Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1897-02-03
EARLY REMISIsCENCEs.
The Etrst Term of Court EseT Held in Arlssna -JuroTs Armed wtth
 Hinss aud Pistols.
nr CAPTAIN V. U. HAkDI.


 Einss aud ristols.
 BT CAPTAIN V. H. HARDY.
 It was in September, ls65, that Chief Justice Turner ordered the sheriff oi NayapAi county to sum- mon a grand jury. lis true court was held m September, 1884, but thiswAs to organize, a. DO leg,s lAture had yet convened, and it was form. The sheriff made hts re- turn in due tune, and on the morn ing of the day fixed Tor the term. many idle men and, m fact, business men of Prescott, went to the httle house, called the court house out of curiosity.
 At To q. m.. the jurymen began to arriye. Each one came with hIs rife in hand and as be entered the door of the court house, he set hIs rifle against the wall. Each juror had a revolver iu his scabbSrd. and leather pockets or pouches full of cartridges.
 In short time, the seats were all occupied, the judge took his seat ID a rough chair. the clerk. for a short time, conyersed with His Honor. The judge directed that as the names oi the jurors were called, they shonld take their seats in the place prepared for then. As the roll was called, each juror took his seat with his revolver at his side. The judge hesiisted as he admins tered the oath; the judge remarked that II was then near noon, and the court would stand at recess until l ?. m. lch juror, as they went out, ,o,k . .id- n hand and went to his di-s-' When the Jurymeu were all o a house, the judge came ;o U.. gaykei hat Ig was very uuu- jury Ju carry arms, ard it would not be iu order 4-a e jurors to lay aside their revUiyers while acting as jurors. answered, No. You had better let the jury have their own way about that matter. You know. judge that for a while past the Apsches have been very lively; only yesterday a man was killed and another wounded within one mile of town The judge spoke to two other men on the same subject, and got the same answer. l now spoke to the judge and saidl Those weA- pons are not intended for defense against the whites. but Indians. l would advise you 10 charge the jury as If they had no weapons, and not notice the reyolvers.'
 As the hands of the clock pointed to 1 p. m., the jurors entered the house, set their rifles against the wall and took their seats. Alter roll call, the judge charged the jury. The charge was more like lecture than a charge. The court and spec tators left the room to let the jury deliberate. The next day the jury was on hand early, and as they went to dinner they notified His Honor that they wished to consult him in a matter pertaining to their duty. l saw the judge and jury going toward the court house, but for a few minutes l was busy. As 1 went to close my place of business, 1 saw the jurors rush out of the house and start of in a northerly direc- ton. I we'll knew that trouble was up. 1 grasPed my rife in hand, slammed my store door shut, and started of with the crowd. In fact, every man iu sight started under the impulse of the moment with rifle in hand. and made the best time possible. But little noise was made. Occasionally some one would say get there" and We soon got there. We met Tom Simmons, pale and excited, with the town herd all n ht, the cause of this a'arm.
 The first settlers of Prescott came from Texas, Western Missouri, and Arkansas. The came with teams in trains of several wagons, so as to protect each other. They were used to frontier life. They brought with them cattle aud horses and such stock as they had on hand. Arriving In Prescott, a town herd was made up, and each man took turn about m heyding this flock. This week the herd was looked after by Tom Simmons. Tom had allowed tbe herd ,o feed close to the rocks and the animals had worked into a box canyon.