Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1906-08-10

siOner OWnby demonstrated, and all
raises we're reduced. Mr.. Link very
lnnoceutly says that it did not seem
just to the people OF his section, when
they came ia aud swore that they did
not have the cattle they were charged
with to sustain the raise, and disregard
their oathes. Mr.. Link says the only
thing he was ashamed OF was second
ing the motions made by Commits.
sioner Owuby to raise the returns OF
certain men from the southern part OF
the county. Mr.. Link is certainly in
nocent, too Innocent for his job, il he
will believe a t%axdodger under oath,
Que man returned 1900 head OF cat
tie, and objected TO a raise. He was
sworn, aud told that at one time he
had had more than 1000 head, but he
had sold some 1000 out OF his heard,
and only had 1000 left. He was pay
ing rent on the forest reserve for more
than he returned, but he was paying
that rent in order to keep other cat.
tlemen of his range, and away from
his patented water. Admitting he
was right in his claim that he had had
but 5000 cattle, and had sold 1900,
this would represent, at SIS per head
some S120, 900. 1t was asserted before
the board, and not denied, aud the
chairman of the board positively knew
whether some of the figures were
right, for he had made the sale, and
received the money, that he had
bought one brand and paid S14S, 600
for it, a second brand he had paid 1884,
900 for and had paid s35, 600 for a third
brand, and the pertinent question was
asked what had he got for his money,
If he only could account for 5000 head
OF cattle. Notwithstanding this show
ing Mr.. Link, on the strength OF this
mans oath, moved to reduced his as
sessment to the amount at which he
had returned it. When the motion
was made Chairman Cureton asked
Commissioner Ownby if he seconded
the motion, and Mr.. Ownby refused TO
do so, %whereupon the Chairman sec
onded the motion, and the reduction
was made. That evening Commits
sioDer Link told a friend that as 500
as he made the motion for reduction
he knew be had made a mistake, and
| wished he had never made it. Com.
missioner Link evidently had forgot
ton this conversation when he wrote
to the Enterprise saying that the only
thing he regretted was %seconding the
motions made by Commissioner Ownby
to sustain the raises made on two cat
tlemen from the southern part Of the
OF the county. The short memory OF
Commissioner Link is again illustrated
when he expresses his willingness to
believe a t%axdodger. He sat in the
commissioners room and listened to a
cattleman swear that he did not have
the number OF cattle that he had been
raised to, and believing him wanted
TO reduce the raise. Commissioner
Ownby offered the cattleman $l5 per
head for all the cattle on the range in
his brand, and offered to take them at
the number the commissioners had
raised it to, and then raised the offer
several hundred head, and put up a
forfeit that be would take the cattle
aud pay the cash within thirty days,
and the cattleman refused his offer.
Then Commissioner Link was sur
prised, and said he would not have be-
lieyed that such a thing could have
been, If he had not seen it, Undoub-
tedly Commissioner Link is too in
nocent aud credulOus to serve as COM
missioner, and serve the county as it
should be served. it is not probable
that he will have a chance to serve it
longer than this year, although every
taxdodger in the county will be work
ing for his RECONCILIATION and election.
Attorney James S. Fielder was in
the city Saturday, looking after the
testimony 10 the case against Jas,
Barber, charged with the attempted
murder of N. d. Wood, by poisoning
him. The district attorney is sup.
posed to look such cases, but IN this
instance he refused to come owe to
Lordsburg, and look up the facts in
the case. The people interested in
the prosecution OF 1t were not posted
in law, and not acquainted with the
value OF evidence. Recognizing this
fact, and knowing the Importance OF
all relevant evidence in a case where
the evidence is clrcumstantial, they
engaged Mr.. Fielder to help out the
district attorney. This is not the first
case in Grant county where the peo-
pie interested in the prosecution OF
the case found it advisable to hire
good lawyers to help the public pro-
secutor. 1t was done 10 the Chenowth
case, aud the result was a conviction.
II district attornies we're elected, in
stead OF appointed, they probably
would, no matter how lazy they ma
turally are, pay some attention to I'M
portant cases, even II it involved a