Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-09-30

who was charged with stealing an
empty bag had been kept In prison for
i've months without q hearing. AnOth-
err, who stole a chicken. had been sen.
fenced FOR year and a dav. and a
third, Who was charged with stealing "a
hog. had h,au In jan year. waiting
trial
THE COSTLY COCK FIGHT.
one OF tho quosrest cases was tina,
or young man named Vegas. who was
arrested IN December. 1887 for having
used IN cock nFht q cock which d1
not belong % him. The facts " tho
case were that Vegas had loaned tho
owner ~ The cock re- dollar and % half
nud had inkcn the cock ns security.
While holdlrR u aa such h. had Pat
the cock iu the ring O. fHht lciEhh1r's
cock ana ln tho. nghi h WAS Killed
The owner of the cock then made
charges against Vegas. and aucercdsi
~ having him arrpFtpd, iie has already
been Loo JAN nftusu munthH. asking Tho
judges that Dc hu tried. Whether the
owner u the cock had bribcd the Judges
or not do not know. but VEGAS at Iast
accounts was Ftill In prison.
poRTo R1cAN COURTS.
A. present there are four classes of
Judges IN Porto Riuo. The FIRST ia u
sort Of police judge. who IL paid by Zee
lie has Jurisdiction over eases IN which
the amount does not exceed 1900. and
he can hear such things az Infringe
mcntH of police regulations In blocking
the atrccts. picking flowers Ia the parks.
etc. The next Judge d. sort OF "a
notary ana grand jury combined. lie
can Issue orders for arrests, examine
Witnesses ana state that offenders must
be tried by tho court. lie can settle
also minor civil matters. Above this
~ third court. called the uudiunrlu.
the judges ~ which pass upon the Grim.
mai cases crnilrd 20 them by the
Judges below. The highest court IN the
supreme court. which meets here ut
san Juan. This has six Judges. and II
finally settles nll ordinary cases. Alto.
rrthor, the courts cost Porto Rico $50.
900 Il year IN salaries alone They
should De- rcorganiEod on the plan Of our
American courts, as proposed by The
lusulnr commission. American. and not
Spanish laws should obtain In Porto
Rico.
THE GOVERNOR GENERAL AND
MS PALACES.
But let me tell you Homothing Of our
government here aH Il now exists. We
are using these Porto Hicnn officials
but over them uro the soldiers sent
down by the war department. Gen.
George 10. Davis o. military goyernur ~
Porto Rico, A such hr has nutocratlc
power. He can really do morn than the
President himself uH FAR MS his lmms-
diato surroundings aro concerned, lie
has the army here to carry out his
commands and he can make an sorts OF
civil regulations. Gem, Henry, az IL
seemed 20 many. stretched the limit IN
this rvgnrd. lie tried 20 fix the prices
OF bread. issued an order regulating
marriages ana rode around like little
TIN god on wheels, lie has the prestige
Of being great soldier but Il il quoa-
tionable whether he succeeded well as
a civil administrator.
The govcrnorship Of Porto Rico IL by
no means "a bad place 10 have, san
plehsantcHt homes In Uncle Sans
dominion, The military governor has
the palace which was formerly occu-
pied by tho captain generals during
the Spanish regime, The palace D. u
building OF three stories. II Is. with
~ wings, about ~ large ~ the white
House, II has "a garden filled with beau
tlful flowers and It's windows command
magnificent Views OF the ocean and
hnrbor The house II very comfortably
furnished and ~ large parlors are wen
adapted To entertaining.
The governor general has also a
summer home, rent free. at RIO Pie
dras, This IN one OF the suburbs VI
| san Juan, The house WIS the property
| Of the spanish government and was oc-
| cupl-d by the captain general when h.
wished 10 get out OF the city II has
perhaps the finest garden In Porto
/ Rico. This contains many old trees
and a vast quantity OF rose bushes and
tropical flowers.