Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-04-22
First Court in
Leonard Wood Go

vi iuGEulHtIih
wood county, 1T The April term. 1904,
respectfully submit % The court the
following report:
W. have been In session for the.
period OF ten days, with frequent night
sessions, and during that period we
have examined a large number Of wit
~nesses from aIl parts OF the county.
1t has been impossible for us to in.
yestigate or even summon witnesses
In all Of the cases which have been
called To our attention on account Of
the limited time at our disposal. There
has been no session Of the grand Jury
In this Jurisdiction since the month
of October, 1901, and a large number
of crimes and offenses of every sort
have been committed within the coun-
ty since that date, and WI found our
selves at the commencement OF our
session confronted with an immense
amount OF work. In many Of the cases
brought to our attention, the accused
persons themselves, and In other cas-
es. the prosecuting Witnesses, mad
left the territory, and for that rea.
son We did not investigate all such
cases. We have chosen from the
large number of offenses brought be
fore us, those which we considered
more serious, and in which we believe
convictions could be secured and have
thoroughly investigated them. We be
lieve that with more time at our dis
posal We would have found a much
larger number OF indictments. We
have, as a result of our labors return
ed t~hirty.two indictments. In fifty
cases investigated by is we did not
deem the evidence sufficient to justify
the returning OF an indictment, and
have therefore returned no true bill
A committee OF our board, consist
ing OF Don. Pablo Aragon, BENJAMIN
Romero and julius Noise, made q
cnrsory examination of the books OF
the county. and they have reported
70 us that so far as they are able to
Judge the books OF the county are in
good order and the money Of the coun.
" all In the county treasury. We
have no criticism to pass upon any
Of the officials OF the county who are
not hereinafter specifically referred
to.
The committee also visited the
countyjaif at Puerto de Luna, and re-
port to us that they find the jail in
fair condition as TO cleanliness, and
that the persons therein confined un-
iformly state that they are well treat
cd and given as good food as the mar
kets Of that community afford. They,
however. report to MS that the jail,
from the viewpoint Of security, Is al
together an unfit place In which to
conflne desperate men. A large num-
Der Of the cells are without locks, and
the bars OF some OF the cells have been
broken and twisted In many places.
There is also an insufficient number
Of leg.irons and handouts, and the
Jail is very poorly provided with such
articles as are necessary for the con
finement and safety OF criminals. We
believe 1t Is the duty Of the county
commissioners to furnish such articles
to the sheriff and we recommend to
the board Of county commissioners
OF this county such articles OF this
character IS he may show to them
he Is In need Of.
A very large number Of prisoners
have escaped from this Jail during the
last four years. We do not think that
these escapes have been In all In
stances due to the condition Of the
jail, but have reason to suspect that
many of the escapes were the result
of culpable negligence on the part OF
the c~ustodians OF the Jail and those
having the prisoners directly in their
charge. We do not include the pres
ent jailer Of this county in the cen.
sure above made by us, as 10 prison
ers have escaped since he took charge.
On account Of the press OF business
we were unable to thoroughly investi-
gate into the escapes Of these various
prisoners, and car therefore make no
definite report In the matter.
We wish also 10 especially call the
attention Of the court and of the
board OF county commissioners OF this
county TO the failure Of the various
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