The copper era and Morenci leader., 1917-12-21
MAR|C0PA COUNTY |S AROUSED OVER
 DEPREDAT|ONS
Attorney General Writes Vigorous Letter. to County Attorney on sItua. tion in that County as Result of Ia cendiary Fires Caused by Alien Enemies.

tion in that County as Result of In
 cendiary Fires Caused by Alien
 Enemies.
 Attorney General Wiley B. Jones, this week sent the following com munication to County Attorney L. M. Laney of Maricopa county and au- therized it's publication. All feder- ral, state and county officials are sol idly lined up to put stop to the out rages which have recently been per petrated in this valley. The at- torney generals letter follows: Phoenix, Arizona, Dec. IS, 1917 Honorable L. M. Laney,
 County Attorney, Phoenix, Arizcna. Dear Sir:
 On account of the numerous incen- diary fires that have taken place in Maricopa county I deem it my duty to write you touching the matter. The frequency of these fires plainly indicates a prearranged and organiz- ed plan in aid of our enemies in war at this time, in violation of Section 30 of the Penal code of 1913, which declares it to be treason for any per sor. to knowingly adhere to the ene-
  States, giving them aid or comfort. Paragraph 33 fixes the punishment at death with no other alternative, no less punishment being prescribed therefor, Paragraph 18O of our Peneal Code makes a homicide of such persons pustifiable when committed in at- tempting by lawful ways and means to apprehend such persons for the commission of that grave felony. Their punishment being fixed at death, such criminals would readily resist all attempts at apprehension and resort even to taking the life Of the person who attempts such ap- prehension.
 The situation, therefore, is desper- ate, and this department would ask that you so inform the peace officers | under your jurisdiction. And I further request, should any of such criminals be taken alive by capture, that you immediately confer with this | department that we may render you our fullest assistance in dealing with such criminals in the courts. They should be prosecuted for treason, un- der the death penalty provision, and and not for mere arson, which limits l tue puuiSIlu0uI IO lIlpilSOuluCut III the penitentiary. I know that our prompt, but the whole community must be aroused by the situation which confronts us, and all possibly proper means should be adopted to end this curse which is now abiding. within our midst, these criminals having sought this prosperous valley to conduct their nefarious campaign in aid of the enemies of our state and country with whom we are en- gagged in the most steupendous war known through all time. | Very respectfully,
 (Signed VILE E.: JONES,
 Attorney General. A warning has been sounded by Sheriff Wilkey to all ranchers of the Salt River valley to be on their watch for prowlers as a result of re- cent incendiary fires that have de- stroyed thousands of dollas worth of soil products. His statement fol- lows:
 "All farmers are hereby notified to be on the watch for providers or per sons acting in a peculiar manner. Such persons should be immediately taken into custody and brought to this city. Every citizen is empowered to make arrests.
 Farmers have legal right to pro- tect their property and this depart ment will assist them in every pos sible way in apprehending the person or persons responsible for these out rages.
 '1 suggest that all ranchers who have large stocks of provisions on hand provide armed guards for those products. Drastic action of this na- ture is necessary if we are to over. throw the evil influences at work in this community"
 Thus Sheriff Wilky has made pro. vision for each rancher to protect himself against losses such as have occurred in the valley during the past few weeks.
 All Maricopa county is aroused. IT. ate citizens from all sections of the valley literally stormed the sheriff's office yesterday to make provisions for the protection of their property More than 20 men presented themselv es for the purpose of being sworn as special deputy sheriffs. Owing tc the absence of Sheriff Wilkey under sheriff LaTourette, however, theil mission failed.
 Sheriff Wilkey and Deputy Charles Nafziger spent the entire day in the field yesterday nthe combined mis sion of securing additional clues rela tive to the big fire at Laveen early Sunday morning and in search of Al bert Rhodes. who mysteriously drop ped from view last Friday.
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