United States Marshal (New Mexico) Records
Collection
Identifier: MSS 322 BC
Scope and Content
The United States Marshals collection is divided into eight series with three large series further divided into subseries. The series tend to overlap, as the business of law enforcement was often inextricable from finances. Due to the volume of correspondence, researchers will find that materials in general correspondence coincide with correspondence in the other series.
Correspondence, 1897-1942 is divided into four subseries.
Letterpress books contain correspondence from three of New Mexico's U.S. Marshals: C.M. Foraker (August 1897-September 1912); Secundino Romero (September 1912-September 1914); and A.H. Hudspeth (September 1914-September 1921). This correspondence concerns appointments of deputies, payrolls of witnesses, support of prisoners, travel expenses for the apprehension of wanted individuals, and the pursuit of gangs such as the Black Jack gang.
Foraker's correspondence includes miscellaneous letters sent, letters sent to Attorney General, deputies, E.B. Crosswaite, U.S. clerks. There are some letters sent by Chief Deputy Marshal Forbes. Correspondence regards appointment of deputies, criminals wanted, deportation of Chinese immigrants, bills for rooms rented in courthouses, account of prisoners and prisoner needs, witness fees, requisition for supplies, vouchers covering term of court payroll, juror rolls, the Black Jack gang, train robberies, rifles and guns for U.S. Marshal posse men, execution of warrants, subpoenas, account suspension, leave of absence, inquiries about indictments, request for field deputies, salaries, payment to interpreters, deputy oaths of office, possession of government property.
Correspondence from U.S. Marshal Secundino Romero spans similar topics as Foraker's, beginning with his oath to office and request to move the U.S. Marshal’s office to Santa Fe. Other communications include appointment of deputy officers, expense and other accounts, salaries, support of prisoners, seizure of illegal products, subpoenas, warrants, travel expenses, payment of jurors, summons.
Correspondence for A.H. Hudspeth covers one year, 1914-1915, and deals with much the same issues. Other correspondence relates to salaries, fees, expenses (for Hudspeth, his deputies, and witnesses), charges against individuals for sale of liquor to Indians, escaped prisoners, bootlegging outfits, and discharge of prisoners.
Most of the letterpress books are fading, and some are difficult to read. In some cases the blue ink has faded to green or has turned so light, the page is hard to read. Some books have also been exposed to moisture and some of the ink runs over the page.
General Correspondence (1905-1947) reflects meticulous procedures which is directly tied to government finances. It also shows the multiple duties the Marshals’ office had in upholding federal law and how it acted as the strong arm of the courts. General correspondence overlaps with other series, thus researchers are advised to supplement this information with materials in the rest of the collection.
Correspondence from 1905-1923 includes letters regarding warrants, subpoenas being issued and explanations of indictments for murder, robbery, land disputes, and sale of liquor (whiskey) on reservations, particularly in Gallup. Correspondence also relates to witness lists, writs of injunction, bonds, verdicts, terms of appointments for deputy marshals, and fees, annual reports and treasurer statements for Secretary of Interior, as well as lists of salaries, office expenses, request for deputy marshals to be present in court, and reporting of court dates set for trials. U.S. Marshals to whom letters are addressed are C.M. Foraker, Dewey Bailey, and A.H. Hudspeth. There are also letters about rewards for bringing in suspects and convicts spanning from Santa Fe, to Albuquerque, Roswell, Chama region, Las Cruces, Jemez, Fort Defiance, Gallup, Taos, and Mescalero.
During this time, correspondence shows significant activities in areas of deportation of Chinese illegal immigrants usually charged with violating the "Chinese Exclusion Act," though it is difficult to ascertain what part of that act they were violating. Correspondence also shows that the U.S. Marshal’s office went after individuals, usually white men, who illegally transported Chinese immigrants to New Mexico. There are inquiries about how and from where these illegal immigrants were coming, and speculation that they arrived in NM via San Francisco. Although the federal government was slow in paying outside consultants, marshals’ correspondence suggest many instances in which the government avoided paying their Chinese interpreters, evidenced by a multitude of complaint letters and requests for back payment. Insistence on proper apprehension of illegal immigrants is also reflected in the U.S. Secretary’s letters and legal documents sent to the marshal. Another major issue reflected in the correspondence is bootlegging, specifically the sale of whiskey on reservations. Correspondence shows arrests of inebriated Navajo men, and the pursuit of Mexican and white men who were either selling or were believed to be selling liquor to Indians. Some correspondence shows refusal from Natives to testify against other Natives, resulting in their arrest. Another recurring concern was mail theft either from the post office or from train transport of mail. Though less significant in volume, there is also correspondence about the "hobo movement" and marshal attempts to stop people from jumping trains without paying railway fare.
Correspondence from 1924-1941 centers on financial matters, criminal activity, arrests, and court cases. Correspondence and documentation relates to prisoner services including jail, transportation, and room and board expenses. Also included are quarterly reports, bonds, deputy marshals and witnesses fees, costs for storage of seized cars, salaries, sale of confiscated property, and circulars regarding financial procedures. Financial correspondence provides a sense of the internal workings and relations between the U.S. Marshals and government branches such as the Department of Justice and the Treasury Department.
Correspondence during this time period also deals with criminal activity and procedures for apprehending criminals and upholding court orders. Some of the violations described in the correspondence include the Mann Act, the Traffic Act of 1922, the Prohibition Act, and the Immigration Act. Correspondence also centers on deputy marshals serving subpoenas, warrants for court appearance and arrests, juror summons, apprehension of fugitives, transportation of prisoners, confiscation of stolen property, submission of fingerprints and prisoner photos, commitment and release cards, trial set dates, and bonds for appearance.
Deputy Marshal Correspondence consists of files of select Deputy Marshals from 1936-1944. Communication pertains to business expenses, salaries, orders to be carried out, subpoenas delivered, arrests made, etc.
Service Men’s Correspondence contains letters from servicemen to employers or other parties about being drafted or enlisting in the army. Letters also discuss retention of land and securing property under the Homestead Laws by soldiers "mustered into the service of the United States." Some letters are written on behalf of soldiers by family members, while other letters are from relatives of dead soldiers enquiring if homesteads can be transferred to them.
1922 Rail Road Strike, 1922-1923 is a small series containing correspondence detailing efforts made by the US Marshal to control the strike. This series also houses lists and letters about special deputy marshals assigned to strike duty in Albuquerque, NM. It contains lists of salaries for these deputies as well as telegrams from the U.S. Attorney General with instructions for containing the strike. In addition, this series contains related affidavits, bills of complaint, restraining orders, temporary injunctions, and commissions of special deputies.
Prohibition, 1921-1934 contains correspondence and documentation pertaining to the seizure and sale of automobiles used in illegal transport or manufacturing of liquor. Correspondence is between the U.S. Marshal of New Mexico and different companies, deputy marshals, district courts, and the treasury department. The majority of the correspondence and documentation is financial in nature referring to sales advertisements, storage fees, marshal fees and other costs, preparing cars for sale, selling car parts, and court orders for sales and destruction. Some newspaper clippings advertizing marshals' sales can also be sporadically found.
World War I and II, 1918-1950 holds documents and correspondence relating to "alien enemies" during the first two world wars. There is significant documentation of registered German aliens considered to be "alien enemies," records of war prisoners, summary sheets of registered aliens by New Mexico counties and cities during World War I, 1918-1919. Documentation is separated by gender, reflecting how the Attorney General’s office maintained their records. Registrations contain a significant number of Native American women who married German men, women of German descent of all ages and class status, from the upper to working class. Correspondence also deals with requests to leave the U.S. to visit family in Austria, other parts of the German Empire, and even England. Applications for travel are included as are applications for work permits.
World War II documentation continues "alien enemies" documentation, particularly for people of Japanese and German descent. These documents reveal other aspects of wartime tracking and suppression. There is a significant component of bank account transcripts that belonged to Japanese and German internees in Fort Stanton and Santa Fe, as well as disbursement and deposit documents that track payments made to internees for their labor in internment camps and for properties purchased by the government. Pay-out documentation varies between $5 and $50 with some that range up in the hundreds, though not over $500.00 (specifics as to what the payments were for is unclear). There is some related correspondence as well as a folder containing receipts and detailed enumeration of materials confiscated from alien enemies that fall under the restricted possessions in the Alien Enemies Act.
New Deal, 1930-1946 (bulk 1935-1940) In this series, researchers will find communication and documents relating to New Deal resettlement and submarginal projects, particularly the Mills Project, the Taos Project, the Zuni Project, the Tewa Basin Project, and the Zia-Santa Ana Indian Project. Other county "projects" include: Valencia, Bernalillo, Doña Ana, Luna, Rio Arriba, Harding, Eddy, Mckinley, Chavez. There is also information and communication relating to the Juan Jose Labato Grant and Caja del Rio Grant, the Cuyamungue Grant as part of the Tewa Basin Project, Santa Rosa de Cubero Grant, Ojo de San Jose Grant, and the San Ysidro Land Grant and Acoma Project. Included are instructions from the Department of Justice to attorneys on land acquisitions, correspondence between Special Attorney Kiker and the Department of Justice about travel authorization, salaries, hires, requests for information and supplies, and indemnity bonds and escrow agreements that deal with land acquisitions. In addition there is communication regarding tenancy, condemnation cases for the Hope project, and notary records of land acquisition, condemnation, and tenancy.
Communications and documents for all the projects relate to sale of land tracts by individual owners in the respective counties. Some deal with mortgage loans and land taxes individuals were unable to pay and as a result, sold their properties to the government to ease the burden of those payments. This series illuminates why people gave up their land and also reflects how cheaply they sold their land to the government.
Federal Prisoners in New Mexico (1888-1950) is divided in to two subseries
Correspondence and Documents contains correspondence and telegrams between New Mexico county sheriff’s jail and U.S. Marshal’s office in Santa Fe, 1930-1950. It also contains communications with the FBI, the U.S. Attorney General’s Office in Washington, federal corrections institutions, contracts for housing and feeding federal prisoners, and requests for release cards and commitment cards. Counties include; Curry, Lea, Hidalgo, Guadalupe, Colfax, Chavez, Bernalillo, El Paso, Eddy, Dona Ana, Grant, Valencia, Luna, Otero, Union, Torrence, Taos, Socorro, Santa Fe, and San Miguel. Correspondence also concerns inmates in the federal correctional institutions of La Tuna, El Reno, and Terminal Island, with references to violations, transfer of inmates from county jails to correctional institutions, corrections to charges, dates of sentence, escaped prisoners, and filing of fingerprints. Charges include violation of the Mann Act, the Dyer Act, mail fraud, theft, immigration violation, sale of liquor to Indians, counterfeiting, and impersonating a government officer. Other correspondence includes lists of registered prisoners under Selective Services Act, and jail contracts. Also contained is detailed information and descriptions about escaped prisoners from various county jails and requests for information on prisoners in the district of New Mexico. U.S. Attorney General’s Office (Washington D.C.) correspondence is centered on correctional institutions to which prisoners are sent, and reports on federal prisoners. Researchers can also find documentation of individuals arrested for illegal liquor sale as well as procedures for destruction of "illegal liquor," 1925-1934. Additionally, this subseries houses ten photographs of prisoners, escapees, fugitives, and parole violators. There is one postcard from New Mexico Reform School at Springer with x marks above two boys (Ygenia Chavari and Victor Mendoza) who escaped. Photo sent to U.S. Marshal to aid in their capture. Two photos of two fugitives, one of which was a “notorious bootlegger and dispenser of narcotics" wanted for arrest in 1924. Two copies of black and white photo of prisoner Bob Burns, wanted for parole violation, 1927-1929. Three black and white photos of J.H. Moore, Lynn Stephens wanted for conspiracy and murder, and Jack Griffin, Dyer Act violator and prison escapee 1931. Two black and white photos originally with a letter from a woman inquiring about imprisoned family members, 1923.
Commitment and Release Cards, 1899-1950 houses fingerprint cards and release and commitment cards, contracts with New Mexico jails for subsistence of federal prisoners, correspondence with deputy marshals regarding warrants, subpoenas, notices of presentation of petition, transfer of prisoners, writ of garnishment, bonds for appearance, confiscation of property, and expenses incurred for rendered services of deputy marshals.
Civil and Criminal Dockets, 1932-1948 contains three Civil Dockets, Volume 4 (1932-1938), Volume 5 (1938-1942), and Volume 6 (1943-1946). Dockets include information and expenditures related to court cases the U.S. government was directly involved in. The dockets provide information about the types of writs that were issued by deputy marshals, and the names of individuals who were served (subpoenas, summons, warrants of seizure, notices for petition, writs of garnishment, and writs of judgment). The civil dockets also include fees paid to deputy marshals for service and mileage, and attorney fees. Dockets may be searched by docket number, individual, or general perusal. An alphabetical list of individuals served is located at the beginning of the docket along with an assigned docket number.
Eight Criminal Dockets provide insight into New Mexico Marshals' law enforcement activities, 1938-1948. Criminal Dockets are incomplete. Volumes available are: Volume 18 (1938-1939), Volume 19 (1939-1941), Volume 20 (1941-1942), Volume 21 (1942-1943), Volume 22 (1943-1944), Volume 23 (1944-1945), Volume 24 (1946-1947), and Volume 25 (1947-1948). At the beginning of each docket is an alphabetical list of individuals (criminal offenders) served with final judgments and sentencing, warrants, summons, and orders for removal. Types of criminal charges brought against individuals include parole violations, murder, illegal entry into the U.S., and sale of liquor to Indians. Most common and frequent offenses are impersonating a federal officer, violation of the Immigration Act (illegal entry into the U.S. from Mexico), violation of the Dyer Act (particularly the transportation of stolen autos), conspiracy to sell and the sale of liquor to Indians on reservations, unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, violation of the Selective Services Act, failure to report for induction. Other charges of interest are theft of government property (especially mail theft), possession of non-tax paid alcohol, failure to register under the Alien Registration Act, white slavery, violation of the Mann Act, and sedition. Violent offenses include kidnapping and assault on Indian reservation and murder. Criminal Dockets include fees paid out to marshals for service and mileage.
Financial Matters, 1897-1948 is divided into six subseries.
Treasury and Department of Justice, 1897-1952 contains communication with Department of Justice, Treasury Department, and Department of Interior regarding approvals or rejections of the Marshal's budget, requests for reimbursements, salaries, and other expenses incurred for detaining prisoners. This subseries also contains correspondence on policies regarding occupational deferment.
U.S. Marshals Joseph Tondre and Felipe Sanchez y Baca, 1926-1943 contains correspondence relating to salary increases for deputy marshals, travel expenses, reimbursement forms, executions to be served, witness fees, office expenses, investigations of parolees, visits to probationers and parolees, salaries, translator fees, court related fees such as juror expenses, supplemental accounts, serving warrants, and making arrests. Communication is primarily with the Department of Justice and with U.S. Senators and Congressmen from New Mexico.
Abstracts of Expenditure and Vouchers, 1907-1912 and Check Reports, Summaries, and Appropriation Forms, 1902-1941 include expenditure forms for travel, purchase of office supplies, telegram charges, investigation of parolees, salaries (deputy marshals, court officials), translator fees, witness fees and juror expenses, new hires, serving warrants and other writs, support of prisoners, check reports, abstracts, and summaries of expenditures and accounts. Check Reports, Summaries, and Appropriation Forms also contains documents relating to the marshals and Department of Justice accounts (1907-1912, 1943-1944), payroll (1943-1944), personal services ledger (1940-1941) covering fees of jurors, warrants, salaries and expenses of clerks and bailiffs, judges’ salaries, and misc. expenses; special abstracts of disbursement for prisoner support (1908-1911, 1933), vouchers for support of prisoners and visitation and medical attention (1907-1914,1941-1945), Department of Justice Fund Docket 1940-1943, receipts for fees and costs (1941), statement of earnings (1909-1912), abstracts of disbursement (1909-1912), inventory lists (1905-1908), payroll of witnesses (1910).
Monthly Accounts: Marshals, U.S. Courts, Department of Justice, 1944-1948 includes description of Marshal’s and court monthly accounts including account current, schedules of retirement and disability, schedule of special deposits, salaries of clerks and deputies, travel expenses, and court expenses.
Ledgers and Fund Dockets, 1934-1949 are bound volumes that provide supplemental information. There are two ledgers. Volume 4 (1934-1944) and Volume 5 (1939-1949) contain information about salaries and expenditures of U.S. Marshal Felipe Sanchez y Baca and some of his deputy marshals. Expenses cover fees for jurors, pay of bailiffs, salaries and expenses of district attorneys and judges, other court expenses, and support of prisoners. The ledgers are organized by individual, thus one could look at expenses incurred for each deputy marshal and the U.S. Marshal. Because the ledgers are arranged by individual, they are not in chronological order. The ledgers are incomplete and share little overlap with boxed documents. They should be considered supplemental to other financial materials in the collection.
Three Fund Dockets, Volume 1 (1939-1948), Volume 5 (1934-1937), and Volume 8 (1943-1946) contain information about checks disbursed for jurors and witnesses, travel expenses, pay of bailiffs, salaries of judges, clerks, and deputy marshals, and support of prisoners. Dockets are organized by year and month.
Maps, Proclamation, Poster, 1883-1937 includes several New Mexico maps and plats, a Knights of Columbus Educational Fund poster, and an executive clemency proclamation from Woodrow Wilson.
Correspondence, 1897-1942 is divided into four subseries.
Letterpress books contain correspondence from three of New Mexico's U.S. Marshals: C.M. Foraker (August 1897-September 1912); Secundino Romero (September 1912-September 1914); and A.H. Hudspeth (September 1914-September 1921). This correspondence concerns appointments of deputies, payrolls of witnesses, support of prisoners, travel expenses for the apprehension of wanted individuals, and the pursuit of gangs such as the Black Jack gang.
Foraker's correspondence includes miscellaneous letters sent, letters sent to Attorney General, deputies, E.B. Crosswaite, U.S. clerks. There are some letters sent by Chief Deputy Marshal Forbes. Correspondence regards appointment of deputies, criminals wanted, deportation of Chinese immigrants, bills for rooms rented in courthouses, account of prisoners and prisoner needs, witness fees, requisition for supplies, vouchers covering term of court payroll, juror rolls, the Black Jack gang, train robberies, rifles and guns for U.S. Marshal posse men, execution of warrants, subpoenas, account suspension, leave of absence, inquiries about indictments, request for field deputies, salaries, payment to interpreters, deputy oaths of office, possession of government property.
Correspondence from U.S. Marshal Secundino Romero spans similar topics as Foraker's, beginning with his oath to office and request to move the U.S. Marshal’s office to Santa Fe. Other communications include appointment of deputy officers, expense and other accounts, salaries, support of prisoners, seizure of illegal products, subpoenas, warrants, travel expenses, payment of jurors, summons.
Correspondence for A.H. Hudspeth covers one year, 1914-1915, and deals with much the same issues. Other correspondence relates to salaries, fees, expenses (for Hudspeth, his deputies, and witnesses), charges against individuals for sale of liquor to Indians, escaped prisoners, bootlegging outfits, and discharge of prisoners.
Most of the letterpress books are fading, and some are difficult to read. In some cases the blue ink has faded to green or has turned so light, the page is hard to read. Some books have also been exposed to moisture and some of the ink runs over the page.
General Correspondence (1905-1947) reflects meticulous procedures which is directly tied to government finances. It also shows the multiple duties the Marshals’ office had in upholding federal law and how it acted as the strong arm of the courts. General correspondence overlaps with other series, thus researchers are advised to supplement this information with materials in the rest of the collection.
Correspondence from 1905-1923 includes letters regarding warrants, subpoenas being issued and explanations of indictments for murder, robbery, land disputes, and sale of liquor (whiskey) on reservations, particularly in Gallup. Correspondence also relates to witness lists, writs of injunction, bonds, verdicts, terms of appointments for deputy marshals, and fees, annual reports and treasurer statements for Secretary of Interior, as well as lists of salaries, office expenses, request for deputy marshals to be present in court, and reporting of court dates set for trials. U.S. Marshals to whom letters are addressed are C.M. Foraker, Dewey Bailey, and A.H. Hudspeth. There are also letters about rewards for bringing in suspects and convicts spanning from Santa Fe, to Albuquerque, Roswell, Chama region, Las Cruces, Jemez, Fort Defiance, Gallup, Taos, and Mescalero.
During this time, correspondence shows significant activities in areas of deportation of Chinese illegal immigrants usually charged with violating the "Chinese Exclusion Act," though it is difficult to ascertain what part of that act they were violating. Correspondence also shows that the U.S. Marshal’s office went after individuals, usually white men, who illegally transported Chinese immigrants to New Mexico. There are inquiries about how and from where these illegal immigrants were coming, and speculation that they arrived in NM via San Francisco. Although the federal government was slow in paying outside consultants, marshals’ correspondence suggest many instances in which the government avoided paying their Chinese interpreters, evidenced by a multitude of complaint letters and requests for back payment. Insistence on proper apprehension of illegal immigrants is also reflected in the U.S. Secretary’s letters and legal documents sent to the marshal. Another major issue reflected in the correspondence is bootlegging, specifically the sale of whiskey on reservations. Correspondence shows arrests of inebriated Navajo men, and the pursuit of Mexican and white men who were either selling or were believed to be selling liquor to Indians. Some correspondence shows refusal from Natives to testify against other Natives, resulting in their arrest. Another recurring concern was mail theft either from the post office or from train transport of mail. Though less significant in volume, there is also correspondence about the "hobo movement" and marshal attempts to stop people from jumping trains without paying railway fare.
Correspondence from 1924-1941 centers on financial matters, criminal activity, arrests, and court cases. Correspondence and documentation relates to prisoner services including jail, transportation, and room and board expenses. Also included are quarterly reports, bonds, deputy marshals and witnesses fees, costs for storage of seized cars, salaries, sale of confiscated property, and circulars regarding financial procedures. Financial correspondence provides a sense of the internal workings and relations between the U.S. Marshals and government branches such as the Department of Justice and the Treasury Department.
Correspondence during this time period also deals with criminal activity and procedures for apprehending criminals and upholding court orders. Some of the violations described in the correspondence include the Mann Act, the Traffic Act of 1922, the Prohibition Act, and the Immigration Act. Correspondence also centers on deputy marshals serving subpoenas, warrants for court appearance and arrests, juror summons, apprehension of fugitives, transportation of prisoners, confiscation of stolen property, submission of fingerprints and prisoner photos, commitment and release cards, trial set dates, and bonds for appearance.
Deputy Marshal Correspondence consists of files of select Deputy Marshals from 1936-1944. Communication pertains to business expenses, salaries, orders to be carried out, subpoenas delivered, arrests made, etc.
Service Men’s Correspondence contains letters from servicemen to employers or other parties about being drafted or enlisting in the army. Letters also discuss retention of land and securing property under the Homestead Laws by soldiers "mustered into the service of the United States." Some letters are written on behalf of soldiers by family members, while other letters are from relatives of dead soldiers enquiring if homesteads can be transferred to them.
1922 Rail Road Strike, 1922-1923 is a small series containing correspondence detailing efforts made by the US Marshal to control the strike. This series also houses lists and letters about special deputy marshals assigned to strike duty in Albuquerque, NM. It contains lists of salaries for these deputies as well as telegrams from the U.S. Attorney General with instructions for containing the strike. In addition, this series contains related affidavits, bills of complaint, restraining orders, temporary injunctions, and commissions of special deputies.
Prohibition, 1921-1934 contains correspondence and documentation pertaining to the seizure and sale of automobiles used in illegal transport or manufacturing of liquor. Correspondence is between the U.S. Marshal of New Mexico and different companies, deputy marshals, district courts, and the treasury department. The majority of the correspondence and documentation is financial in nature referring to sales advertisements, storage fees, marshal fees and other costs, preparing cars for sale, selling car parts, and court orders for sales and destruction. Some newspaper clippings advertizing marshals' sales can also be sporadically found.
World War I and II, 1918-1950 holds documents and correspondence relating to "alien enemies" during the first two world wars. There is significant documentation of registered German aliens considered to be "alien enemies," records of war prisoners, summary sheets of registered aliens by New Mexico counties and cities during World War I, 1918-1919. Documentation is separated by gender, reflecting how the Attorney General’s office maintained their records. Registrations contain a significant number of Native American women who married German men, women of German descent of all ages and class status, from the upper to working class. Correspondence also deals with requests to leave the U.S. to visit family in Austria, other parts of the German Empire, and even England. Applications for travel are included as are applications for work permits.
World War II documentation continues "alien enemies" documentation, particularly for people of Japanese and German descent. These documents reveal other aspects of wartime tracking and suppression. There is a significant component of bank account transcripts that belonged to Japanese and German internees in Fort Stanton and Santa Fe, as well as disbursement and deposit documents that track payments made to internees for their labor in internment camps and for properties purchased by the government. Pay-out documentation varies between $5 and $50 with some that range up in the hundreds, though not over $500.00 (specifics as to what the payments were for is unclear). There is some related correspondence as well as a folder containing receipts and detailed enumeration of materials confiscated from alien enemies that fall under the restricted possessions in the Alien Enemies Act.
New Deal, 1930-1946 (bulk 1935-1940) In this series, researchers will find communication and documents relating to New Deal resettlement and submarginal projects, particularly the Mills Project, the Taos Project, the Zuni Project, the Tewa Basin Project, and the Zia-Santa Ana Indian Project. Other county "projects" include: Valencia, Bernalillo, Doña Ana, Luna, Rio Arriba, Harding, Eddy, Mckinley, Chavez. There is also information and communication relating to the Juan Jose Labato Grant and Caja del Rio Grant, the Cuyamungue Grant as part of the Tewa Basin Project, Santa Rosa de Cubero Grant, Ojo de San Jose Grant, and the San Ysidro Land Grant and Acoma Project. Included are instructions from the Department of Justice to attorneys on land acquisitions, correspondence between Special Attorney Kiker and the Department of Justice about travel authorization, salaries, hires, requests for information and supplies, and indemnity bonds and escrow agreements that deal with land acquisitions. In addition there is communication regarding tenancy, condemnation cases for the Hope project, and notary records of land acquisition, condemnation, and tenancy.
Communications and documents for all the projects relate to sale of land tracts by individual owners in the respective counties. Some deal with mortgage loans and land taxes individuals were unable to pay and as a result, sold their properties to the government to ease the burden of those payments. This series illuminates why people gave up their land and also reflects how cheaply they sold their land to the government.
Federal Prisoners in New Mexico (1888-1950) is divided in to two subseries
Correspondence and Documents contains correspondence and telegrams between New Mexico county sheriff’s jail and U.S. Marshal’s office in Santa Fe, 1930-1950. It also contains communications with the FBI, the U.S. Attorney General’s Office in Washington, federal corrections institutions, contracts for housing and feeding federal prisoners, and requests for release cards and commitment cards. Counties include; Curry, Lea, Hidalgo, Guadalupe, Colfax, Chavez, Bernalillo, El Paso, Eddy, Dona Ana, Grant, Valencia, Luna, Otero, Union, Torrence, Taos, Socorro, Santa Fe, and San Miguel. Correspondence also concerns inmates in the federal correctional institutions of La Tuna, El Reno, and Terminal Island, with references to violations, transfer of inmates from county jails to correctional institutions, corrections to charges, dates of sentence, escaped prisoners, and filing of fingerprints. Charges include violation of the Mann Act, the Dyer Act, mail fraud, theft, immigration violation, sale of liquor to Indians, counterfeiting, and impersonating a government officer. Other correspondence includes lists of registered prisoners under Selective Services Act, and jail contracts. Also contained is detailed information and descriptions about escaped prisoners from various county jails and requests for information on prisoners in the district of New Mexico. U.S. Attorney General’s Office (Washington D.C.) correspondence is centered on correctional institutions to which prisoners are sent, and reports on federal prisoners. Researchers can also find documentation of individuals arrested for illegal liquor sale as well as procedures for destruction of "illegal liquor," 1925-1934. Additionally, this subseries houses ten photographs of prisoners, escapees, fugitives, and parole violators. There is one postcard from New Mexico Reform School at Springer with x marks above two boys (Ygenia Chavari and Victor Mendoza) who escaped. Photo sent to U.S. Marshal to aid in their capture. Two photos of two fugitives, one of which was a “notorious bootlegger and dispenser of narcotics" wanted for arrest in 1924. Two copies of black and white photo of prisoner Bob Burns, wanted for parole violation, 1927-1929. Three black and white photos of J.H. Moore, Lynn Stephens wanted for conspiracy and murder, and Jack Griffin, Dyer Act violator and prison escapee 1931. Two black and white photos originally with a letter from a woman inquiring about imprisoned family members, 1923.
Commitment and Release Cards, 1899-1950 houses fingerprint cards and release and commitment cards, contracts with New Mexico jails for subsistence of federal prisoners, correspondence with deputy marshals regarding warrants, subpoenas, notices of presentation of petition, transfer of prisoners, writ of garnishment, bonds for appearance, confiscation of property, and expenses incurred for rendered services of deputy marshals.
Civil and Criminal Dockets, 1932-1948 contains three Civil Dockets, Volume 4 (1932-1938), Volume 5 (1938-1942), and Volume 6 (1943-1946). Dockets include information and expenditures related to court cases the U.S. government was directly involved in. The dockets provide information about the types of writs that were issued by deputy marshals, and the names of individuals who were served (subpoenas, summons, warrants of seizure, notices for petition, writs of garnishment, and writs of judgment). The civil dockets also include fees paid to deputy marshals for service and mileage, and attorney fees. Dockets may be searched by docket number, individual, or general perusal. An alphabetical list of individuals served is located at the beginning of the docket along with an assigned docket number.
Eight Criminal Dockets provide insight into New Mexico Marshals' law enforcement activities, 1938-1948. Criminal Dockets are incomplete. Volumes available are: Volume 18 (1938-1939), Volume 19 (1939-1941), Volume 20 (1941-1942), Volume 21 (1942-1943), Volume 22 (1943-1944), Volume 23 (1944-1945), Volume 24 (1946-1947), and Volume 25 (1947-1948). At the beginning of each docket is an alphabetical list of individuals (criminal offenders) served with final judgments and sentencing, warrants, summons, and orders for removal. Types of criminal charges brought against individuals include parole violations, murder, illegal entry into the U.S., and sale of liquor to Indians. Most common and frequent offenses are impersonating a federal officer, violation of the Immigration Act (illegal entry into the U.S. from Mexico), violation of the Dyer Act (particularly the transportation of stolen autos), conspiracy to sell and the sale of liquor to Indians on reservations, unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, violation of the Selective Services Act, failure to report for induction. Other charges of interest are theft of government property (especially mail theft), possession of non-tax paid alcohol, failure to register under the Alien Registration Act, white slavery, violation of the Mann Act, and sedition. Violent offenses include kidnapping and assault on Indian reservation and murder. Criminal Dockets include fees paid out to marshals for service and mileage.
Financial Matters, 1897-1948 is divided into six subseries.
Treasury and Department of Justice, 1897-1952 contains communication with Department of Justice, Treasury Department, and Department of Interior regarding approvals or rejections of the Marshal's budget, requests for reimbursements, salaries, and other expenses incurred for detaining prisoners. This subseries also contains correspondence on policies regarding occupational deferment.
U.S. Marshals Joseph Tondre and Felipe Sanchez y Baca, 1926-1943 contains correspondence relating to salary increases for deputy marshals, travel expenses, reimbursement forms, executions to be served, witness fees, office expenses, investigations of parolees, visits to probationers and parolees, salaries, translator fees, court related fees such as juror expenses, supplemental accounts, serving warrants, and making arrests. Communication is primarily with the Department of Justice and with U.S. Senators and Congressmen from New Mexico.
Abstracts of Expenditure and Vouchers, 1907-1912 and Check Reports, Summaries, and Appropriation Forms, 1902-1941 include expenditure forms for travel, purchase of office supplies, telegram charges, investigation of parolees, salaries (deputy marshals, court officials), translator fees, witness fees and juror expenses, new hires, serving warrants and other writs, support of prisoners, check reports, abstracts, and summaries of expenditures and accounts. Check Reports, Summaries, and Appropriation Forms also contains documents relating to the marshals and Department of Justice accounts (1907-1912, 1943-1944), payroll (1943-1944), personal services ledger (1940-1941) covering fees of jurors, warrants, salaries and expenses of clerks and bailiffs, judges’ salaries, and misc. expenses; special abstracts of disbursement for prisoner support (1908-1911, 1933), vouchers for support of prisoners and visitation and medical attention (1907-1914,1941-1945), Department of Justice Fund Docket 1940-1943, receipts for fees and costs (1941), statement of earnings (1909-1912), abstracts of disbursement (1909-1912), inventory lists (1905-1908), payroll of witnesses (1910).
Monthly Accounts: Marshals, U.S. Courts, Department of Justice, 1944-1948 includes description of Marshal’s and court monthly accounts including account current, schedules of retirement and disability, schedule of special deposits, salaries of clerks and deputies, travel expenses, and court expenses.
Ledgers and Fund Dockets, 1934-1949 are bound volumes that provide supplemental information. There are two ledgers. Volume 4 (1934-1944) and Volume 5 (1939-1949) contain information about salaries and expenditures of U.S. Marshal Felipe Sanchez y Baca and some of his deputy marshals. Expenses cover fees for jurors, pay of bailiffs, salaries and expenses of district attorneys and judges, other court expenses, and support of prisoners. The ledgers are organized by individual, thus one could look at expenses incurred for each deputy marshal and the U.S. Marshal. Because the ledgers are arranged by individual, they are not in chronological order. The ledgers are incomplete and share little overlap with boxed documents. They should be considered supplemental to other financial materials in the collection.
Three Fund Dockets, Volume 1 (1939-1948), Volume 5 (1934-1937), and Volume 8 (1943-1946) contain information about checks disbursed for jurors and witnesses, travel expenses, pay of bailiffs, salaries of judges, clerks, and deputy marshals, and support of prisoners. Dockets are organized by year and month.
Maps, Proclamation, Poster, 1883-1937 includes several New Mexico maps and plats, a Knights of Columbus Educational Fund poster, and an executive clemency proclamation from Woodrow Wilson.
Dates
- 1888-1950
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Background Information
The United States Marshals Service was created by the first United States Congress through the Judiciary Act of 1789. As President George Washington set up his administration and the first Congress began passing laws, they discovered that there was a gap in the representation of the federal government’s interest at the local level. The United States Marshals Services was created to fill that gap and support the federal government’s interests throughout the different regions. The marshals served the government primarily by providing support to the federal courts by serving subpoenas, summonses, writs, warrants, making arrests, and overseeing the apprehension of and care for federal prisoners. The U.S. Marshals duties have traditionally included protecting federal judicial officials (judges, attorney, and jurors); apprehending federal fugitives; ensuring the safety of witnesses; managing and disposing of seized and forfeited properties acquired by criminals through illegal activities; registering and transporting enemy aliens in times of war; and protecting the American border. The responsibilities of the U.S. Marshals have always been diverse, for they served both as law enforcers and as administrators. Presidents rely on the U.S. Marshals to intervene and maintain civil order, and to serve as the strong arm of the federal courts. When domestic conflicts are beyond U.S. Marshals control, the President will call in the army as a last resort to establishing civil obedience. Thus, among their many other duties, U.S. Marshals serve as the barrier between civilian government and military rule.
Throughout their history, the U.S. Marshals possessed relative independence in performing their duties, having no headquarters or central administration to supervise their work until 1956 when the Executive Office of the U.S. Marshal was created. Until that time, the U.S. Marshals answered to the U.S. Attorney General and the corresponding offices of the Department of Justice and the Department of Treasury.
United States Marshal in New Mexico: In 1851, when New Mexico became a territory of the United States, the U.S. Marshals were established as the main form of government rule. The history of the U.S. Marshals in New Mexico and the southwest in general is distinct, owing to several socio-cultural and geographic factors. Sparsely settled villages among barren deserts and mountains, peoples accustomed to Mexican justice which was based on Roman rather than English legal structures, and indigenous populations accustomed and receptive mainly to their own laws, posed difficult challenges for establishing a uniform body of law to be disseminated and followed by the peoples of New Mexico. The U.S. Marshals wrestled with these problems until about 1861, by which point, they managed to lay a foundation of federal law enforcement in the Southwest, albeit this was met with resistance from native populations who were unwilling to yield to American domination. Marshals also dealt with conflict between Anglos and Hispanos. The elite Hispanos were offended by the manner in which the government was being established in Santa Fe, as appointed civil servants were Anglos who viewed Hispanos as "depraved," and "lawless" desperadoes, or "demented and besotted brutes." The judicial system in the frontier was one of the weakest links of frontier government, as the President appointed territorial justices who did not serve their districts faithfully and who served without regard for the desires of the residents. To offset this problem, the New Mexico legislature conferred upon probate judges, jurisdiction normally reserved for federal courts. The U.S. Marshals helped the courts by opening each session of federal court, and ensuring their smooth operation. The marshals were responsible for renting courtrooms and contracting with local sheriffs for jail space. Eventually, a federal prison was constructed in New Mexico, but collaboration with local sheriffs continued to be important.
From 1882-1896, New Mexico underwent considerable but troubled growth, evidenced by the construction of railroads, the influx of new settlers, an expansion of the economy, demands of Hispanos for more equitable treatment, the integration of Indian populations into the mainstream federal justice system, and renewed congressional interest in frontier reforms. Owing to these changes, the many duties of the marshals of New Mexico in the 1880s and 1890s were instituted to be on par with reform minded congressional policy, the main purpose of which was to prepare the "lowly territorials" for statehood. These reforms included reducing liquor traffic among Indians, as well as acquiring inexpensive public lands for sale to soon to be citizens; the need to resolve the Spanish land grant issue; and adopting a middle class moral code, especially the practice of monogamy. The U.S. Marshals were entrusted with carrying out these reforms, which often led them into dangerous situations such as breaking up rings of illicit whiskey sellers and capturing murderers who were carrying out assassinations of sheriffs and other law enforcers. A war against lawlessness ensued in the late 1880s, which in due course, helped the marshals and the U.S. Government create faith in the judicial system, and establish New Mexico's U.S. Marshals as recognized and respected law enforcers. Subsequently, the Marshals saw an increase in business, leading to increased salaries for clerks, the marshal, and his deputies, and also led to changes in requirements of skills for deputy marshals. This also led to increased instances of nepotism. By 1912, the U.S. Marshals office was recognized and accepted as a law enforcing body in New Mexico, though it was not without its problems. Abuse of power exposed the office to ridicule. However, for the most part, New Mexico deputy marshals "worked so diligently that the backlog of court business hanging for years disappeared from the dockets." Under U.S. Marshal Creighton M. Foraker, the "New Mexico marshalcy reflected efficiency and the beginnings of a merit system." Starting with Foraker, deputy marshals were full time employees in New Mexico, allowing for them give their full attention to carrying out the orders of the federal government. A comradeship was also established between the marshalcy and county offices, further contributing to a more or less smooth operation of federal business. Moreover, citizens in remote districts began pleading for the help of deputy marshals, though in most instances their requests were denied because they fell outside of the marshals’ jurisdiction.
During the two world wars, the U.S. Marshals were viewed as the protectors of the home front against enemy aliens, spies, saboteurs, and slackers. Concurrently, they were entrusted to uphold other laws, such as prohibition laws, along with duties they normally performed. This was no different for the marshals in New Mexico, who played an important part in the apprehension, internment, and overseeing of enemy aliens in camps at Santa Fe and Fort Stanton. While the establishment of the U.S. Marshals in New Mexico followed a distinct historical trajectory directed by the uniqueness of the Southwest, they eventually acclimated to their socio-cultural and geographic environment and helped bring the frontier into the American mainstream judicial system.
Sources: United States Marshals of New Mexico and Arizona Territories, 1846-1912 by Larry D. Ball 1978, University of New Mexico Press. US Marshal's website
Throughout their history, the U.S. Marshals possessed relative independence in performing their duties, having no headquarters or central administration to supervise their work until 1956 when the Executive Office of the U.S. Marshal was created. Until that time, the U.S. Marshals answered to the U.S. Attorney General and the corresponding offices of the Department of Justice and the Department of Treasury.
United States Marshal in New Mexico: In 1851, when New Mexico became a territory of the United States, the U.S. Marshals were established as the main form of government rule. The history of the U.S. Marshals in New Mexico and the southwest in general is distinct, owing to several socio-cultural and geographic factors. Sparsely settled villages among barren deserts and mountains, peoples accustomed to Mexican justice which was based on Roman rather than English legal structures, and indigenous populations accustomed and receptive mainly to their own laws, posed difficult challenges for establishing a uniform body of law to be disseminated and followed by the peoples of New Mexico. The U.S. Marshals wrestled with these problems until about 1861, by which point, they managed to lay a foundation of federal law enforcement in the Southwest, albeit this was met with resistance from native populations who were unwilling to yield to American domination. Marshals also dealt with conflict between Anglos and Hispanos. The elite Hispanos were offended by the manner in which the government was being established in Santa Fe, as appointed civil servants were Anglos who viewed Hispanos as "depraved," and "lawless" desperadoes, or "demented and besotted brutes." The judicial system in the frontier was one of the weakest links of frontier government, as the President appointed territorial justices who did not serve their districts faithfully and who served without regard for the desires of the residents. To offset this problem, the New Mexico legislature conferred upon probate judges, jurisdiction normally reserved for federal courts. The U.S. Marshals helped the courts by opening each session of federal court, and ensuring their smooth operation. The marshals were responsible for renting courtrooms and contracting with local sheriffs for jail space. Eventually, a federal prison was constructed in New Mexico, but collaboration with local sheriffs continued to be important.
From 1882-1896, New Mexico underwent considerable but troubled growth, evidenced by the construction of railroads, the influx of new settlers, an expansion of the economy, demands of Hispanos for more equitable treatment, the integration of Indian populations into the mainstream federal justice system, and renewed congressional interest in frontier reforms. Owing to these changes, the many duties of the marshals of New Mexico in the 1880s and 1890s were instituted to be on par with reform minded congressional policy, the main purpose of which was to prepare the "lowly territorials" for statehood. These reforms included reducing liquor traffic among Indians, as well as acquiring inexpensive public lands for sale to soon to be citizens; the need to resolve the Spanish land grant issue; and adopting a middle class moral code, especially the practice of monogamy. The U.S. Marshals were entrusted with carrying out these reforms, which often led them into dangerous situations such as breaking up rings of illicit whiskey sellers and capturing murderers who were carrying out assassinations of sheriffs and other law enforcers. A war against lawlessness ensued in the late 1880s, which in due course, helped the marshals and the U.S. Government create faith in the judicial system, and establish New Mexico's U.S. Marshals as recognized and respected law enforcers. Subsequently, the Marshals saw an increase in business, leading to increased salaries for clerks, the marshal, and his deputies, and also led to changes in requirements of skills for deputy marshals. This also led to increased instances of nepotism. By 1912, the U.S. Marshals office was recognized and accepted as a law enforcing body in New Mexico, though it was not without its problems. Abuse of power exposed the office to ridicule. However, for the most part, New Mexico deputy marshals "worked so diligently that the backlog of court business hanging for years disappeared from the dockets." Under U.S. Marshal Creighton M. Foraker, the "New Mexico marshalcy reflected efficiency and the beginnings of a merit system." Starting with Foraker, deputy marshals were full time employees in New Mexico, allowing for them give their full attention to carrying out the orders of the federal government. A comradeship was also established between the marshalcy and county offices, further contributing to a more or less smooth operation of federal business. Moreover, citizens in remote districts began pleading for the help of deputy marshals, though in most instances their requests were denied because they fell outside of the marshals’ jurisdiction.
During the two world wars, the U.S. Marshals were viewed as the protectors of the home front against enemy aliens, spies, saboteurs, and slackers. Concurrently, they were entrusted to uphold other laws, such as prohibition laws, along with duties they normally performed. This was no different for the marshals in New Mexico, who played an important part in the apprehension, internment, and overseeing of enemy aliens in camps at Santa Fe and Fort Stanton. While the establishment of the U.S. Marshals in New Mexico followed a distinct historical trajectory directed by the uniqueness of the Southwest, they eventually acclimated to their socio-cultural and geographic environment and helped bring the frontier into the American mainstream judicial system.
Sources: United States Marshals of New Mexico and Arizona Territories, 1846-1912 by Larry D. Ball 1978, University of New Mexico Press. US Marshal's website
Extent
43 boxes (41.5 cu. ft.) plus 16 unboxed volumes and 1 oversize folder
Abstract
The United State Marshal collection consists of general and subject oriented correspondence and documentation, 1890 to 1950. Included are legal documents, correspondence, procedure manuals, affidavits, prisoner commitment and release cards, fingerprints, and financial records.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into nine series
- Correspondence, 1897-1947 (Subseries: Letterpress Books, General Correspondence, Service Men’s Correspondence, Deputy Marshals Correspondence)
- 1922 Railroad Strike, 1922-1923
- Prohibition, 1921-1934
- World War I and II, 1918-1950
- New Deal Projects, 1930-1946
- Federal Prisoners in New Mexico, 1888-1950 (Subseries: Correspondence and Documents, Prisoners’ Commitment and Release Cards)
- Criminal and Civil Dockets, 1932-1948
- Financial Matters 1897-1948 (Subseries: Treasury and Department of Justice; Joseph Tondre and Felipe Sanchez y Baca; Abstracts of Expenditure and Vouchers; Check Reports, Summaries, and Appropriation Forms; Monthly Accounts: Marshals, U.S. Courts, Department of Justice; Ledgers and Fund Dockets)
- Maps, Proclamation, Poster, 1883-1937
- Alcohol -- Law and Legislation -- New Mexico
- Aliens -- United States
- Courts -- New Mexico
- Criminals -- New Mexico
- Foraker, Creighton M
- Frontier and pioneer life -- Southwest -- New Mexico
- Law enforcement -- New Mexico -- History
- New Deal, 1933-1939
- Photographs.
- Prisoners -- New Mexico
- Prisoners -- United States
- Romero, Secundino
- Tondre, Joseph Frank, 1883-1968
- United States marshals
- World War, 1914-1918 -- New Mexico
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Concentration camps -- New Mexico -- Ft. Stanton
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Concentration camps -- New Mexico -- Santa Fe
- Title
- Finding Aid of the United States Marshal (New Mexico) Records, 1888-1950
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Lavinia Nicolae
- Date
- © 2008
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
- Sponsor
- Funding provided in part by: University of New Mexico Center for Regional Studies, Dr. Tobias Durán, Director
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451