, 1900-12-27
PUNISH MURDERERS
ROUTT COUNTY AUTHORITIES
HAGGliNG OVER THE
EXPENSES.
prescribed Man Will CompIain-Depu-
ty District Attorney Blames the
Law and County Commissioners
for Inaction.

Hayden. Colo, Dec. 25.-The details
Of murders and ~high-handed work in
Routt county, published exclusively in
The Republican, are fast creating a
sentiment which will force the authori-
ties to take action. Just now the sher-
III, district attorney and county COM
mlssloners are in a tangle over the
question of authority to act in the mat
ter OF expenses for hunting down and
Furnishing the murderers of Rash and
Dart.
DICK Thompson. one of the proscrib-
ed Browns Park settlers, who is in
Craig and keeping closely at home, de-
clares he will make complaint and have
all suspected parties arrested, if pos
sible. The sheriff processes readiness
TO act If given warrants. and says he
will go outside the county if the work
requires it and the county commission
ers authorize him to incur the expense,
He claims that he can act only inside
the county OF warrants from justices
or the district court.
What Local Papers Say of the Matter.
The Craig Courier continues to de
mand the arrest and punishment of the
murderers and is bitterly sarcastic in
its references to the failure of the Off
GERS of the law to move in the matter.
The Steamboat Pilot says: Since
our article of two weeks ago regarding
matters in Browns Park, we have had
scores of Endorsements and common
dations. We have beer assured by
men living in that country hat our
statements are accepted as truth there.
The article contained nothing that was
new to men who live near the scene
of the tragedies.
"A reliable citizen states that five
days after the murder of Dart his as.
sassin was attacked ten miles from
the scene of the crime out of curiosi-
ty to see in which direction he was
headed.
The perpetrator of these cowardly
crimes must be hunted down and
brought to Justice, If it takes a whole
army to do it. And We stand by our
first proposition. that if the local Off
GERS are unable to cope with the mat
ter some other means or assistance
be furnished by the county commits
sioners to the end that lawlessness and
murder may be stamped out within the
borders Of Routt county"
The Routt County Sentinel quotes
statements from Deputy District At
torney Walbridge to the effect that the
officers cannot act until there is a COM
plant and a person suspected of crime
and that the sheriff cannot go outside
the county and spend money in hunt
ing criminals unless the commissions
ers authorize the expenditure.
Says Officers Ask information.
In the course of a lengthy letter to
the Denver Republican, Hon Joshua
Wallbridge, deputy district attorney
for Routt county, says:
When duly informed as to the
whereabouts and identity of the Grim
inal, and on complaint of any resident
of Browns Park and vicinity, or of any
citizen of Routt county, we will see to
it that arrests are promptly made,
without let or hindrance from any ir-
responsible parties whatsoever, wheth-
er they be newspapers or otherwise"
1t is true. nevertheless, hat the of.
flcers Of justice in this country are
practically handicapped by the county
commissioners, who have positively re-
fused by resolution to allow any fees
and expenses Of county and district of.
ficers in preparing the papers. making
the arrests and conducting the prelim.
mary examination before the commit
ting magistrate, and this resolution
covers the fees and expenses of the
Justice and witnesses also. so that If
any arrest Is made in Browns Park
by and through the precinct and coun-
ty and district officers, these costs and
expenses must be borne by the officers
themselves. Judge Wallbridge further
declares that this action of the COM
missioners is well known throughout
the country and Is the reason for the
talk Of organization Of a vigilance COM
mittee. He also urges a change in the