Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-03-26
A PRETTY MESS.
J. H. Sloan Fired as County Commits,
sioner and G. D. Koch
Appointed.
Failure to Qualify the Alleged Cause
A Big Row in the Demo-
cratic Family.

AHcIc nave Detli Ch1AI uies sulOul'IcI-
ing in all the wigwams Of the local fac
tons Democratic for few days past
Yesterday there was unusual activity and
running to and fro, while an air OF mys-
terry pervaded the official atmosphere
In some way or another it leaked out
that the question OF funding certain coun-
ty securities had caused breach, and
that there was blood on the moon. Some
people wanted especially to have the
county A., T. & 5. F. securities funded
and some other people didn't. The pres
ence in the city of an agent OF the eastern
holders OF these securities merely served
to add
FUEL TO THE FLAMES.
1t appears that County Commissioner
J. II. Sloan has all along favored the
funding OF these bonds, under certain
conditions, while his colleagues on the
board, Messrs. Green and Martinez, have
been opposed to it, preierring that the
county push its suit now pending
to have a portion, il not all of them, de-
clared null and void by the courts.
THE CLIMAX.
Several members of the local Democra-
cy, who have opposed Commissioner
Sloan in this matter, learned during the
day that that official had Jailed or neglect
ed to qualify BY filing with the county
clerk his bond in the sum OF $1,000 ap-
proved by the judge OF the district court.
This matter was Immediately laid before
Gov. Ross with the request that he de-
clare vacant the office held by DR.. Sloan
and appoint new county commissioner
The governor said he must have
OFFICIAL INFORMATION
on the subject and requested that the ap-
plc4nts for change secure the written
statement of the county clerk in the
premises. Accordingly Clerk Garcia GER
tilted that DR.. Sloan's official bond had
not been filed in his office, and upon this
showing Gov. Ross, about 1 O'Clock YES
terday afternoon, issued commission to
Mr.. GERARD D. KOCH,
the lumber merchant, authorizing him to
serve as county commissioner in place OF
Sloan because OF the latters Failure to
qualify"
In the mean time Commissioner Sloan
had "smelt a mouse" Here is his state
ment:
II learned yesterday afternoon that |
was going to have trouble because of my
failure to qualify as county commissioner,
| was astonished, for thought the whole
matter had been attended to long ago.
On January, 9TH had my official bond
prepared and it was duly signed by my
sureties, and turned over to notary, a
friend OF mine, who volunteered to take
the acknowledgements OF my bonds
men have it approved by the district
Judge and file it with the clerk. I have
never seen that bond from that day to
this; had never thought to ask the clerk
if it had been filed and supposed until
yesterday that everything was all straight.
Immediately upon learning that this first
bond had been lest set about preparing
NEW BOND,
and by last nights mail my new bond
was forwarded to Las Vegas, where it
was duly approved by Judge Long at S
o'clock this morning. have telegram
to this effect"
DR.. Sloan said he would of course con.
tinue to serve as chairman OF the county
| board, at least he would undertake to do
so. Mr.. Koch said when questioned on
the subject that he had yesterday been
informed that DR.. Sloan had failed to
qualify, and that when the appointment
was rendered him he accepted upon
ONE CONDITION.
That condition being that he would
take it neither as a Republican nor Demo
crat, but simply as private citizen who
would do his best for the tax payers o.
| the county.
evil you make contest for the Office
under Gov. Ross commission" was
asked of Mr.. Koch, whereupon he replied
"As to that l can not now say. / have
but just been appointed and have not haC
time to look fully into the matter"
Mr.. Koch filed his commission of mp
pointment with the clerk of the count,
on yesterday afternoon, and at 8 O'Clock
this morning he appeared before Clerl
Garcia and
TOOK THE OATH on OFFICE.
Thus the matter stands at present. l
appears that the district judge must ap
prove this class OF bonds, and if any con
test is to be made the whole question vii
probably come up for judicial review wheI
the court is called upon to act upon Mr.
koch's bond.