100 years ago in Tucson July 23: Sentencing and recruiting

John Baker’s Time Will Be Four Years in Jail

If Given Same Punishment in Remaining Cases Term Would Be 12 Years

If he should not be able to pay the fine part of his sentence, John Baker, convicted in two cases of violating the prohibition law, in the superior court, Judge Frank Baxter presiding, will have to remain in jail approximately four years to satisfy the law. In each case his sentence was 1 year in prison and a find of $300.

Baker was sentenced by Judge Baxter yesterday afternoon at 2 o’clock. He was the first of the defendants arrested as the result of the recent crusade against blind tigers, to be tried at the present term of the court. There remain four cases against Baker, and if he should be given the same punishment in each he would have to remain in jail twelve years.

When the court reconvened yesterday morning, the trial of Chas. Phillips, colored, for violating the prohibition law, was resumed. It was begin Friday afternoon. The jury returned a verdict of guilty in this case. There remain two other cases against Phillips. He will be sentenced at 2 o’clock Monday afternoon.

A jury was sworn in to try the case of the state against Joe and Felix Mendibles, charged with violating the prohibition law, but following the qualification of the jury the court recessed until Monday morning at 9 o’clock. Edwin F. Jones is associated with Attorney McKay in the Mendibles defense.

The trial of the “bootlegging cases,” as they are conventionally called, is accompanied by a great deal of public interest, the court room seating capacity being taken at each trial. T. K. Marshall, president of the Arizona Temperance Federation, is a daily attendant; and the opposite “faith” is also well represented.

After sober reflection, several defendants in cases pending in the superior court, changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty and will be sentenced Saturday July 29. They are: Charles Roller, charged with gambling; Tom Dorrell, charged in two cases with violating the prohibition law; Ed Miller, charged in two cases with violating the prohibition law.

C. K. Crawford, charged with forgery, was sentenced to a penitentiary term from 1 to 5 years; Joachin Romero, charged with assault, one to three years; Antonio Roaching, charged with resisting an officer, was sentenced to pay a fine of $25.

Recruiting Station May Be Located Here

First Arizona Regiment of Reorganized Militia Needs More Men

Tucson may be chosen as a location for a recruiting station for the Reorganized Militia in case Private Cochran, of the First Arizona regiment, detailed to investigate the situation, finds that conditions warrant the establishment of the station here.

Cochran arrived in the city Friday and is looking over the ground before reporting to his superior officers. He is very much pleased over the outlook and will remain at least six days before returning to make his report at Douglas.

He will be at the armory daily from 9 o’clock in the morning until 3 o’clock in the afternoon, during which time he will be glad to meet anyone interested in joining the reorganized national guard now in the federal service.

Tucson possesses many natural advantages as a recruiting place. One of the strongest is the fact that during the fall and winter months thousands of transients pass through the city. Not a few of these are young men of good physique and habits who are temporarily down and out, but who would make first class soldiers of given a chance to enlist.

Just at present the government is making extraordinary efforts to fill up the companies of the national guard companies because of the fact that soon many of the married men and men with families dependent on them will be released from duty, according to Secretary Baker’s orders.

Mr. Cochran is a very pleasant appearing young man and has made a fine record already in recruiting in Bisbee and Douglas, and he will be ready to answer all questions relating to the army that will be asked by prospective guardsmen.