Arizona republican., 1908-08-12
SPITE WORK
 SAYS MIR. RUIZ
Speaking of the Charges
 Against Him
The Printed Story of the Affair Denounced as Ma liciOus and Untrue.

Hon. Alfred Ruiz of Apache county arrived in the city yesterday morning on business before the territorial
 board of equalization. MT. Ruiz was last night somewhat surprised to
 read in an evening paper what was
 eVidentally a malicious assault upon
 him: but he had read in the Journal
 Miner of Prescott, which came yes
 terdav. an amplification or the story
 The matter in the evening paper pur-
 ported to be a special dispatch from Prescott, saying that he had been charged with embeZZlement from the school fund of Apache county of an amount Hess than one thousand dol lars; that he had also been charged with perjury and had been held to the grand jury on four counts. It was further stated that the charges against MT Ruiz had been made after the re- turn of District Attorney Isaac Earth from the territorial convention at Prescott.
 Speaking of the matter last night. Mir. Ruiz was naturally very indignant and he felt that it was due to his friends all over the territory that all the circumstances in connection with this matter should be related. He said that it was absolutely false that he had been charged with an embezzle- ment of the school funds; that there was no shortage in the funds; and, that less than a month ago Public EX- aminer Foster visited St. Johns and found that the school fund balanced to a cent with the treasurer's account. MT. Foster is now in the city and will verify that statement.
 Said Mir. Ruiz The so-called em4 bezzlement runs back to 19O5-G, when was ex-officio deputy clerk of the board of supervisors and received from school land leases $567, which was turned into the territorial treasurer. as the books will show for those two years. instead of the amount of S249, as is stated in one of the stories.
 -"It turned out that there was a shortage of $56, (that is less than one thousand dollars), of which I was not aware until was informed by Earth. after he had filed the charge against me. I immediately checked up the account and found fhe shortage. and since my arrival in town I have paid that amount to Treasurer Kirkland. I waived examination that the mat ter might go to the grand jury where it will be thoroughly threshed out.
 "The statement as to perjury charges is absolutely false The whole matter emanates from the personal and politi- cal prejudices of Ike Earth, who is son of Sol Earth, and whom I believe to be demented. I base that belief on statements made by Earth on the streets of St. Johns, that in case of the election of Bryan, he Earth, would be the next governor of Arizona. That suggestion Is so entirely prepos- terous that I think I am warranted in believing that any man who would make it is crazy.
 'I have lived in the territory for % years and no charge has ever been made against me until now. l believe it was done in this instance for the purpose of discrediting me and for the venting of Barths personal spite against me. The people of Apache county are thoroughly disgusted with Earth; with his use of his office for the venting of his spite and spleen against citizens, that he will never be permitted to occupy it again
 The Journal-Miner contains one charge not mentioned in the Prescott dispatch; that of MT. Ruiz having re- ceived $250 from the board of super visors for work which he ought to have performed eighteen months ago. With regard to that, Mir. Ruiz said that for that $25O he has done work to the amount of S400; he has re-indeXed all of the deeds. much of the minutes of the board and was ready to continue the work which was suspended for want of indexes which the board promised to furnish, but which have not yet been furnished. The animus of Earth said MT. Ruiz was clear to all who know him and his methods.