Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-01-17
SHERIFF'S MEN
WHO STNGED A
Raid, CLEARED
District Court DiSmiSSeS
Charges Brought BY Billie
Brown Resulting From
Raid on Central Bar.

The action of Undcrsheriff Fred
Fornoff and Deputy Sheriff Harold
Holcomb in Senterlng the Central
Bar, operated ny Billie Brown in
old Town. Christmas eve and ar
resting three persons to be held as
witnesses against Brown against
whom an injunction had been Is
sued by the district court prohibit
ing him from operating a bawdy
house, was approved by the dis
trict court yesterday when the
charges filed by Brown against tn"
officials and under which they
were arrested, We're dismissed.
The matter has been hanging
fire for some time-Justice of the
Peace Desidaric .dontoya having
slightly complicated matters by
taking the case into his hands af-
ter receiving instructions from the
district attorney to drop it. In spite
of the instructions, the justice OF
the peace continued to press the
case and fined the undersheriff and
deputy 800 each and sentenced
them to so days in jail.
After several days had passed,
appeal bonds were filed by the Of
ficers and the district court yester.
day dismissed them at the request
of the district attorney and com
pletely exonerated the officers.
The entire official miX-up start
ed more than a year ago when the
court assured the sheriff's office
that it was thoroughly back Of it
in an attempt to clean up the coun-
ty OF places of immortality and
urged action in the matter by the
sheriff.
A campaign was started and sew
eral places cleaned up. Then last
fall raid was made on the Cen
trail bar, operated by Billy Brown,
He was brought into court, wit
nesses were heard and an injunc-
ton was placed against him oper-
ating the place as a bawdy house
or house of prostitution. Hearing
that the place was again being
used for immoral purposes, Under
sheriff Fred Fornoff and Deputy
Sheriff Harold Holcomb raided the
house Christmas eve and arrested
three persons.
Court sentences Brown.
In the district court these per-
sons gave testimony which caused
the court to hold that Brown had
violated the injunction and as a
result was punishable for con-
tempt. A 80 day sentence was
placed against him and his place
of business ordered closed. Brown
appealed his case to the. supreme
court and gave an appeal bond.
He then filed charges of assault
ing his home against the two Off
GERS. District attorneys, whose
official duties included the prose-
cution of such charges, investigated
the matter and decided that there
was no ground for the charges I'M
der the New Mexico state laws.
They so advised Justice Of the
Peace Desidario Montoya and re-
fused to press the charges.
Brown then secured the services
of Modesto Ortiz who, acting as
prosecuting attorney, tried the
case. The officers were fined and
given Jail sentences, in spite OF the
fact that they were not in court.
Constructively in Jail, the matter
was taken up by the officials with
the district court, which finally
cited the justice to appear and
show cause why he had acted con-
trary to the orders of the district
attorney, and why he should not
be punished. 1t was intimated that
the court intended to require the
justice to purge his records of the
sentences. -. ..
The hearing was held some time
ago and the court is still consider
ing the case. In the meantime the
officers filed appeal bonds, with
tho result that they are now free
of the charges and of the sentences
which have been hanging over their
heads for the past few weeks
1.-THE question involved is sim
pie one" declared Undersherlff
Fred Fornoff. ut is question of
whether there are state statutes
under which such places can be
closed, and If such is the case,
whether the people want them en-
forced. If the people and the
courts want such places closed in
Bernalillo county, the sheriff's Of
flee intends to do its dutv-but it
has taken us year to close one
bawdy house and we have expert
enced all types of trouble doing it."