The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1915-04-29
JUDGMENT
RENDERED
AGAINST
COMPANY
BY COURT
E. G. Bettis Pleads Guilty to
Four Indictments fiieging
Neglect of Statutes Re.
iafing to Operation
of Coal Mines

The trial of the four consolidated
cases against Eli C. Bettis, Charles
Q. Coryell and the Royal Gorge Coal
& Fire Clay company, in which the
defendants were charged under in
dictments found by the grand jury
state pertaining to the operation OF
coal mines, was concluded in the dis
trict court at 1920 o'clock this morn
ing by Mr. Bettis Withdrawing bis
plea of not guilty and substituting
in its stead an admission of guilt as
alleged in the complaint.
Although these cases were called
for trial Monday afternoon and jury
chosen the following day to hear the
evidence it was not until Wednesday
that any witnesses were called to the
stand by the prosecution; most of the
intervening time of the court being
taken up in listening to argument on
a motion made by attorneys for the
defendant to quash the indictments
on the ground of the insuffciency Of
the information which they contain
ed. The motion was overruled by
Judge Wilkin as to four of the cases
and held to be valid as to two other
counts in the indictments. In conse-
quence of the courts decision in re
! lation to the sufhciency of four OF
the indictments they were consolidate
ed and trial ordered to proceed.
Two witnesses were put on the
stand by the prosecution: ]. NJ. Ober
ding and James Dalrymple, both OF
them residents OF Denver and both
. official mine inspectors. Their testi
: mony was concluded at 4:30 o'clocl
Wednesday afternoon and a motion
was thereupon made by Messrs. Nc
Lain & Tease. attorneys for the de
fendants, to dismiss the proceedings
which was denied by the court
When court re-convened this morn
ing Mr.. Bettis, through his counsel
asked perin. sion ts change Lis plea
which was granted. The consolidd
ed cases were numbered 1921. 1922
1924, and 3725 and the cases dismiss
ed 1920 and 1923; all OF them relating
to alleged infractions OF the law il
the operation of the Royal Gorg
mine.
The first Indictment. No. 3721 a
legged that the defendants did unlaw
S..,, - lx,ox,,,cu1., alIam and nor
NIT divers employees of the Roya
Gorge & Fire Clay company to TAX
into the mine more than one day
supply of powder in contravention O
the statutes OF the state governinl
such matters. Indictment No. 372
alleged that the defendants as owner
and operators of the said Royal Gorg
mine did unlawfully fail and neglec
to post easily iegible copy of the cod
4 of signals required by law in tn
engine rooms and at the collar of tn
shaft OF the said coal mine contrar.
to the form of the statutes of Colora
do governing such matters. Indici
ments No. 1924 alleged that the dc
PENDANTS failed and neglected to pre-
vide the said coal mine with suff
cient fire bosses. or other agents, t
determine whether the air current
in the said coal mine were normal an
properly travelling their several couri
les and to detect the existence, or no
is-of any gas therein, before any da
shift Of employees entered into tn
mine under, and in pursuant. to thei
employment in the said mine. II
-dictment No. 1925 alleged that III
defendants neglected. refused, omi
ted and failed to install and to ador
. uniform system. or any system. {
checking In and out the employees an
workmen Of the mine approved by til
chief inspector Of coal mines as the
were required to do by the statute
). of the state OF Colorado.
Indictments Nos. 1920 and 372
which were dismissed by the coul
under the motion to quash, allege
that the defendants did knowingly an
unlawfully permit blasting to be don
in said caol mine prior to one hot
before the regular quitting time en-
pioyes were at work in the mine col
trary to the form Of the statutes
such cases made and provided. Ais
that they did fail, neglect and refua
70 have made by the mining boss Z
said mine, Or BY any other competen
person or psFsons; daily Inspections
Or daily records. duly kept, Of said "a
spSetlons ~ ~ r6bts. chains. ca1s