The Arizona sentinel., 1883-01-27

But the way of the righteous is
past finding out, and the end is
not yet. 1t will be better for the
citizens of Yuma county to thor
OughIy understand the situation,
and we propose to give it in this
article, fairly and without malice.
Isaac Lyons was elected Treasur-
er of Yuma county by a majority
of twenty eight over George
Martin. The will of the people
was then and there expressed in
favor of Lyons. At the trial J.
NJ. Ruiz swOre that Lyons had
commissioned him to bride vOt-
erS, and in pursuance of said
commission he gave one Bernar-
dino COntreras five dollars. Ruiz
was the only defeated candidate
on the Lyons ticket. One Ingra-
ham sWOre that Lyons offered
him ten dollars for his vote.
This man was given a position
as guard at the penitentiary two
weeks before the trial. Bribery
was the sole ground upon which
the decision was based, the court
finding that Lyons was duly
elected, but removing him from
his seat. This decision did not
make Martin treasurer-it could
not unless it found that he had
received the highest NUMBER Of
votes. The Board Of Supervisors
appointed Antonio LDrette to fill
the existing vacancy, but Martin
still refuses to turn over. De-
feated by the will Of the people,
rejected by the Board of Super
visors - the legislature of the
county-he holds by sheer force
and without bond. This is the
act of d demagogue, which the
people will not forget. 1t is rev.
olutiOn, based upon selfishness,
and directed against the life Of
the county government and the
spirit of Territorial legislation.
The Board of Supervisors. in its
wisdom, accepted the dicta Of the
court that Mr.. Lyons must va
cate his seat, but declared that
the man whom the will of the
people had rejected should not
occupy that seat. All good citi-
zens will commend so broad and
sensible a view of the situation.
The case will soon come up be-
fore the Supreme Court, and that
tribunal will probably Overturn
the action of the inferior court on
the question of jurisdiction,
thereby reseating Lyons. Such
a result will be in the interest OF
justice, but in any event the
county will be the sufferer-all
because one citizen had not the
courage to accept defeat manful-
". As far as bribery is concern
ed, there is not an intelligent
citizen in this county who does
not know and appreciate the
fact, and thoroughly realize how
little cause this contestant had to
set up such a plea. The future
will tell its own tale, in reiec-
ton at the ballOt-hOX of those
who have set the Will of
the people at defiance, or, in 9TH
or words, proclaimed themselves
the people.
This contest has developed a
public necessity that Is patent to
ali. The legislature should take
Immediate action in the passage
of a bill perfectly defining the re-
quisite acts and legal results per-
tanning to election contests, and
that bill should declare indisput-
ably that whenever the election
of any person TO a county Office
shall be declared null and void
by court having jurisdiction, a
vacancy shall exist, which vacan-
cy shall be flied 10y appointment
by the Board Of Supervisors,
Such an absolute declaration in
the law will do away with posi-
bic litigation in the premises,
and render cOunty affairs safe
from the selfish ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
of demagogues.
A private letter Informs us that !
Hon. j. w. DOrringtOn, proprie- |