Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-07-23
Not CleanSed Of the WiCkedneSs
Of the Old One.
TIE IDENTITY OF PEARCE
Some Information From Graham
County Concerning the Opera
fionS of the SpenaZums, Copy
of It's Tax Returns and an Of
fiCiaI Opinion Regarding lis
Character.

A few days ago there appeared in
| the Prescott Courier long communi-
cation from one S. L. Pearce, an ap-
parentIy disinterested, but righteous
ly indignant citizen of Graham county.
assailing The Republican for its ex-
pose of the Spenazuma fraud.
Mr.. Pearce was impelled to take up
the cudge1 in defense of one of his
county's most important enterprises.
He admitted that the Spenazuma
started out on a fake career, but had
been side-tracked and was started
again as a legitimate mining enter
prise. flooding the Upper Gila with
/ wealth. 1t was gathered from Mr..
Pearce's impassioned outburst that
all Graham county was disturbed by
the clangor of the Spenazuma's ex-
pensive machinery and the incoming
trains were laden with more to still
further increase the industrial tur-
mcil in that rural and peaceful COM
munity
1t was not known here precisely who
this indignant citizen, Mr.. Pearce, was
until yesterday afternoon, when Gov
ernor Murphy received a commuuica-
tion from District Attorney Wiley E.
Jones of Graham. Mr.. Jones has a
way of making his meaning clear, and
his style may be described as direct
He says in the first place:
-'Solomonville, Ariz,, July IA
"HOn. Oakes Murphy, Phoenix.
Ariz., Dear Sir: 1 note what is said
by our territorial papers about certain
so-called mining enterprises in Ari-
zona and the comments upon your ac-
tion touching the same The matter
should be treated entirely from a non
partisan and non-politicaI standpoint
and shall so act in dealing with the
scoundrelly promoters in Graham
county. The Spenazuma outfit is
miserable damnable fake and ought to
be vigorously prosecuted, but as 1
know of no one defrauded in this
county, l presume the venue would
properly lie in New York 1t was a
conspiracy to defraud and the fraud
embraced acts both in Graham county
and in New York. / can furnish the
evidence to prove that the mines and
ore dumps were 'salted,' and can fur
ther prove that no dividend bona fide
could have been declared. Not one
single ounce of metal has ever been
produced from any ores at Spenazuma,
unless it was from the assayer's cups
This we know. Any so-caMed 'divi-
dend' is the highest evidence of fraud.
and l will cheerfully cooperate with
any eastern officials where these
frauds were successfully carried out.
''Our citizens are a unit in de-
nounoing the Spenazuma outfit as
deliberate fraud and swindle The
braZen scheme, plot ma6auver and
conduct of its promoters stamp it as
one of the worst of its kind. l know
that it's existence is and has been a
serious injury to Graham county, and
considerations of official duty alone
have urged me to write to you. hoping
that the rascals may be brought to JUS :
tice for the good of the community.
L enclose an exact copy of the re-
turn of the company's property to the
assessor for the present year showing
that furniture and household goods
form the bulk of their worldly posses
sions. No mill. teacher or smelter is
listed, but a few items are listed un-
der the head Of work horses work
IuuleS, DldChSullu, sur
gical and dental TOOLS Their entire
possessions amount to but 1880 as
returned by them, all movable per-
sonal property.
Very truly yours,
WILEY E. JONES,
District Attorney Graham County.
Arizona"
Then follows the return" signed
by IS. L. Pearce, Counsel for Spena-
yuma Gold Mining and Smelling Com
pany." There is a great deal of blank
space in the return The items
which go to make up a great mining
plant whose hum disturbs the valley
from Geronimo to Bowie, are: One
mule. valued at $50; two work horses,
$50; furniture and household goods.
s6S5.13; tents. 500; assay Office and
iurn:5ure, $3.50; blacksmith, carpenter,
surgical and dental tools, 500;
and what IS almost essential
o successful mining operations,
mining appliances, $3.50. 1t was
-hought that there Vas a mistake
by Mr.. Pearce in the figures of the last
tenn; that they were $150,OO0, or GER
ainIy SIS, 900, but all the other valua-
ions having been added and their sum
ubtracted from the grand total, 81 $50,
here remained only $50. There re-
NAMED beside this paltry sum the dis
urbing conclusion that Mr.. Pearce is
ither hiding some of his machinery
rom the assessor and tax collector of
Iraham county. or else he has been
wing to his sympathetic ifTiend, the
oT1rfcr