La Junta tribune., 1911-06-17
DISTRICT COURT.
Only Two Trials Thus Far, Both
Mexieans. Most Of the Prisoners
Enter Pleas Of Guilty.

Last Monday the district court con.
vened for the regular June term with
Judge Essex presiding and the jury
summoned in attendance. There are
no important cases on the criminal
docket, most of the offenses being of
minor character. and three of the
delinquents entering plea OF guilty
to the informations when read.
All OF Monday was taken up in ar
raigning prisoners and setting cases
for the term. The first case disposed
of was that Of j. \. Jamison. charged
with misappropriating funds of the
Loyal Order of Moose. Jamison. and
his side partner. Walsh. spent sever.
al months in La Junta during 1910
and organized La Junta Lodge. No.
1913, Loyal order OF Moose. They are
reported TO have secured 365 applca-
tons for membership in the order in
this city at s. each, and only report
ed 222 to headquarters. Jamison
was charged With appropriatiug be.
tween $500 and $500 in money that
did not belong to him, and on the
stand admitted that the sum was $40
more than that He claimed, howev-
er. that the money had been expend.
ed in the work of securing new mem.
bers for the order, and that he had
been in the habit OF pursuing this
course in other places where he vas
engaged in the same kind of work,
II appears in this instance that he
neglected to report the organization
of Moose lodge in La Junta. as
up TO the present date the lodge has
no charter. and the head officers
knew nothing of the lodge In this
city until they commenced receiving
remittances from the local secretary.
Jamison was captured in Aberdeen.
S. D., and was brought back to La
Junta by Undersheriff Devine. He
was engaged in organizing lodge
there at the time of his arrest
Jamison told good story on the
stand. He has occupied responsible
positions in railroad circles. being
at one time a trainmaster on the Col.
orado and Southern. He claimed that
worshipping at the shrine OF Bac-
chus had been the cause of his down
fall. The judge informed him that
he doubted very much whether a
jury would have convicted him had
the case gone to trial. as the head
officer who made the complaint and
signed the Information had neglected
to appear In court, being represent
ed by G. l.. Greer. OF Los Angeles.
an attorney for the order. As he
had pleaded guilty. however. Judge
Essex said the only thing he could
do was to impose 4 sentence Of not
less than one year nor more than
eighteen months in the penitentiary.
On Wednesday. through the efforts
Of friends. Jamison's sentence was
suspended. II was claimed that the
imposing OF the sentence would prob
ably make a confirmed criminal Of
Jamison. and II he was given
chance he might yet make a man
OF himself Jamison is to report reg
ularly TO the office Of the district
attorney while his sentence Is In ef.
feet. and he is also to cease toying
with the flowing bowl He is to re.
imburse Otero county for the ex.
penses Of his trial which amount TO
between $500 and 5000. Jamison left
for Denver Wednesday night. where
his wife Is awaiting him. He re.
ceived 500 by telegraph from sis.
ter In Muscatine. Iowa. on the day
previous to his sentence being sus.
pended.
Fred King. of Sugar City. charged