Arizona weekly citizen., 1881-05-01
TIE CITIZEN.
SUNDAY, MAY l, 1881
Criminals in Mexico.

1t is not very difficult for men com mitting crimes near the Sonora boT- der 10 cross il in time to escape ar rest, and they generally consider themselves in safety once they are in Mexican territory. IL is unhappily d matter of record that such is not the exception, but the rule. In the last year we only remember two cases in which ;fugitives from justice were re- covered and brought back from So- nora for trial. Yet many requisiuous were sent out and were uniformly listened to by the Governor of SOno- ra, and even before the eXtradition papers came the Mexican police were instructed to assist the Deputy U. .. Marshals or Sheriffs who came to effectuate the arrests. Many arrests were made and the prisoners handed over to the American officers who held the extradition papers. Why has it happen@d that the prisoners never reached the Arizona border, but always managed to escape from thelr custOdisnss We recollect the case of a sickly defaulting tax collector getting away, not so long ago, from d strong, experienced officer. The req son of his escape was never explained. Now we have again to record the es- cape Of criminal from the hands ot U 5. Deputy Marshal, after he had been delivered over to him, and the matter Is all the worse that the same of whom was murderer, 10 slip through his hands after the Sonora authorities had placed them there. We believe that in several cases the escapes occurred through the yenality of our officers, whilst in others where no such reason could be assigned, IL was caused by the thorough inefliCIen- cy of the amateur thief catchers sent out here 10 take back desperadoeS who are willy enough 10 defeat the shallow ideas of their custodians. If a crim- inal be not pursued after getting in Sonora it is not very difficult tO un- derstand that he is safe, but it Is re- volting to think that our endeavors to recover such men as Hamilton, Jones, Collins, Paulin and others of the same stamp are uniformly frus- trated by the stupidity of the very men we send out 10 bring them back to be tried hy our laws In every case where, as an instance, fugitiyes from justice went to Guaymas, the endeav- ors of our Consul promptly landed the criminal within the mazes of the police even before the arrival Of the extradition papers.
 The culpable neglect of the Amer icsn officers to whom the prisoners were consigned, has always brought his endeavors to naught, because il they did not allow g. prisoner to es- . cape for part of the spOils he fight have had concealed somewhere, then the detective or the officer, by what name he might by chance or for the nOnce have been dubbed, was unequal to the task of guarding the man whom it was his duty To bring to justice. We believe that it is nothing but right to demand and expect that in- efficient amateurs shall no longer be commissioned to go to Sonora to bring back fugitives from justice It is proper to demand that we shall have men to do this work who understand IL and do not consider such an eXpe- dition as passear, ana when such men are appointed the harvest of criminals taken from Sonora may de ter others from a contemplated cnme when tEey find that immunity is not even to be hoped for by flight to the neighboring State of Sonora. Then, and only then, may we expect to be delivered from that class Of criminals which are now causing us lots of trouble, because they seek retiremen. for time in Sonora, only to return when all is quiet to commence once more.
 Ruins of a Prehistoric Race.