were written by a member
named Salcido. The paper was produced, but handwriting
experts brought by the defense proved the document
to be a forgery. Vasciuex then changed his testimony
and swore that he wrote the names himself. This
was 'a vital point in the testimony and, had the public