Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-06-20

Quay C~Ounty's Jurors Deal ABB,
With Conditions and Com.
/ mend The Chief Justice
Territory of New Mexico. County o
Quay:
In the District Court, Fourth Judi
cial district
To the Honorable William ]. Mills
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Of the Territory of New Mexico,
and Judge of the Fourth Judicial
District Court thereof, sitting in
and for Quay county:
sir-We the grand jury empanneI.
led at the above entitled court at the
June terms 1904. being the first grand
jury empannelle1 In the limits of Quay
county, beg leave TO submit the fol.
lowing report:
We have been til session for a ners
iod Of FIVE days, and have examined
a large number of witnesses in var.
ious cases. The cases brought be-
fore us for Investigation have8been
noteworthy for their character rather
than their number. We have return
ed nine indictments for murder. and
the investigation Of these caess has
taken up the greater part of our time.
We desire to report that nearly all
of these murders occurred prior TO, or
just at the. time Of the organization
of Quay county, when affairs were in
a chaotic condition, and the population
Of the community was largely Of no.
madic character. and there were real
~ no officers by whom the law could
properly be enforced, Since then,
have changed, and there has
been a corresponding decrease in ser
ious crimes.
The other cases investigated by
us, consist for the most part of lar
cenies of live stock. Wa have thor
oughly looked into all such cases re-
ported to us and have indictments in
all of them in which we thought the
evidence was sufficient.
A committee Of our body consisting
of Messrs. J.. E. Curran, c.. H.. Rankin
and A. B. Dauber visited the Offices OF
the various county officials, but made
no attempt at al extensive examina-
ton Of the county books and records,
or into the county finances. (irst1 be
cause Of the extremely limited time at
our disposal, and secondly. out of the
belief that the Territorial travelling
auditor, who is charged by law with
investigation into such matters, is bet.
Ter qualified than we for this purpose,
and that such duty rests upon him
than upon us.
&&H5W MNE#Y
We, however, found nothing to crit.
icize in the condition of the Offices.
The books appear to be well kept and
far as we are able TO judge, the
affairs OF the county are being well
and honestly conducted.
A number Of our body visited the
court house and jail now in course OF
construction, and have seen the plans
for the same. We believe that II
the plans are carried out the county
Will have, at a very reasonable cost,
d court house and jail of which any
in the Territory may well be
proud. The completion Of the jail,
thus allowing the prisoners to be con-
fined within the county. will result in
very considerable saving to the
county in expense Of maintenance
ind transportation
WeA desire to thank Your Honor
or holding this term or court, even
.hoagh the finances Of our county
not permitted the empaneling OF
|. petit jury, for we believe that If q
Of the fact that crime VIII
meet its punishment, and that the
of justice move with regularity
e inculcatcd into the minds Of offend.
RS Of the law, that this knowledge In
tself will act as a deterrant upon
hem.
This being probably the last time
hen Your Honor will preside at 4
ern or court IN mis- county. we think
is not amiss that for ourselves. and
oicing the sentiment OF alla good cit.
sens OF this county, we assure you
/ the high esteem in which Your
Ionor Is held, as a Judge and as q
and Of our Egret that the re.
istrictlng Of the Territory for judi.
Iai pirposeg which places our county