The eagle., September 04, 1895, Page 8, Image 8

About The eagle. (Silver City, N.M.) 1894-1???

Image provided by: University of New Mexico

                
8
THE EAGLE; WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 15.
Published every Wednesday Morning by
A. J. LOOMIS.
Entered at the postofflce at Silver Olty,
N. M for transmission through the malls at
second class rates.
Office on Yankle Street between Texas and
Arizona Streets.
Advertising Kates on Application.
Subscription Rates, Postage Prepaid:
"eyo" 2.00
Hlx months - . . . - l uo
Three months - - - - !go
SILVER CITY, N. M.. SEPTMBEK 4. 181,
Silver
Lead .
..66
.3.37
THE WEISL MURDER.
Thr Eagle of Silver City, in speaking
of the Davenport-Weisl murder, chides
the Liberal, although it does not men
tion this paper especially, for trying the
case and rendering a verdict before the
district court meets, and suggests that
the court is the proper tribunal before
which the case should be tried. The
platitudes of The Eagle are on a par
with the defense of the Enterprise and
Sentinel and the actions of the officers
of the law at the county capital, and
help to show that a cabal has been
formed for the purpose of saving Daven
port from the gallows. The entire chain
ui circumstances snow mat the officers
of the law have been aided by ignorance
and laziness, and it may be knavery, in
their conduct of this case. First was G.
Scott Dawson, justice of the peace at
Carlisle, compared with whom the im
mortal Dogberry was a doctor of laws.
He would not hold an examination of
the case, saying that the verdict of the
coroner's jury was sufficient to hold
Davenport without bail to await the ac
tion of the grand jury, and so impressed
was he with the majesty of the law and
the dignity of his office that he would
give a newspaper man no information
nor even a copy of the jury's verdict
"owing to the position I hold." At Sil
ver City, more than fifty miles from
where the murder was committed, Dav
enport was taken before Justice Givens,
whose specialties in the criminal line
are drunken cowboys and fighting pros
titutes, for an examination. Here most
of the evidence was given by Davenport's
friends, and under the guiding hands of
skillful lawyers it is not surprising that
a great deal of that evidence was favor
able to Davenport. The officers of the
law, for some occult reason, never went
to Carlisle to investigate the circum
stances, nor did they bring witnesses
from that camp. Justice Givens, whose
idea of capital punishment is an hun
dred dollar fine, allowed Davenport liber
ty on $4,000 bail, which he has given and
is now free till the grand jury meets.
As long as the officers of the law contin
ue to juggle with justice in this manner,
and as long as Davenport's friends are
as successful in moulding public opinion
as they have been, so long will the Lib
eral continue to denounce the deed as
a cold blooded murder. Liberal.
It is with some surprise that The Eagle
notes that the Liberal places this paper
on a par with the Sentinel and Enter
prise in this matter. Both the Sentinal
and Enterprise have attempted to de
fend the course of Davenport, while
The Eagle has not even intimated that
the killing of Weisl was justifiable.
What The Eagle objected to was the
attempt of newspapers to manufacture
public opinion in cases like this which
will be tried in the courts. It often
happens that the ends of justice are de
feated in this manner. It is the legiti
mate province of the newspapers to give
the news, but the practice of defending
accused criminals is certainly a very
reprehensible one. ,
As to the course of the justices of
the peace who acted in the matter, The
Eagle has said nothing. Davenport has
been held for the action of the grand
jury and, for the present, that appears
to us to be sufficient. Whether the
committing magistrate should have held
the prisoner without bail or should have
placed the bond at a larger sura has lit
tle to with the guilt or innocence of the
accused. If the accused shall appear at
the ensuing term of the district court, the
purpose for which the bond was given
will have been subserved.
It is the province of the court to try
the accused and The Eagle repeats that
the newspapers are getting a little out
of their line when they take a case from
the court and try it in advance. If Mr.
Davenport Ins found guilty of murder
let him be hanged or imprisoned in ac
cordance with law, but if he be found
not guilty, let him be released from
custody by the court, and not by the
newspapers.
better iwducements for them to come
here than are afforded in any other part
of the countrv.
The valueof the different kinds of crops
grown in New Mexico will be greater
this year than it has ever been lefore.
In most parts of the territory the fruit
crop is excellent and the total yield will
be much larger than it ever was before.
Fruit growers are finding no difficulty in
marketing their fruit and getting remun
erative prices for it. The acreage of
wheat and corn in the territory is larger
than usual and the yield is large. The
season has been an exceptionally favor
able one and tillers of the soil who are in
the least enterprising will have a nice
balance on the right side at the end of
the year. There is no reason why double
the acreage, now under cultivation in
this territory could not lie tilled and made
productive. More agriculturists are
needed in New Mexico and some earnest
and effective work ought to be done in
order toget them here. It is a nbtorions
fact that the natives are too indolent to
till the soil on a more extensive scale
than is absolutely necessary for them to
eke out an existence and most of the
Americans in the territory are here to
make fortunes quickly and have turned
their attention tospeculution rather than
to production. Mure producers are
wanted in New .Uoiieo and there are
We print on another page a commun
ication from Mr. H. H. Hansberg, a
United States prisoner, confined in the
county jail of this county, concerning
the treatment of the prisoners in the
Dona Ana county jail. The charges are
grave and if they are true the board of
county commissioners of that couniy
should lose no time in correcting the
evils which are said to exist. If Hans
berg has told the truth, there is room for
great improvement in the management
of the Dona Ana county jail.
This season is going to be an excellent
one for placer miners in this county.
Theabundantraiii8 have filled the moun
tain streams and there is plenty of water
to be had for washing gold in the placer
regions of the county. Good wages can
be made by placer miners for the coming
few mouths and there is room for hun
dreds of them in Grant county. The gold
is here and is waiting to lie washed out.
The commutation of the sentence ot
William Davis has been received with
universal dissatisfaction by the residents
of Pinos Altos, and the residents of that
place are better posted concerning the
. ! I .1 1 . ...
particulars oi tne muruer lor winen
Davis was sent to the penitentiary than
the inhabitants of any other place in the
world.
Two weeks hence the territorial fair
will lie in progress at Albuquerque and
the irrigation convention will lie in ses
sion. Thousands of prominent men have
been specially invited to attend the con
vention from neighboring lates and the
territories. The convention is going to
be a grand success.
Axn still it continues to rain in va
rious parts of the territory. The value
of ihe ruins in New Mexico this summer
can scarcely he computed in dollars.
18i)5 will be a good year for his territory.
Thr irrigation congress and territor
ial fair at Albuquerque on the lti:li hist,
are both assured successes. An interest
ing and entirely practical program has
been prepared by the committee in
charge of the congress, dialing wiili
subjects which are of the greaimt. im
portance to the people of the United
Stales in general and those of the south
wen in particular. Prominent Bpeukers
from all over the country will lie pres
ent ami expound the different topics as
signed. The fair will undoubtedly sur
pass any ever held in New Mexico', and
the exhibits from all parts oí the terri
tory are certain to prove a most pleas
ant Mirprise to the persons present. It
will Iks worth any one's while to visit
these gathering and Thr Eagle hom-s
that Silver City will be largely rei.ie
sented. 1