Southwest-sentinel., 1894-04-24

l A N"o 1e"A III tiiAo uiNiSAOlAi Oul-
cago, last month, 25,2O4, against
25,s4l year ago, 1l,7O5 two years
ago and 1864 three years ago.
The slaughter of cattle IN South
America remains in advance of
that of last year. From the begin
ming of the season to the first inst.
the kill had reached 595, 600 head,
against 531, 700 head for like Pc
riod in 1892 1898.
The clatter Of hoofs and the
lowing of the great herds of south
western cattle, as they wend their
way to northern and eastern mar
kets may be heard throughout the
length and breadth of our great
range country from now until win
ter sets in. If the year closes as
favorable as it has opened, the
southwest will be on top when the
years accounts are balanced.
As summer approaches the de-
mand for both cattle and sheep is
more apparent, and prices seem
to be tending toward higher
plane. The cause is no doubt due
to increased occupation for labor
during the summer months in the
branches Of trade that lie dormant
during the winter more than from
any increase of confidence in re-
turning prosperity of the country.
Cattlemen cannot be too careful
about recording their brands with
the county clerk of their respect
i've county, as it will have a mate
rial effect if they have a case
against someone for cattle steal
ing 1t has just been decided by
an Arizona judge that unless
brands are recorded there is no
tangible evidence that the ami
mails were stolen, as that is the
ouly method by which one can
prove property.
Spring rains have begun in
northern New Mexico and the
ranchmen and farmers are cor
respondingly happy. If pros
perity does not reign throughout
the southwest this year it will be
no fault of nature, who is blessing
the country in every way. Bountl-
full crops, plentiful herds of live
stock and a greatly increased out
put of the precious metals will all
combine to advance the terrItory's
| prosperity as was never before
known.
The Papago Indians of Arizona
are causing the cattlemen of their
vicinity serious loss by their wan
ton slaughter of cattle which they
kill and sell to the miners of the
mountains, or dry the meat and
take it across the line into Old
Mexico where they trade it for
flour and ammunition. Their dep
relations on stock have caused
cattlemen to petition that they be
| placed on a reservation where
they can be watched and not al
lowed to run at large.
In the trial on Monday Of Fran
cisco Gonzales, charged with
stealing cattle from Vail&Gates of
the Empire ranch, it was devel-
oped that one of the brands of
Vail & Gates had not been proper
I ly recorded, and could not be in
troduced in evidence. BY reason Of
this technical defect the court
was compelled to instruct the jury
to rendera verdict of not guilty.
There was no questioned the mans
guilt, but the law has prescribed a
m -thod Cor proving title to cattle,
and under the circumstances the
court must abide by it. 1t would
be well for stockmen who are IN
teTested IN putting down the stem
ing of cattle to see 10 it that the,
have proper record, otherwi-
all prosecutions for cattle stealth
will fail, at the expense of not O,
ly the cattlemen, but the coun
as well. The attention OF Messr
Vail q Gates was called to a defec.
in the record of their brand, and
they Immediately took steps to
have it corrected, and by a strange
fatality, for which they personally
were not TO blame, an omission and
error crept into the correction.
which rendered it incompetent for
legal evidence. Cattle men should
give close attention In tbis mafter