Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-03-13
STRONGLY CONDEMNS HIS Lam.
ouAoE IN REGARD TO COURT
IN MESA COUNTY.
RESOLUTIONS PASSED
COURSE OF JUDGE sHAcKgLEoRo
AND SHERIFF SHRAoER
FULLY APPROVED.

truuu JunCtluH, soio ~ ~ hp''as
meeting OF the Mesa County Bar Asho-
ciaiion Saturday afternoon III. rriii
cIsm by Governor pnchiel OF III. Dis
,ric, Court officials In the Force cas-"
was denounced In the following feso'
iutions:
I'VE consider the criticism by tho
governor unwarrantcd and unjust I'M
der the laws and facts of ih. case.
Upon receipt OF the letter from Cow
ernor Buchtcl. Sheriff Shrader re-
a,csted the Judge of the District Court
to advise him concerning III" proper
course to pursue. which the Judge do
ciined to do, directing the shcrin 10
20 to tho district attorney. who under
the law is the legal adviser oi al
county officers. Tho sheriff consulted
the district attorney and oihcr law
yors. who advised him not TO turn over
Force. AZ to do No would place him IN
contempt Of court. On February :ist
District Attorney Sell. received let
ter from the prosecuting attorney OF
Rnwiins, wyominE. asking that tho
Colorado charge be dismissed and
setting forth the facts on which Wyonh-
Ing hoped to convict Force. District
Attorney Sciig Immediately wroi" -
letter to another attorney ut RhwlinH.
Wyoming. not connected with the ease.
requesting full Information and state
mcnt Of facts.
After full consideration of the
matter, MIR. Seiig felt that Wy
umIng coIld not successfully prosecute
Force mud he therefore declined io sur.
render the man. The trial and cunNlc.
tIon OF Force In this county was hhd
without any official knowledge having
been brought to tn" court that - war
rant Of cNtradition had been Issued by
the governor of this state and was con'
Quoted M such cases arc usually con
Quoted. We submit that the language
used by the governor cfiticiring
Judge on the bench was unbccoming
from the pen or lips of the CHIEF exc
cutiyc OF this state. We refrain from
any Characterization Of the conduct III
tho governor, or any further comment
upon his course and action. because
We believe that to the minds of all fair
minded men no comment or character
ization Ia necessary.
I've have been taught to respect the
branches OF the government ns defined
| In the constitution aud also have been
| taught that II IB not In the province OF
the executive to Interfere In any way
| In the administration OF Justice III ihe
court, and We believe that any attempt
| upon tho part OF the executive of TINS
or any other state should bc fesist"d
to the utmost by those who occupy
judicial positions. We believe that tho
judg. Of this district will never permit
the infringement upon the powers in
vested In him under the constitution.
by the governor or any other cScci.
tive Of the state.
eve further desire to csrrcss our
approval md commcnGa;i Il Of his GU
tire course md We are authorized by
tho Judge of this court to say that he
| comedies with us In expressing our
/ commcndation and approval In the
course approved by the sheriff and Its-
trict attorney. The course Of Judge
Shackciford VIC regard as entirely
proper and commcndabic. and we com.
mend him more particularly for his re-
straint and silence for such nnmerited
! and uncalled for abuse and slandcr by
the governor. Nothing would moro
clearly demonstrate the uprightness
and self.control and character OF our
Judge than his attitude in remaining
silent under such trying circuuf-
| stances"
This is signed by Walter 8. Sullivan.
Straud NJ. Logan. Henry Il. Rhona.
Samuel N. Wheeler. Gustav VanIioor-
cdeke. committee.