Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1893-05-02


Tho business before tho grand Jury
wns finished list Friday afternoon and
the following report was submitted.
siLvkH CRY, n. NJ, April %, 90
To 1uE Hos. JoHN r. McTiE,
District Judge.
Sra
The grand jury selected for The
present April term Of court, having
reached the conclusion Of their labors.
would submit the following report:
We have carefully examined all The
criminal cuses brought before us, as we'll
those m which the accused parties
we're under bond, as those in which the
accused we're confined in the County
Jail, and we have returned true bills OF
indictment In all cases wherein the tes-
timony warranted such action. In all
cases where the testimony was weak and
insufficient 10 our judgment to procure
a conviction before the trial jury, we
have made return Of NO bill found.
The district attorney, Mr.. Ancehta. has
been very prompt aud attentive IN the
discharge OF his duties before u body
and has greatly aided us in the dispatch
Of the work we have had 10 hand.
The committees appointed to examine
into the various offices Of the County
and the conduct OF the officers therein,
have made to us a report which shows
conditions as follows:
The probate judges Office is evidently
in very careful hands and Judge Porter
field appears to he doing all in his power
to clear up the work Of his court aud Sc
cure the settlement Of matters which
are pending there. He has called upon
The administrators Of numerous estates,
the settlement Of which has been long
neglected, to come forward and make an
|a5s1uating to the conrti and
in many instances has succeeded in pro-
curing settlements too long delayed. He
is earnest and painstaking in bis work
and his court records are well kept.
The sherif's Office is certainly in ex-
celleut condition. It is in charge Of a
thorough, competent bookkeeper and &C
countant. Everything was made plain
to the committee which compliments
Mr.. LAIRD npon the unusually hne show
ing made. A careful record is kept Of
each and every transaction, both 10
criminal and civil matters, and each and
every detail is at the ulmost i%ustantane-
GUS command Of the sheriff and his cler.
ical deputy, Mr.. Sheridan. II is to be
regretted that the unwise legislation OF
last winter which enabled taxpayers to
postpone settlement has resulted in al.
most completely stopping collections,
Sheriff Laird is doing all in his power Ia
induce taxpayers to come forward and
make settlement, but the great majority
are only too anxious to avail themselves
Of the fact that their taxes do not come
delinquent until next July. Our County
would be in much better condition il
property owners would be public spirited
enough to come forward and pay their
taxes at once.
The committee investigated the mat.
ter Of the collection Of what is called
taxes illegally assessed and found that
of such taxes Sheriff Laird has S1,505.07
This entire mount OF money he holds on
special deposit, having a certificate fol
the same, and expresses the purpose &c
hold all such collections intact subject
to the determination by the supreme
court OF the Territory Of the question oil
the legality Of these assessments.
The Jail was found to be in a %cleanly
condition.; prisoners we'll provided with
food and clothing; the kitchen neat an6
clean. A leak in the roof of the courI
house should be repaired at once. The
roof also needs painting and heavy wire
screens should be put on all the Jail win.
dows and doors.
The following prisoners are now con
fined in said Jail: IL under sentence (
penitentiarv; 2 lunaticsi 7U. S. pris
oners; 4 under Indictment; Z unde.
sentence to serve IN County jail,
An examination of the Treasurer'I
book shows that he has on hand, to thu
credit of all funds, a total Of s9,39042
or this amount he claims to have S3.468.
80 on deposit with the Silver City Ma
tional Bank; S3l5 in purchased railroad
bonds and the balance. ABOUT 5000, h'
assures the committee be has in a bol
locked up in the bank vault.
The books in the Clerks ofico arr
carefully kept and are models Of neat
ness. All papers are securely filed II
the vault and are carefully guarded
This is also true Of al record books anC
a other books of the Office. The indexes
are we'll kept up to date and there is nC
undue accumulation Of papers filed FOL
record. The Clerk, Mr.. Young, seems
to have everything at command ant
promptly and satisfactorily responded t
I all inquiries Of the committee. Hi
books show a balance Of s2O,26l73 10 tn,
Q hands Of the Treasurer. The indebted
r ness Of the County is shown to be al
follows;
8 Funding and refundlng bonds s142. 5000
, DemlinB q Ehclnc lhlifodu uuuun uiiOvVV
Funding bonds Of 1885. ....... lS,5O0O
Funding bonds OF 1882. ........ 1OOO
AOthl sssss.s .stsss's T@1osAVV
The committee found that the book
B show that the amount withheld by ez
. Sheriff Lookhart on account OF the item
Z Of illegally assessed taxes is el0,65s.9C
D less commissions. The books show OK
, Treasurer Berg's total Indebtedness Z