The Florence tribune., 1900-01-13


 rant was originally issued for this sum It was raised to $l6, $6 of which was remitted to the claimant and the bal ance pocketed by Hughes. The man who both before and after this was president of the upper branch of the Arizona legislature, was ready to raise a warrant in order to steal SIG.
 FALsIFIED THE RECORDS.
 This practice of raising warrants and of falsifying the records under his charge has been habitual.y followed by Hughes whenever opportunity offered, as is shown by warrant No. 365, January IA, 1896, for $5990 (sub- stitution and duplication); warrant No. APO, January, 1896, for $127.75 (sub stitution of falsifcation of the records) <; warrant No. l85, Septembe 6, 1896, for $56.90 Substituted warrant) and others too numerous to mention.
 EMBEzZLED FROM INDIVIDUALS.
 When demands in favor of persons not living in Tucson were allowed and warrants issued thereon, whenever it was possible to do so, Hughes took the warrants, indorsed the payee's name, collected the amount and appropriated it. This was done in a number of in- stances, particulars of which appear in the records.
 EMBEZZLED INCIDENTAL SAFE EXPENSE
 FUND.
 From this fund be embedded from January l, 1893, to October 14, 1897, the sum of $l ,92l .S5.
 ALSO FROM INCIDENTAL SAFE AND ROAD
 FUND.
 From funds in his possession belong ing to this fund Hughes took and felon- ously appropriated from time to time the sum of S49l. 65
 ALSO FROM SALES OF DELINQUENT PROP
 ERT1.
 Since January l, 1893; Hughes mis- appropriated the sum of $1 ,475.2l of monies received by him from sales of property by the board os supervisors on account of delinquent taxes.
 DEFRAUDED THE BANKS.
 At the time of his apprehension Hughes had sold his pay account to both the Arizona National bank and the Consolidated National bank of Tucson. These demands, indorsed to the purchasers, were filed in the office of the board of supervisors under his charge. He destroyed these demands and made out another demand, which he himself collected and thus defraud- ed the banks out of the amounts which they had advanced.
 There are still nine indictments against Hughes, in addition to the one under which he pleaded guilty. When his crimes were discovered he fled from justice and the county paid the sum of $48985 for expenses incurred in his capture.
 TRIED TO BURN THE COURT HOUSE AND
 JAIL.
 One night just before Hughes em- bezzlements were discovered the Pima county court house was found to be on fire. The judge wko happened to be in his chambers, discovered the fire, and most fortunately the court house was not destroyed. If it had gone, it is likely that all the inmates, of the jail would have been burned alive. The facts show, as is generally believed by all those who investigated the matter, that the fire was set by Hughes in order to burn the records and thus destroy the proofs of his embezzle- ments. To shield himself from the consequences of his wrong doing, he did not hesitate to attempt to destroy tue counoy PloP9It ty3 uhU tO eHudnS CT the lives of more than a score of human beings.
 1 HIS PREVIOUS STANDING.
 The petitions contain the statement that prior to the embezzlement of the Pioneers money, Hughes was of ''good standing" He had, however, so fla grantly neglected the duties of his office as to be officially censured by com mittee of the grand jury. The report of the committee, filed September 26, 1896, is as follows: