Arizona silver belt., 1894-05-19
nEraRr or THE GRAND JURY.

The Grand Jury impaneled by your honorable court for the April term, 1894, have concluded their labors and herewith present for your considera- ton their final report. Itisas follows;
 We have examined into l2 cases murder 9; assault with intent to con- init murder ?; grand larceny 5; rob- bery 2; resisting peace officer i.
 We have found true bills, viz Murder 2, assault with intent to com nit murder ?; grand larceny 2; rob bery ?,
 We have ignored and dismissed 4 cases, viz Grand larceny 8; resisting a peace officer 1.
 We took no eognizance of the case Philemon Askins, charged with mur- der, there not being sufficient num- Der of jurors qualified to act thereon.
 We have considered with care all business that was brought to our at- tention and we exercised in the dis charge of our duty such expedition as we deemed not inconsistent with prop er careful and diligent inquiry.
 The Grand Jury, recognizing the importance attached, at this time, to the disposition of Indian eases, and knowing the sentiment of the tax payers in regard to the same, feels that its voice should be raised in pro- test against the attitude of the federal government which has been neither business-liBe, nor of such character as to inspire confidence that it's contract with the Territory was one of good faith. The obligation resting upon the government to meet fairly the issue raised is not less binding, nor less se- rlous than the solemn injunction that impels grand jury to return or to ignore--according to the testimony or evidence, "a bill.
 Believing that the mitigation of an abuse is best effected by striking open ly at it, the Grand Jury presents the following;
 Gila county, with a debt of S7, s73. 4S incurred through the trial of Indians in the District Court which sum the federal government has failed to re- imburse, is confronted by the prospect Of further expenditure for this pur- pose. The indebtedness already con- tracted is increased by the annual in- terest of ten per cent. thereon, and which interest cannot be recovered from the United States; and further, the county's total indebtedness new exceeds the limit of four per cent. of her taxable property, fixed by United States Statutes.
 In view of these facts, any addition al disbursement for Indian trials be- comes q matter of serious concern to the taxpayers of the county.
 The trial Of Indian malefactors, wards of the federal government, by territorial courts is in itself not com plained of but the failure of the su- preme power to give effect to the duty imposed upon it by the Act of Con- gress, March 2, 1889, Section II, is a subject of complaint and has already greatly embarrassed Gila county by the advancement of several sums for which she is in no wise responsible, such advancement being made in or der that the act referred to might not become nullity, endangering thereby 5he lives and property of those ap- proximately near Indian reservations where large numbers of Indians are congregated, but are not properly re- strained, engaging from time to time in drunken orgies occasioned by over indulgence in tiswin, the cause ofnear- ly all the crimes committed of late years on the White Mountain reserya- ton.
 The Act of March 2, 1889, Sec. II, referred to reads;
 "Hereafter the costs Of the trial oi the cases in the courts of the several territories, tried pursuant to and for offenges named shall be au- dited by the accounting officers of the Treasury and paid out of money for similar expenses in the trial of crimin- al cases in the courts of the United States,
 Such being the case, the county oi Cila is not warranted in advancing a dollar where she is not legally obliged to do so therefore
 We, the Grand Jury of Gila county, charged and empowered 10 examine into the affairs of said county, remon. strate against any further drafts upon the treasury of Gila county in pay raent for the trial of any Indian from the White Mountain reservation, un. less the money to cover the actual exi i penses of such trial is in the hands oi the accounting officerfo such purpose
 We would further suggest that ar effort be made to induce the fedora government to cause the deportation to the Chiricahua penal colony 1T Alabama of all Indians who engage ii the distillation of, aud consumption o tiswin, as the best means of preserv ] ing the peace of the Reservation anC ! giving security to it's surroundings.
 The Grand Jury, believing that Sec tion 1887, Chapter ?, Title 6, Pena Code of Arizona, to be at variahc, with the tenents of a majority 0 States of this country relative to the challenging of grand jurors, urge upol