Arizona republican., 1906-08-09

erson had been to Silver Bell, as an officer before being transferred to Glla Bend and of his splendid work at Gils. Bend in greatly reducing the number of hobos It tells in detail of the reign of terror at Gila Bend before Eperson was stationed there. They all testify to his courage and worth as an officer and also to his truth and veracity.
 The statement made by Ranger Ep- erson relates his first meeting with Mitchell He had made inquiry of him as to his business in town and when told that he had none the officer told him he would have to leave. This was all that transpired until the following day when he was seen in town again. The officer repeated his order to hin, to leave town or he would be arrested and locked up. This it was finally necessary to do. After he had placed the boy in jail he gave him water to drink and his dinner After being ieft in jail for about four hours he was turned loose. Mitchell promising that he would leave town. He was released and several hours after this he was still in town. Eperson approached him and asked why he had not kept his word and left the place, when the boy replied to him that he would not sO and no one could make him. He also called the officer vile names. At this time Eperson slapped him twice with his open hand.
 Ranger Kidder's statement bore out that part of Ranger Eperson's state ment of which he had personal knowl- edge. He was not present when the boy was slapped Another statement Signed by three men says they saw Mitchell an hour after he had been re leased from jail and at that time l.e showed no marks of violence. Lieu tenant Wheeler's report follows:
 August 8, 1905. Hon. Joseph H. Kibbey, Governor of
 Arizona. Phoenix, Arizona:
 Sir: I respectfully report that as soon as possible after receiving your telegram of August I immediately started for Gila Bend and arrived there August 3. late at night. I saw most of the citizens of Gila Bend, also Ranger Eperson. all of whom I ques- tioned concerning the alleged brutal conduct of Ranger Eperson on or about the 2d of this month, toward one James Mitchell.
 From the verbal statements of the citizens as well as their testimony | was unable to substantiate in any par ticular Mitchelrs story; except that Ranger Eperson did with his OF hand slap MitchelFs face twice, this when Mitchell was not a prisoner but being free did abuse the Ranger by calling him a while Rang CT Eperson was trying to carry out the order of the justice, MT. COyle.
 The man Mitchell was given food and drink while confined. No shots were fired by any one. The arrest took place in town, not one mile out side. He did beg instead of pay for all he received. These statements are all contrary to MitcheITs story and prove him to be in some particulars guilty of falsehoOd.
 I was given to understand that it was very probable that Mitchell had received another chastisement after leaving Gila Bend by railway men. I have been unable to prove this, how ever. I enclose you written state ments of nearly forty of the citizens of Gila Bend It is my belief that Eper- son is innocent of the brutal treatment alleged. No deputy sheriff was pres ent as Mitchell claimed I base my belief on Ranger Eperson' 's-fOrmer rec ord, on the testimony of so many citi- zens who so intimately know Epers0n, on the manifest falsehood of the most of MitchelIs statements and on the further fact that after four days of un- ceasing investigation not one party was found to corToborate the story of Mitchell Very respectfully,
 HARRY c. WHEELER.
 Lieutenant Rangers.
 After making his report to Governor Kibbey Lieutenant Wheeler looked up the Mitchell boy and took him out tc the capitol building. There he was shown the report made by Wheeler and asked if he had anything further to say. The boy still maintained that he had told the truth. It was at this