Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-10-09
The Gazette
Strikes q Stump.
Editor kinney and Reporter FIsndeTs Ar
rsIgned for Contempt Of court.

open books around him and waited for
Sheriff Barr 70 open court No sooner
had the sound Of the shera's voice died
away than he sprang 20 his feet and the
battle was on. He challenged the legal
ity Of the preiudiced jury and showed that
il was not properly drawn. Judge Wallis
saw way out OF the dilemma without
acknowledging that an illegal jury had
been sitting in the previous cases"
Court opened Wednesday morning
with jury OF twelve men in the box as
follows; w. ]. Crashby. NJ. a. Noble. r.
L. Gauger. P. w. Helms. W. NJ. Rudolph.
Sven Matson. H. S. Stutler. George W.
Eeton. J. T. Mundell. Fred Gilbert, D. w.
Doty and W. II. Davis BY agreement Of
| counsel the two cases against Frank G.
Thompson were consolidated and tried
together. In one Of these cases i was
charged that 3. T. Ergenbright. the Dutch
spy from Trinidad. bought half pin, Of
whisky from Thompson at il:55 o'clock
In the afternoon OF June z. In the other
case c. l. Cannon Is alleged TO have
paid for three drinks Of whisky a. the
time. At the beginning OF the trial the
same prejudice was apparent that has
existed from the first or the panel Of
twelve jurors four had been sitting on
previous iuries that brought in verdiess Of
conviction. The same witnesses were 70
testify and the same Kind OF testimony
was 10 be introduced. I. was al fareical
and formal. with nothing ahead Of the de-
fendant but conviction on the unsupported
testimony Of paid supporters"
"Ergenbhgh,. periurer and spos;er. en-
Dyed the reputation OF an honest man so
far as the county court was concerned.
That is. no did until Friday afternoon.
As q spyiand informer with an extremely
shady reputation he seemed TO stand ACC
/ high. His constant companions were
ministers Of tho gospel. He was prac-
1, tically running tho county court But all
that has changed and this is the story"
The case o! tho City Of Rocky Ford
against Oscar Shinneman was called Fri-
day morning. Shinnemsn. who Is en-
ployed by L. l. Rodecs. was charged with
selling liquor TO tho spoilers on June IL.
Thus far the spo:;ers have had smooth
sailing. AL other courts In tho. world
look with dstrust on tho testimony OF
paid spies except tho county court Of
otero county. Hero tho spo;tor Is given
tho fullest faith and eredi, for political
reasons. His testimony Is accepted as
the truth for political reasons. Ergen-
briget, whose ill-smelling reputation
should bar him from the company Of live
cattle. has been tho bright particular star
To guide tho reiormers 70 political posscr-
inent."
when the case agains. Shinnoman wal
called. w. 3. Goblin appeared for tho do
fendsn.. Tho two cases against Shinne'
man had been consolidated by an ordol
on the court. and TO this Lawyer 0obi'
objected. saying that his clients inssres
would DO injured unless tho cases wer
tried separately. The court overrule'
tho objection arbitrarily and an exception
was taken. Mr.. Goblin shen asked for
Jury Of twelve men as tho natural righ
! o. the defendant. and tho court override
. tho motion. Mr. Goblin then offered I
|. pay for the ether six jurymen and to thi
the court assenied."
Tho mos, peculiar spectacle Is no,
!. presented Of the defendant in an aetio
doing out to jury their pcrdiem pit
Z tancc. Such spectacle can be witnesse
nowhere else but in the great state {
Colorado. and possibly nowhere else bs
: in otero county"
!. when the ordinance under which th
s defendant was being tried was offered
o evidence. Lawyer Goblin attacked i
r legality. He showed that It was nj
Q regularly passed. From the minutes
v tho meetings Of the council It became ar
Q paran. that the ordinance had been hui
: ried through SO rapidly that it had nj
o been given the requisite time during I
r passage to make II legal. While the OF
d dinanee is apparently defective on I
4 face It was allowed to stand"