Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-09-17
GRAND JURY REPORT
Law and Order Reign in Santa Fe
County at the Present
Time.
GOOD COUNTY OFFICIALS
Only -Four Indictments Were Returned by
the Territorial Grand Jury-Oity and
School Authorities Must Observe
the Bateman Law.

The territorial grand jury for the dis
trict court of Santa Fe county, which
was discharged last week, failed to find
a true bill in one case that was brought
before it, because of lack of evidence.
True bills were found in the other four
cases brought to the grand jury's at
tention. Only one of those cases is for
d serious crime, which is an indicati
OF the peace and good order within tn,e
county. The report of the grand jury
says further: Besides these cases we
have of our own motion gone into a
few matters, but after careful consid-
GRAFTON have found no true bills. One
OF these matters which we desire to
mention especially is the failure of the
city authorities and of the board of ed
ucauon<to operate under the Bateman
law of 1897. In the board of education
we find that no attention whatever Is
paid to the sections of the law requiring
the quarterly prorating of moneys for
the payment of accounts: but the board
pays it's bills whenever and however it
chooses, apparently not knowing that it
Is violating the plain terms Of the stat
ute The same situation has existed for
the past year in the city council and
in this corporation where the tax in
come is insufficient to pay 100 per cent
of the current expenses, the failure to
ooVS lilc DducilldH ldW III pTOrdllnS
among the creditors has resulted in dis
elimination and favoritism. Some have
been paid and others not. Again, the
city authorities have apparently con-
Structed for themselves a new financial
year, commencing on April 10 and end
ing the succeeding April 10, in spite of
the plain provision of the statute that
the fiscal or current year for cities shall
be from January / to December 81. This
error has changed the ends of the fiscal
quarters of the year and caused great
confusion among the creditors and Off
GERS of the city. We have called in va
rious of the city officers before us anC
instructed them about these matters
and 1t is our expectation that the terms
Of the law will be strictly followed
henceforth. Should they not, we most
strongly recommend to the next grand
jury Of this county vigorous action and
prosecution of all violations of the
law"
The subcommittee on collector and
county treasurer reported: I'VE have
examined the books of the collector and
treasurer and find they are well kept,
and the right man in the right place.
Total amount of taxes assessed for the
year Is 81, 1894. We find there is lit
tie over 65 per cent collected, which Is
better than ever before. All gaming Ii
cellSeS IN city anu county are pdlQ up 10
date" The report Of the collector and
treasurer showed that during 1899 he
collected 500, ,532.S3 Of 1898 and 1899
taxes. OF that amount $11,375.49 was Of
1898 taxes for territorial purposes; $12
247.14 of 1899 taxes for territorial pur-
poses; 81, ,426.05 Of 1898 taxes for county
purposes; 20,992.05 of 1899 taxes for
county purposes; $242.47 of 1898 taxes
for Cerrillos; $173.09 of 1899 taxes for
Cerrillos; $7,S01.41 of 1898 taxes for city
purposes, and $5,27513 of 1899 taxes for
city purposes. The subcommittee also
reported: 1--WE examined the office of
the county assessor. His books are
neatly kept and clean, and our taxpay-
ers did not make a mistake when they
elected Telesforo Ribera as assessor. AS
to city affairs, they are in a bad fix,
and as your honorable body are inves-
tigating them we beg to be excused"
The subcommittee consisted of Leo
Hersch, ]. D. Hart and BeneditO Ma
ranjo. The committee on the county
clerks office found the books kept neat
ly and correctly.
The grand jury says of the county
Jail: I'VE find that the sheriff keeps it
in good, healthy condition clean beds
and good board, and trusty guards, but
we find that there ought to be pipe
sewer in the yard. Also, the outer walls
must be replastered."