Mexico weekly ledger., 1907-08-08
A LITTLE MEXICO HISTORY
CLEANED FROM THE FIRST
PUBLISHED LAWS OF THE
CITY OF MEXICO -DR.
R. W. s0uRN OWNS
THEM.
Tells How the Slaves Were to be
Punished Should They be Caught
Drunk Only One Member Of
Town Board at That
Time Now Alive.

Iue GEDdEH IL iuucoucu w Di' Ae'
w. Bourn for the use Of the first city
document ever printed in Mexico,
which is q small fracture OF
"Ordinances OF the Town Of Mexico,
passed by the Board of Trustees, and
published by the authority Of the
Law" This was printed at the Mex
ico Ledger Printing Office in 1856, one
year after the Ledger was establish
ed. at that time 1t was probably the
largest job of printing that the new
paper had ever done.
The BOARD of Trustees" which
was the entire city government, was
composed Of R. w. Bourn, Chairman,
jacob Coons, S. A. Craddock, A. Cau-
thorn, John 81. Slaughter, Stephen
Scott and M. Y. Duncan. These men
we're representative citizens OF the
eTown Of Mexico" and their sons and
grandsons are representative citizens
Of the present city.
DR.. r. W. Bourn, who was chair
man OF the first Board Of Trustees, is
living in Mexico today and has an
office In the Glandon building on the
corner Of Jefferson and Promenade
streets. He is the only living mem
ber of the Board and the Ledger Is
Indebted to him for the facts about
the other members, which follow;
Mr.. Jacob Coons was q minister OF
the Christian Church and the hfst
minister Of that denomination here.
He was an uncle Of Mr.. Joe Coons OF
Monroe street. He came from Gala
way county.
Mr.. Samuel A. Craddock was q law
yer and practiced in all the courts Of
North Central Missouri. He was a
father Of W. L. Craddock, Of this city,
and most prominent attorney.
Mr.. Alfred Oauthorn was merch
ant here for many years and probably
lone of the first In the "Town Of Mex
Iico." He was the father Of Mr.. Ber
Cauthorn, who is also dead, and th'
grandfather of Mr.. Ross Cauthorn, o
the firm of Ferris s. Cauthorn. He ha
la great many defendants in ant
Iaround Mexico.
| Mr.. stephen Scott was the hrs
Presbyterian minister who preache'
there. He came to Mexico from Cal
laway county. He has many relative
in Galloway county, but the Ledge
knows Of none In Mexico.
Mr.John H. Slaughter was a mern
ant and proprietor of hotel. Thi
hotel was a frame building and stoo
on the east side Of North Jefferso
lstreet, where Frank Coatsworth'
lumber yard now stands. This wa
the first hotel building In this part {
the state.
Mr.. NJ. Y. Duncan was lawyer an
died only recently. He was we
known to everybody in Mexico. Il
was the father Of Mr.. Thurston
Duncan of the Real Estate firm
Duncan g Myers.
The document, itself, which thes
men put in form is very thorough ar
covers almost every case that migi
have arisen then. The subject
taxation, which is always the first
Importance in the minds Of American
is treated exhaustively.
Cases of misdemeanor are given ar
punishments prescribed. One ordi
ance says that "if any slave shall g
drunk be shall receive ten stripes {
the back, bare to be well laid on
the constable" This is q sample
the punishments and some Of the
are more severe.
This old pamphlet IS probably Il
only record OF the first ordinanc
passed by any board, representative
the citizens of Mexico. With its pu
ishments for misdemeanors and duti
for each officer II makes very int
estipg reading, though it does n
differ materially from the ordinanc
: as they now are.