The old Abe eagle. (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 189?-189?, 1895-01-10


stage line from Roswell to White Oaks.
The Rincoa Shaft came on t last week
in blue ink on one side. Was that in
tended to express the editors feelings at
getting left in Santa Fes
Governor Thornton hos appointed
John Franklin of Eddy district attorney
for this, the fifth, Judicial district to sue
ceed George B. Barber OF Lincoln.
The report of the Commissioners and
Superintendent of Territorial Peni-
tentiary for the two years ending No
vsmber 80, last, is out and shows very
satisfactory condition Of affairs in re-
gard to this institution, if there can be
anything satisfactory in contemplating
such an institution. The net cost of
maintaining the penitentiary for the
two years was SCI 1,699.13. The prison
ers earned in that time $l3,649 90. There
were on the date last mentioned l42
convicts in confinement, an increase of
eight over 1892. Five "trusties'" at
werk outside escaped during the time,
four OF whom were recaptured; l29 of
the convicts are whites, two Indians.
nine negroes and two chinese. Eight
are college graduates, 73 educated in
public schools, and Al have no educa-
ton.
The Springer Stochman urges that
something be done for the relief Of ac
cussd persons subjected to long incarce-
ration while awaiting trial. There are
men in jais all over the Territory who
have been accused Of crime and are un-
in durance vile for months while funds
are being scraped together to hold a
term of court That paper doubts the
right Of state or territory to thus hold
a man without trial in the face of con-
stitutional guaranty Of speedy justice.
But the Stockntdn should know that no
where in this country do tho rights sup
posed to appertain to tho American cit
izen reach the man behind the bars
unless he has influential friends or the
money to employ counsel that can reach
the ear OF the court; the latter otherwise
is not presumed to know anything con.
cerning the wrongs or hardships being
inflicted on the citizen by the state
When the poor devil finally is brought
before the tribunal he generally gets fair
play, the injustice preceding justice in
the processes of the law. 1t is no worse
here than in many other places. The
scribe has known Of instances in which
men we're imprisoned from mid winter
till midsummer awaiting trial on a mi
nor charge, their property wasted, and
finally Il proposition mad, by the lawyer
for the prosecution that on the payment
OF certain sum to that official they would
he released without trial. Glad OF any
chance Of escape from confinement, the
victims submitted to the backmail aud
borrowed the little savings of relatives
and friends TO pay it and that was the
end Of Justice The court afforded no
protection whatever. But this Territory
today shows the broad distinction in
; practice made between the man with
, and the man without pull" A thiei
fairly convicted Of crime carried on Eys.
temaiically and for long time to the
dotriment Of hundreds Of people is given
minimum sentence By the court; is taken
: TO the penitcntiary and there treated at
| a distinguished guest Of the Territory
instead OF distinguished convict is ad
mitted to bail on legal twist; and the
hearing on that put off FOR six months
While in Lincoln county two mon &C
I cused OF a single theft affecting single
r company lie in jail from August til
March waiting for a chance to bc heard
and at great expense 10 the county. Il
makes no difference what the probabili
Ties of mans guilt are. He is theorst
p ically entitled to be conpidere innocent
until proven guilty; though the genera
practice in dealing with the common
I herd IL exactly the reverse. There is Ger
tainly room for reform here and tho Law
ought TO provide that the accused coul,
!, demand trial or liberty within rcasona
able period unless either party coul,
produce solid grounds for continuance
This would be humane 10 the accused
botter fur the morals OF the oommunit,
and money IN the pockets OF the tax
' payers. Then do away with the oxpens
ve and useless grand jury system sn'
J, there can be enough money raised with
cut increasing tie burden OF taxation t
clean out the iails every quarter. Th
y EAGLE is always for respecting the law
Il aud the courts, but this does not meal
that there is no room for improvement
In either.