MINERS' METHODS.
How They Helped Friend in Bisbee.
The citizens of Bisbee and the new United States attorney, Mr. Ellinwood, have been measuring swords. The Bisbeeites, characteristic of the western miner, are true to befriend. It is in backing and helping friends under the law that they have come against Attorney Ellinwood.
Yesterday a Mexican woman, Maria Watts, was released from jail here, having been confined there several weeks, for fornication with a man named Priest. The woman and Priest were arrested, and put in jail at Bisbee. Priest was not familiar with the workings of the law, and particularly how Edmunds act spite cases generally fare, and believed he had gotten into something very serious. He was a miner, and had friends, among them one Robert Sanders.
MINING METHODS AND THE GOVERNMENT.
One morning giant powder had been used in the jail and Priest's cell had a big hole blown out of it. His mining friends had come to the rescue and he was gone. He has since been heard from in Mexico. Attorney Ellinwood had cared little for the case till the rough and ready methods of mining had been applied to the government. When public buildings are blown to pieces by miners though, they got a dose of the law in return. He had the woman held for the grand jury. It was with difficulty for there was no evidence against her worse than she had been seen with Priest's head in her lap. She was finally held, however, Mrs. Watts knew who did the dynamiting, had heard the whole planning for the release of Priest, and she was questioned, being told that her freedom would be secured when she told who did the blasting. This she finally consented to do.
Robert Sanders a miner, did it, she said.
The next work was to get Sanders in custody. He of course did not know he was suspected till arrested. Here was an example of more friendship. Sanders' bonds were set at $500 and were furnished at once. When Mr. Ellinwood got to Bisbee he was greeted with one of the bondsmen, face all a grin "Well, he said," your man’s gone."
"Gone?" said the attorney.
Yes, went last night." "You are on his bond, so I don't care,” said the attorney.
"O, no," smiling again." we withdrew from his bond last night"
"Did you hand him over to the commissioner and sign on the back of his bond your withdrawal.
"No," ''Then you will have to settle.
"You don't say exclaimed the bondsman, a long face on - him now
Why he's left the country too, and there is no getting him.
"I don't care," said the attorney. You'll have to settle. That's all.
Shortly the bondsmen will be called on to pay the $500. Then a bench warrant will be secured of the next grand jury and Sanders will be captured too, and brought to justice. Priest is probably stiIl in Mexico, thinking he is in a peck of trouble with this great government. The woman has returned to Bisbee.
Arizona Weekly Citizen January 27,1894
Bisbee Items
The Edmunds act seems to have struck our peaceful town in full force. Ed Priest and Mrs. Watts are now resting behind bars regretting that they were found out, and lost evening W. S. Tucker, the bright, particular luminary of our bar was given a position behind the bars to await pleasure of Uncle Sam on charge of violating the laws he is supposed to be sworn to defend.
TOMBSTONE PROSPECTOR NOVEMBER 1, 1893
Bisbee Items
The examination of Rob Sanders on charge of aiding E I Priest to break jail comes off Wednesday.
TOMBSTONE PROSPECTOR NOVEMBER 8, 1893
Bob Sanders was held yesterday at Bisbee to answer before the grand jury on a charge of assisting Ed Priest. To escape from jail. I. W. Wallace and Judge Perrin are the bondsman in the sum of $250 each. The only witness against the accused was the woman, Watts, who was in jail at the time.
TOMBSTONE EPITAPH November 12, 1893
Out of Jail
Maria J. Watts, brought to the county jail at Tucson from Bisbee charged with adultery, and who being unable to furnish the necessary bonds has been kept in jail, was yesterday released on her own recognizance. The Star says one reason U. S. Attorney Ellinwood did not deem it fit to let her out sooner, is that she was an important witness in the case of Robert Sanders, charged with assisting a jail delivery at Bisbee a short time ago, and who is now in Mexico, having jumped the country, leaving his bondsmen in the lurch. Mr. Ellinwood thought that if the woman was released under her own recognizance while the case was pending against Sanders and he was in the country, she might leave the territory so as not to appear against him. Sanders will be remembered as the juror who hung the jury in the first trial of Dan Shankisn for killing Dr. Willis.
TOMBSTONE PROSPECTOR January 20, 1894
United States Offences.
Federal offenses have been reported from Cochise County as held for the grand jury by United States Attorney Ellinwood as follows: Robert JM. Sanders for rescuing Edward Priest, a prisoner, from the officer by force
Weekly Citizen. Saturday, December 23, 1894
References
Arizona Weekly Citizen January 27,1894
TOMBSTONE PROSPECTOR NOVEMBER, 1, 1893
TOMBSTONE PROSPECTOR NOVEMBER, 8, 1893
TOMBSTONE EPITAPH November 12 1893
TOMBSTONE PROSPECTOR January 20, 1894
Weekly Citizen. Saturday, December 23, 1894