Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-10-07
AN ARIZONA JUSTICE.
DEsPlsED LEGAL FORMS AND COL
LEcTED FINES FOR MURDERS.

Remarkable Events In the Career Of q
Queer Character Court Did Rush
ing Business A Picturesque Existence
Put to an End by Pistol Ball.
A stormy life it was that ended the
other day when old Jim Burnett was
killed i'll Tombstone by William Greene
Ia life full of experiences of the border
kind that would supply material for 30
of the most thrilling Of the yellow back
ed novels
The end was in keeping with the life
Burnett, justice of the peace in Pearce
camp, had left his work in order to go
down on the San Pedro river, so miles
away, and blow out with giant powder
the irrigating canal dam Of his enemy,
Greene Below at the time, probably
unknown to Burnett, were two young
girls, one a daughter Of Greene, aged
18, and her friend from Bisbee. They
were caught in the flood that followed
the explosion and were drowned. The
father learned of the presence of his foe,
saddled his horse, rode over to Tomb
stone, found Burnett on the main street
and shot him down. The town stood be-
hind Greene in his deed. He has been
admitted to light bail and will be ac-
quilted if ever brought to trial
Since Burnett's s death many are the
tales being raked up about him. His
was a singular personality. Strong will
ed and violent in temper, he especially
shone i'll frontier camp. 1t was there
fore quite appropriate that he should
have been elected justice of the peace in
1881 at Charleston, on the San Pedro,
where the rich ores of Tombstone were
at that time milled.
Charleston was then a bowling camp
full of freighters miners and the wool
lest of cowboys. The whisky sold
wasn't of the mildest brand, and conse-
quently tribulation safe within the
community, and the Justices court was
always open. Burnett did rushing
business At the end Of three months
he duly reported as by law required
to the county supervisors, sending i'll
his bill for the amount due him from
the county. The county fathers cut the
bill down one-half. Burnett swore Wig
orously when he got the returns, but
held no further communications with
the county seat. Another three months
elapsing, the county treasurer wrote
Burnett to furnish his quarterly state
ment. The reply came promptly. 1t
was: "The blazes with you'll This court
after this will be self sustaining.
And SO it was, in great shape. Every
time cowboy would get exhilarated
and shoot up the town the judge would
fine him several hundred dollars and
would pocket what remained after pay
ing his constables for the arrest.
One day old man Schwartz got ex-
cited and killed man. After the JUS
tice, as ex officio coroner, had finished
the inquest he had Schwartz hailed be-
fore the bar, found him guilty, of the
crime and fined him 81, 000 Schwartz
wanted to appeal the case, but Burnett
would issue no papers on appeal. SO the
defendant sent up to Tombstone for At
torney Mark Smith, now delegate to
congress from Arizona. Smith came
down at once and heard Schwartz's s tale
of woe. 1t was clear case of murder.
"Pay the money, you ass, the law
yer fairly shouted, ''and then go bury
yourself somewhere down in Mexico!"
Schwartz paid and skipped, and the
case was never again heard of in court
But the county never received any of
that coin Those who figured on the
proposition said that Burnett came out
$22, 900 ahead on his office in two years
Philadelphia Times