Cochise review., 1901-01-05
FRED HUGHES CHRISTMAS GIFT.
He leaves the Penitentiary On
 Parole.

The most valuable and most highly appreciated gift presented to any man in Arizona was received by Fred Hughes, a resident of the territorial penitentiary for the last two years and a half.
 The parole was signed by Governor Murphy before he took his departure for the East, with the direction that it be sent to the penitentiary so .that it would arrive there the day before Christmas.
 It has been issued on petition, with list of names attached constituting almost city directory of Tucson, census of Pima and Santa Cruz coun- ties with an addendum embracing the names of perhaps a large majority of the men in the territory prominent in public life.
 The petition contained the represen- tation in the first place, that Hughes was of advanced age, about 6S; that his health was broken and that a large family, consisting of wife and dozen children was dependent upon him for support. This petition was reinforced by the fact that the prisoner had been model one, and that from the begin ming he had realized the depth of his fall and been truly penitent Still fur ther back was the sentimental fact that he was one of the pioneers of Arizona, not one of those who came here in an early day, acquired holdings of worth | less sagebrush and almost equally worthless so-called town property, which they watched grow into value mainly through the enterprise of their neighbors. Fred Hughes had fought Indians, had taken long and dangerous | journeys, not for himself, but for Ari- zona. He had, in several legislatures, assisted in making the laws of the terri tory, and within year preceding his conviction of embeZzlement, had occu- pied the highest position in the legis- lative department of Arizona-presi- dent of the territorial council.
 The crime of which he was convicted was the embeZzlement of the funds of the Pioneer or Historical society, for which special appropriation had been made by that same legislature. He was made president of the society, for no one, by reason of priority of resi- dence or ability, was more qualified.
 He was at the same time, and had been for years, the clerk of the Board of Supervisors of Pima county. He is ac- cuscd and even indicted for misappro- priation of county funds, but it is not likely that be will be prosecuted under these indictments, for since his incar- ceration these crimes have been swal- lowed up in the memory of Hughes usefulness.
 Hughes downfall was gambling. He hand been an inveterate reckless gam bier for many years, but only until within year or two before his trouble had he ever risked any money but his own.
 The parole does not cut off much of the original sentence, for deducting from it the time allowed for good be- havior, he would not have had much longer to serve.
 The Governor also caused parole to be issued to John Shoot, sent from Co conino county for manslaughter. He had killed a man under circumstances which were more or less mitigating. The petition for Shoots parole was signed by almost every body of influence in the county. It was further repre- sented that Shoot was of good family and had hitherto led blameless life.
 Ramon Orosco, under sentence from Cochise county; for burglary in the se- cond degree, was pardoned by Acting GovernorAkers. Republican,