The Colorado statesman., 1908-03-07
GOVERNOR eUcHTEL ANGRY.
Greatly lncensed BY Action of Court in
Mesa County.


Mesa County.
Denver.-Governo Buchtel is quoted
as having telephoned to Grand juno
tion the following sharp message:
There is no law to prevent a court
from being jackass if it sees fit"
There is much speculation here as
to the probable outcome of the action
of the prosecuting attorney, the sher-
iff and the judge in Mesa county who
went directly contrary to the orders of
Governor Buchtel and convicted Earl
Force of horse stealing after extradi-
ton papers had been signed, releasing
him to the authorities of Wyoming,
where he was wanted for murder.
The governor went to Wichita, Kas.,
Thursday to deliver a lecture. He did
not intimate what his probable course
of action will be, but the tenor of the
letter he wrote to Acting Gov. William
R. Schnitger of Wyoming indicates that
he is sufficiently incensed to demand
an accounting from the authorities at
Grand Junction. The letter was as fol-
lows:
my Dear Gov. Schnitger: | regret
to be compelled to report that the dis
trict judge at Grand junction has pro-
who pleaded guilty to the charge of
grand larceny and was sentenced to
the penitentiary for eight years. | sent
all information to the sheriff of Mesa
county about this case and assured
him that you would return the prisoner
to Mesa county without expense in the
event that you could not convict him
on the charge of murder.
81 dO nOt now Sae anv way in which
l can help you to bring this prisoner
to trial ON the charge of murder. l am
very eager to help you if l can do so.
If you see any way in which he could
be brought to trial on the charge of
murder, kindly advise me. | ought not
to pardon him for the reason that he
could not then be tried again on the
charge of grand larceny.
Il have no words in which to eX
press my disappointment at the con-
duct of the judge and prosecuting at
torney in Mesa county. In times like
these, when murder is so common and
when murderers are set free by the
whims of juries, it seems like a trav-
esty on justice to send a man to the
penitentiary for horse stealing, when
he ought to be tried for murder. The
sentence of eight years for horse steal
ing leads me naturally to inquire what
that court would do for the unspeak-
able crime of rape. In my view, a
brute who assaults little girls ought
to be shot Horse stealing does not
impress me as seriously as some other
crimes. Very sincerely yours,
HENRY A. BUCHTEL,
Governor of Colorado"
The following was sent by the gov
ernor to Sheriff Charles F. Schroeder of
Mesa county, February 9th;
My Dear Sheriff: This letter will
be presented to you by Mr.. e. M. Hor-
ton of Carbon county, Wyoming, who
will present extradition papers cover
ing the rendition of Earl Force. In
granting the application of the author
ities of the state of Wyoming for the
delivery of this man into the custody
of that state l am informed that he is
by you for the commission of the
crime of grand larceny. Comfy be
tween states requires that he be de
livered to the state presenting the gray
est charge, and as they want to try
him for murder, and have assured me
in the form of letter written by the
governor of that state to the effect in
case they fail to convict that the pris
oner will be returned to you without
expense, have concluded to grant the
papers.
Trusting this will be satisfactory to
you, beg to remain, sincerely yours,
"HENRY A. BUCHTEL,
Governor
This letter makes it perfectly dis
tinct that the governor of Wyoming
had promised to return the prisoner to
Mesa county without expense in the
event that he could not be convicted
on the charge of murder.