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An Act to Prohibit the Unlawful Carrying and Use of Deadly Weapons, Feb. 18, 1887, reprinted in Acts of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of New Mexico, Twenty-Seventh Session 55, 58 (1887).

Sec. 1. That any person who shall hereafter carry a deadly weapon, either concealed or otherwise, on or about the settlements of this territory, except it be in his or her residence, or on his or her landed estate, and in the lawful defense of his or her person, family or property, the same being then and there threatened with danger, or except such carrying be done by legal authority, upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars, nor more than three hundred, or by imprisonment not less than sixty days, nor more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court or jury trying the same.

Sec. 2. Any person who shall draw a deadly weapon or another, or who shall handle a deadly weapon in a threatening manner, at or towards another, in any part of this territory, except it be in the lawful defense of himself, his family or his property, or under legal authority, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined in any sum not less than one hundred dollars, nor more than five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment at hard labor in the county fail or territorial penitentiary not less than three months nor more than eighteen months, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court or jury trying the same.

Sec. 3. Any person who shall unlawfully assault or strike at another with a deadly weapon, upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment at hard labor in the county jail or territorial penitentiary, not exceeding three years, in the discretion of the court or jury trying the same.

Sec. 4. Any person who shall unlawfully draw, flourish or discharge a rifle, gun or pistol within the limits of any settlement in this territory, or within any saloon, store, public hall, dance hall or hotel, in this territory, except the same be done by lawful authority, or in the lawful defense of himself, his family or his property, upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for a term of not more than three years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court or jury trying the same. The word "settlement," as used in this act, shall be construed to mean any point within three hundred yards of any inhabited house, in the territory of New Mexico.

Sec. 5. Any person being armed with a deadly weapon, who shall, by words, or in any other manner, insult or assault another, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars, not more than three hundred dollars, or by imprisonment at hard labor in the county jail or territorial penitentiary for not less than three months, nor more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court or jury trying the same.

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Sec. 8. Deadly weapons, within the meaning of this act, shall be construed to mean all kinds and classes of pistols, whether the same be a revolved, repeater, derringer, or any kind or class of pistol or gun; any and all kinds of daggers, bowie knives, poniards, butcher knives, dirk knives, and all such weapons with which dangerous cuts can be given, or with which dangerous thrusts can be inflicted, including sword canes, and any kind of sharp pointed canes; as also slung shots, bludgeons or any other deadly weapons with which dangerous wounds can be inflicted.

Sec. 9. Persons traveling may carry arms for their own protection while actually prosecuting their journey and may pass through settlements on their road without disarming; but if such travelers shall stop at any settlement for a longer time than fifteen minutes they shall remove all arms from their person or persons, and not resume the same until upon eve of departure.

Sec. 10. Sheriffs and constables of the various counties, and marshals and police of cities and towns, in this territory, and their lawfully appointed deputies, may carry weapons, in the legal discharge of the duties of their respective offices, when the same may be necessary, but it shall be for the court or the jury to decide from the evidence whether such carrying of weapons was necessary or not, and for an improper carrying or using deadly weapons by an officer, he shall be punished as other persons as punished, for the violation of the preceding sections of this act.

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