Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1891-03-19
CRUCES CRUMBS.
An Interesting Pot POurri OF Las Cruces
News.

No"bs
Special Correspondence Of the New Mexican.
LAS CRUCES, N. NJ, March 1S, 1891.
Court began here on the 9th, with tn
usual large attendance Of jurymen, wit
nesses, litigants, etc. Under the ney
jury law We now have double sets O
juries, grand and a petit, for both tn,
federal and territorial couNs. In al
there are ninety men doing jury duty, o.
rather, sitting around ready to do it.
Col. Fountain represents Uncle Sam
At his request, all federal cases were
postponed until the third week of court
Judge Newcomb represents the territory
Being an old hand at the busihtssimsslis,
charge of the duties OF the office of u
trict attorney is like putting on an old
shoe. An examination of the territorial
criminal docket does not exhibit an i'm
posing array of criminal cases. In truth,
the county has been singulary tree from
CRIME during the past six months or
more. | do not think there has been a
single homicide in the county during
that time.
The only pending murder case is that
OF the territory against one John '"
Scott, a negro sergeant formerly etatieaed
at Fort Selden, where he brained q fel-
low soldier with a club in September
last. The defense is that Scott acted in
the matter in discharge of his duty in
quelling riot and in self-defense. Judge
McFie opens court with the regularity of
clock-work, and his firm, attentive, and
just administration of the law daily
win him the commendation of all parties.
His administration of the law is IN such
marked condition with that of his prede-
cessor that IL Q most prejudiced can not
tall to note the improvement and rejoice
over it. In truth, the bar of the district
and it is no mean bar either-fnds
that the judge is lawyer of extensive
learning in the technique of the profess
sion, a man Of clear reasoning powers and
high moral courage. That embarrass-
ment which always comes with the as
sumption OF powers and duties untried
has entirely passed away, and from the
smoothness with which business is now
conducted in the court, one might we'll
consider the judge an old hand at the
work.
see by the New MEXICAN that Solici-
tor General Bartlett has officially decided
that the legislature failed to make any
appropriation to pay off the claims of the |
many poor devils who, during the past |
two years, attended our courts as Witness
IS for the territory and were not paid.
Ii Gen. Bartlett is correct in his opin-
on, this action of the legislature is
. great imposition on these poor people
md shame and reproach to the legisla-
ure. If it was Intentional it ought to
iown every man party to it, and if an
oversight it was criminal negligence. |
PREDICT that the ill-considered and abor-
i've legislation enacted by the late legis.
ature will, during the next two years,
reate more howls and vigorous kicks
han ever existed before in this territory,
nd many member of that defunct and
nlamented body will bs glad 10 be al {
WED to hunt his hole.
Spring is no longer dallying in the lap
winter. Our valley has now COM
ersed 9Se or ta fnfes qgg wseks ss is dsaant
eason of the year yet peach trees are in
lll blossom and leaves are coming out
apidly. No harm has as yet been done
y the frost to the fruit, and our fruit
rowers are confident of an abundant
rop. Our bitches are running brimfull
f water, the grape growers are trimming
heir vines, the farmers are preparing
heir fields for the years crops, while on
IL sides green fields of alfalfa delight the
ye. Our people are hopeful Of pros
erous year, and this hope makes them tol-
rate philosophically over the incorrigible
erversity of the Democratic mind, the
ust storms and other necessary evils.
ONCE-IN. AWHILE.