The weekly Arizona miner., 1877-12-07
LATTER FROM YUMA.

posed mail robbers, Sutton and Brophy, has become already notorious, not only through out this Territory, but from the oocident to the rising sun. Sutton was tried by jury and ably prosecuted by E. B. Pomefoy. II. \. Alexander, and Col. E. c. Whiting oi Los Angeles, and dccended by C. ". C. Rowell of San Bcnarlino and an attorney from Prescott. Tho trial and considcra- ton lasted four days, and the jury was die charged standing six and six The de fendants. Brophy and Sutton. under the ad vice of Powell, and against the solemn pro- test of their other attorney, pleaded guilty to the lowest crime known to the law uu- der the indictment, and were sentenced Co five wears in the Territorial Prison, where they are now under the charge of Mir Geo rhurlow, who will mako them believe be, fore the expiration of their time, that when they go hence they had better sin no more. Thurow ought to have been a preacher; he has warm heart, pleasant couniengnCc, and tongue which seems ta have been soaked in the oil Of cloqucGcc for week. He talks to the prisoners, but some how they don't talk back.
 Now. MT Editor, here Is what the United States Grand Jury of the 2d Judicial Dis trict of our Territory says:
 "ln the examination ef the robbery eases of the United States mail. state uf facts was brought to light which in the opinion of the Grand Jury is deplorab,c In the eX- treme. We find one John Mantic, while in the service and under the authority of the Postal Service Department of the United States, planning and executing robbery of stage and of the |. S. mail
 We find that he was sent Co this Territory and appointed Director to work up the facts concerning stage rohberics and bring to justice tie perpetrators of any stage rob berries which might occur within The Tcui- tory. Mir Mantle came here heraldcd by secret letters to two or three stage agents but without notice to a single |. =. official within the Territory, and no officer, either of the United States or the Territory, was ever informed of his intsntions.
 We tind that in the town of Prescott he, with others. planned to rob the stage-pas sengers and mail travelling from Prescott to Ehrenbcrg. That his plan was put into execution whereby the passengers were rob- bed and placed in jeopardy of their lives, and the mail was broken into and robbed. The different stage agents along the road of the contemplated robbery were notiied, | but neither the passengers EoI the stage ! driver knew what was coming.
 Ed. F. Bowers, sheriff of Yavapai County, was one of the passengers.
 The robbine was committed a few miles from Wickcnburg, and the stage agent | PiersOn of that place, knew at the time the stage reached his office what was to happen, yet neither MT. Bowers nor the others were told a word su that they might | have provided for what was coming, a1d to save their effects and perhaps to secure the | robbers.
 | The robbery was committed under cover of guns and pistols, and the least motion of resistance by any of the passengers migh, l have lead to loss of life of one or more of the passengers. As it was, all the money | had by the passengers was taken from them some four hundred and fifty dollars from | Sheriff Bowers, and valuable letters muti.a- ted and destroyed. The money taken has never been returned by the Postal authOr- ties or anyone else.
 The Grand Jury cannot too severely con demn this light-handcd experiment of the | Detective branch of the Postal Service, and its execution showed, in the opiniolof the Grand Jury, an almost criminal lack of com- mon sense.
 | It is the belief of the Grand Jury that in ! thls instance, the robbery was instigatcd by the influence of John Mantle. .-h) lsi 6,s party, instead of merely participating in it. There are many unfortunate people in the world, who, through poverty and dcstitu- ton, might be led by stronger will Co the commission of crime, and who. untampered with, would honestly struggle on. l. is to be hoped that it is not within the province of the Postal Department, to continue fur nishing leaders for such people. If there had been lives lost who would have been re- sponsible! probably the same parties who are responsible for the money lost by the passengers.
 The Grand Jury cannot too much con- demn the actions of PicrSon, stage agent at Wickenburg, in not notifying the passcn- gers of the contemplated robbery. He knew MT Bowers, and he knew from his po- Sition as Sheriff of Iavapai County, that he could be depended on, and yet he let the passengers, ignorantly go on to Q certain loss of money and perhaps cruel death.
 In the opinion of the Grand Jury, this detective experiment has been useless one. with no other good result than a public caution to the world at large, of the possi- bilities within the reach of the detectives peculiar intellect.
 Signed JoHN W. DoRRINGToN.
 Foreman.
 In the trial of defendant Sutton, Sheriff Bowers, who was called for the defense, was asked by Goodwin. this question, |" Had you been informed at the time the stage passed Wickenburg, on the evening of May l2th, that an attempt would be made to rob the stage on which you were apasscnger, having in custody an insane woman, en rou;e to Stockton, California, and that John Mantle, one of the trio who would attempt the rob bery of said stage, was an employee in the Postal Service of the United States, and could be relied on as such, could you not have captured or taken the other parties who are charged with having been present at the time when, and the place where. the alleged robbery is said to have taken place, or any other two persons!
 MT. Bowers firmly answered [" 1 could ''
 On motion of the prosecution, the ques- ton and answer were stricken out by Judge Porter, and the defendant had his exception noted.
 The grand Jury who indicted Mantle, Sut- ten and Brophy, for United States mail rob bery, were twcnty-three in numbrr, and are recognized, appreciated and regarded as representative citizens of Yuma. They did their duty faultlessly-no shadow of sus- pision can by any possibility be cast upon ttheir actions. They concluded that if the stage was robbed at the time and place set forth that John Mantle, Alexanner Adams and othprS were yl1rficeoS -yiu;ofs and ,vara