Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1906-11-17
DIDN'T KNOW U. S.
PROTECTS SETTLERS
People Surprised Conspiracy
indictments We're Returned
at Roswell.
Z. L. MEDLER REVIEWS CASES
Assistant United states Attorney
Also Bo0ms the PeCOs
Valley Country.


Ei Mrdlcr ufaleiaui United states
attorney. arrived here lasi uiHhi ff0m
Roswell whore hr has been prose
cutting certain conspiracy cafra he.
fore Unlied alnios judge w. "a Pops.
nf tho Filih fodoral district court ui
New Moaico. iio was assisted hy
Attorney u s. naiemau. ul Nusuoil
special counsel iu the cnntr Maiuf
W. a. o. licwcllyn United States a.
t0rnoy was In Roswell on court huai-
ness for a few days prior t0 The trial
of the conapimcay cases, bat took no
active part in the prosecution
sfr. Medlcr. who consented 90 on In.|
terFiew by q reporter for The Even.
inn Citizen. this morning. reviewed
iho recent trial ai Roswell and Chen
talked Interestingly of the growth and
development Of che pecus valley.
which. he declared. is destined io De-
come one OF she WcalthleHt sections
of Now Mexico land lt has good rca.
son 90 lay Just claim 90 ihut disilnc-
ton at thls time" be- snid. n secured
800 acres of land down there myself
and expect TO put Oh ON orchard nnon
g." Then Mr. Medlef took up the
conspisacay cases.
The Conspiracy Cases.
Indictments were rcturned Boz The
federal Grand Jury against George
Roberts and seven other defendants.
catilcmen. wh0 were charged with
running Waiter Greer ana John
Sample. two homosteadCrs uut of
the country, c0mpelllng them &c
ahanadon homes they had taken nap
ON the plhllc domain with tho ulti.
mate purpose of pcrioctlng their
homestead entries The maximum
penalty IS ten years in prison. or
$1,000 fne. or both Ia The discretion
Of the court.
THE trial al the eases. whicih have
been ON for two weeks. ended last
Tuesday when the jury brought ln a
verdict OF aot guilty after being 0ut
for nftccn hours The death 0f q.
Vi Bird clerk of the United States
court at Roswell. Interrupted the iripi
for threc days. and then there were
other necessary delays which strung
e out for q fortnight
"A peculiar circumstance in cnnncc.
ton withiho jugs verdict Is that one
OF the sccused. who desired iO turn
states evidence. Is missing and ON
J GERS Of the court are ecarchlnH for
him with a bench warrant
Evidently Didn't know a.
From the surprise aud excitement
which greeted the announcement that
the federal coun would take up the
matter Of driving those hOmcsieadcrs
on their claims, 4 was evident that
tho people down there dldn't know
they were violating any law of the
United Statos. That tncy could De-
charged with conspiracy iO deprlve
a citizen of the United SiBtos from
exercising his rights under federal
laws 90 pcacoahiy settle and reside on
part of the public DONATE was %
new and novel proposition tO the neo-
pie in that section OF the country no
doubt" smiliugly assorted Mr. Med.
Ter.
Diupute over Wner Rights.
Evidence in che case dcvci0ped
that Greer ana Sample had gono Into
I the Guadalupe mountains with a
bunch OF cattle TO reside. Some time
/ after "a dispute arose between Roberts
and Greer over settling riEhs uopn
a certain water hole close by.
After the disputes Roberts called "a
meeting at a number OF citizens in the
community. Thirteen OF them thon
went % Grcor's house. and not ind
Ing him an. eleven of the men inter
cepted aim on hia way home Some
/ words passed between Greer end the
/ men and the homoatoader was struck
over the head with q Winchester rihe
and knocked unconscious for several
hours.
Upon regalning bis senses be was
told 20 leave the country, and one Of
the men, q deputy sheriff. By The way.
assisted him down the rough mountain
/ trail 40 hIa home. That nighi he
departed ana removed bis family ar
! orward
Greer presented the case to the
/ territorial grand jury uud was a.
| formed by that body that g could DO
nothing He was advised 20 take
the matter up with She federal au'
thorlties, which no dld
White Cap Notioes Posted.
THE dofcnso brought out that there
had been some white cap notices ieh
ON che door 0f Roberts home prior to
| tho time OF th1 assault. and that me
/ iHNHhINH on NNHNNNH was NHHNA ANA NA-
purpose OF discussing the notices and
I lho committee was chosen 90 wait
! upon Green 90 see what De- knew
about them
"lt was patent shat neither Greer
not Sample had bcoa mylicd to Tie
meeting in che hHt Instance ln
fact. Sample accidentally happened by
tho mcotlug place ana was advised By
"a number of those in attendance that
hu had better excuse himself aH hl
was not reliable party To- take part
in thn proceedings.
"Il took the jury nfioon hours to
decide npon q verdict Il was dunne
the trial az the case that The proeocu
ton nolic pressed the case against
one Of the defendants, who said pa
desired % turn states evidence. ht
was sworn ns a witness. but whom
called upon To testify no was missing
A bench warrant was issued % hrlng
him inio court for contempt bat ht
has not YET been approhended
"Tho case aroused general Interest
over Chaqos and faiy counties ane
che PROCEEDINGS of thn trlai woti
watched closely bfom che excite.
ment aroused dOWp there 3 think 4
d safe 90 assume that there VIII "a
no moro h0moRleaders or other clti
, | ltna run Out Of thD country in thai