La Junta tribune., 1913-06-14
, DISTRICT COURT
June esssisn coovsnss toe Regular
rsrm-Ne Trials a. vst-Four
eriseners An Sentenced

The district court convened for the
regular June term last Monday morn
Ing with Judge Essex on the bench
and the jury summoned In attend.
ance. The morning hour Of the
firH day was spent In listening to
the pleas OF Jurors who wished to
be- excused from service during the
term. and seventeen OF them were
permitted to return to their homes
for various and sundry reasons There
were many farmers among them to
whom Il would have been \ hardship
To serve on n jury at this time. The
eatire Jury was excused At the noon
hour until Thursday morning. and
later on that day was excused again
until Thursday morning OF next week
Three prisoners were arraiynsd on
Tuesday morning. all being charged
with forgery. which has become a
recognized industry In Otero county
as tho easiest way to acquire sudden
wealth. When you are In need Of
money. write a check and ask al
most any old merchant In Otero
county to cash II and nine times out
II ten he will prove an easy vie
.im.
John Murphy. OF supposedly Irish
parentage, MAS the first victim. He
is a young man whose span OF life
has stretched out over twenty-five
summers and an equal number Of
winters. but during his brief career
has already served one term In the
rcformatory and one In Canon City.
He WAS released from the latter
institution on January LIST and three
days later induced ID. W. Barnett.
OF Rocky Ford. to cash his personal
check for 3l5. Murphy made . great
plea for lenkncy. and asked that he
De- given suspended sentence con
ditioned upon good behavior. He
said that some Of the church people
of La Junta had assured him that
they would secure work for him In
La Junts and give him every chance
10 make . man Of himself. Muir
ply Was quite sure that another
term In Canon City would do him
no good and would max. him more
hardened against society than ever.
Judge Essex sentenced him to n
term OF not less than three nor
more than six years TO cogitate
over his evil ways. and to learn TO
appreciate the fact that the way Of
the uansgressor IL tough.
John Fortine. an cx-conyict. and
about twenty.four years Of age. pas
SEED "a bogus check for $50 upon vii
liam Conklin. Of tn" Beatty Mercan-
tile Company. Of Manzanola. about
two weeks ago. lie worked for ".
81 Nix. of wcitzer. for eighteen
days. and had been IN the Beatty
store on several occasions with Mr..
Nix. who also sent him there for
blank checks once of twice. fortine
traded out moat Of what n. had com.
Ing NJ the wcitxer store. When he
quit Nix held out tn. amount xiv.
Ing him only ei.50. Fortine recent.
~ served seven months In Canon
City for forgery. and not being very
flush decided 10 acquire some more
easy money. He had no difficulty
In caa.iing . check at B~atys store
for So. signed BY Mr.. Hix. and Dc.
parted eastward via the Santa Fe.
Hs WAS captured IT Hutchin.
sDn. kAn.. on the train. and vas
brought hack to Ia JuntA BY Hher.
~ Yant- fortine entered . plca of
guilty and vas given = senteace of
not lees thaa two nor more thsa
Gsus yssFs. In . voice full Of tears
he thanked Judge ESSEX for bis lea.
issey.
Jesse Brown. . on~-eycd son os
Han. bought . suit Of cIolhes from
Abc Ojsas. oas of our Syrian cloth.
lag mefchaats. sn1 II pay1cnt there
ees tssdsrsd hk psrsoaai check tos
os.7s On the L. JsaSa STATE BANK 20.
Il wss most cordially accepted. and
Jsss~ vas 10 ovsr3oycd ~ his new
method os scauirtns easy money that
he vent 70 Pseblo u finish w the
~ that be had accumulated Just
Desvtoas 70 isssiag the bad check.
~ vas CAPTURED there and brought
back Ne blAas1 al his troubles
o. ~ ~. sad promised 70 do bet.
ter n given . chance. Judge 10.
sex gave hin . four month"; meal
ticket Ia The oovsey Ail.
The case Of Orfsn Nosthwpe. who
was charged WITH wife desertion.
~ ma Nh WaAaanAav ~Aent01 Naeeh.