Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-10-16
H sHER1FFs OFFICE.

iOb0IAiNo MulNn HdNt UttU IOUmlIIRu
In the southern part Of the county,
and we demand that the sheriff make
some effort TO apprehend criminals in
that section OF the county.-Grant
County Republican Platform.
The attack OF the republicans upon
the peace officers OF this county is cow
ardly. Sheriff Shannon has been I'M
firing in his efforts to apprehend the
perpetrators Of every crime committed
In this county aud has been successful
in every instance except where the Of
tenders escaped into Mexico and
could not be extradited. He has
spent his private means time and time
again and pursued the criminals re-
lentless'y.-Deming Headlight.
Let us look a little into the record
Of the sherif's office during the past
two years and see how much atten-
ton has been paid to criminal matters
10 the southern part Of the county.
There was the murder of Smith, a
few miles east OF Separ, in the sum-
mer Of 1895. 1t will be remembered
that Smith was killed in his W
wagon alongside of the railroad track,
robbed Of his possessions and left
there. He was discovered by the sec
tion men working on the railroad,
word was sent to Lordsburg, Justice
McGrath and Constable Hardin went
down there, an inquest was held and
1t was ascertalned that he undoubt-
ediy had been murdered by a negro
who had been riding with him. Con-
stable Hardin took the trail and fol-
lowed the murderer for hundreds of
miles, but the negro had too long a
start and succeeded in getting away.
The sheriff never did a thing toward
apprehending the murderer, and al
though Hardin was his deputy he
never put up a cent towards the ex-
pcnse of the hunt made after the
negro. All that was done by Mr.. Har-
din as a constable, not as q deputy
sheriff.
Again It will be remembered that
Frank Davenport, a well.known COW
man, was killed zeal his ranch south
Of Separ a few months ago. Has the
sheriff done a thing to apprehend the
murderer? Well, if be has he has not
mentione' his success in capturing
him. 1t Jue that he sem Deputy
Hardin down there to investigate the
matter. Mr.. Hardin found considera-
bic evidence which indicated that a
certain person was greatly interested
In the removal Of Mr.. Davenport, and
he also found that that gentleman
could prove a perfect alabi. After
making his report he was not instruct
ed to follow the matter up, and the
sheriff never has accomplished any
thing towards u%nravelliGg the mys-
terry Of the death Of Frank Davenport.
Again, a few weeks ago the Separ
%postotiice was robbed. This time the
sheriff did do something. He sent his
chief deputy, who is now a candidate
for election to the Office Of sheriff,
with an aid, to capture the robbers.
How successful were they? They
easily found the trail and, as it was a
plain one, followed it to the place
where the robbers made their head
nulrters. On entering the ranch
house they found the robbers and
their companions all busily engaged
in cleaning their weapons. Their six
shooters and rifles were all in separate
pieces, undergoing a course of clean
ing and oiling. Did this deputy, who
now wants TO be sheriff, take his men
in? Not to any great extent. He
came back after more information,
and gave aC his excuse that he did not
know which Of the seven men he
found he Ought to arrest. He secured
a witness who could identify the rob-
bers, went back, did not find them
and reported they had skipped to
Mexico, and there had been arrested
by the authorities fl smuggling
horses. In a short time these seven
men began a course of crime which
has made them notorious all over the
United States. They held up the
bank at Nogales, murdered a man,
Frank Robson, in Grant county, went
north and held up an Atlantic s. Pa
clhc train, and have robbed two stages
between San Antonio and White
Oaks. II the sherih's deputy had
done his duty, when he had these men
at a disadvantage, none Of these
de%predations would have been COM
mltted. Owing to the fact that these
men were not arrested the United
States marshal had to take charge Of
the sherif's work and call out the
troops. He succeeded in running
them out of Grant county, and his
deputy had the good luck to kill one
Of them at the Atlantic s. Pacific
hold up, and he may yet get the rest
Of them. 1t is not reported that the
sheriff has as yet even tried to secure
a warrant for their arrest for the
murder OF Frank Robson.