Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-04-02
GRAND JURY REPORT
Violators Of the Sunday and Liquor
Laws Will Be Vigorously
Prosecuted.
The OFFICES IN GOOD SHAPE
No Grave Grimes Were Committed In the
County During the Past Six Months
III Indictments Returned for
Lesser Grimes.

Lesser Grimes.
To the Hon. John r. McFie, associate
Justice of the supreme court of the ter
ritory of New Mexico, and judge of said
district court:
The grand jury of the territory of
New Mexico, in and for the county of
Santa Fe, duly impaneled and organized
at the March term, 1900, of the said dis
trlct court, presided over by your honor,
respectfully beg leave to make this their
final report of their doings as such
grand jury.
We have spent four weeks in con-
slant labor, pursuing the instructions
of your honor, and investigating viola
tions of the criminal code of the terri
tory of New Mexico in our said county.
No crimes Of the graver class have been
committed in our county, and no cause
of murder has arisen among our people
in the last six months. We attribute
this to the excellent and efficient ad-
ministration Of our affairs by the court
and the various officials thereof. We
have, however, found many violations
of the lesser offenses, and of these we
have returned into your honor's court
ITS indictments. We have investigated
which we have deemed it improper to
present true bills to the court In all we
have examined 2S5 witnesses.
Most conspicuous among the viola
tions of the law is the crime of selling
liquors and operating saloons on Sun
day. We have deemed it imperative to
institute vigorous prosecutions for this
offense, believing that the violation Of
this law Is the source of many more Sc
rious crimes, and that Sundays spent in
idleness and drink are the cause Of
many grave troubles. Next to this in
Importance is the misdemeanor of car
rying arms, which, apparently not
harmful In itself, leads so often to
crime. The determination of these evils
will, we believe, do more than anything
else toward perfect law and order.
Our subcommittee have examined in
to the various county offices and into
county affairs and institutions, AMI we
attach their original reports to our body
hereto. Messrs Maiias Sansoval, Car
los Barranca and Anastacio Martinez,
of our number have examined the office
of the county treasurer and collector,
and find that the books are well and
neatly kept, and everything intelligent
ly set forth in an admirable system of
bookkeeping, and that the collector and
his assistants are perfectly acquainted
with their duties and the technical
matters of their office. Messrs. Gregorio
Herrera, Alexandra Naranjo and Martin
Montoya, the committee to inquire into
the assessors office, report in detail on
the progress of the assessment now be-
ing made for the year 1900, and find that
the assessment rolls are being carefully
and Systematically made up. 1t Is spe-
cially urged that accurate descriptions
Of assessed property be included in all
the returns. In the office of the probate
clerk and ex-officio recorder our COM
mittee, consisting of Messrs. Facundo
Ortiz, Porfirio Olivas and Teodoro
Abeytia, commend the present manage
ment, but call attention to the fact that
the earlier records of the office are not
indexed, and that it is difficult to trace
old titles; and they believe it will be a
public benefit to have these old records
systematized and indexed in the same
excellent manner that the present rec
ords are kept. The county Jail has been
inspected by us, and particularly by
our foreman. Mr.. David Gonzales, and
we suggest that the interior walls of
the Jail yard should be plastered, in or
der to preserve and keep clean the
adobe walls; also that the floor of the
Jail yard should be covered with grav-
ell, so that the same may be cleaner and
more healthful.
We attach hereto printed statement
showing the finances Of the county for
the year ending December /. 1899, and
take pleasure in the fact thus Demon
strated that taxes are being more gen.
orally paid. and the various county
funds are in better condition than ever
before. We believe that it will be pos
sible, under the present efficient and
vigorous collection of taxes, to reduce
the levies for the present year. In gen.
eral, the affairs of the county are in ex-
cellent condition, the officers are atten.
tive to the public, and Jealous in their
duties, and economy prevails in all de-
partments.
We take this occasion to thank your
honor for your many courtesies during
the present term of the court; and also
to express our obligations to Mr.. A. M.
Bergere, clerk; Mr.. H. G. Kinsell sher-
iff, and District Attorney Gortner, for
their assistance to us in our labors.
Having completed our work, we present
ourselves before your honor, praying to
be finally discharged. Most respectfully,
THE GRAND JURY.
DAVID GONZALES, Foreman.