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Crook County Journal
COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPER FOR CROOK COUNTY
COUNT?OFFICIM. PAPER, $150 YEAR PR1NEVILLE. CROOK COUNTY, OREGON, THURSDAY, SEPT.U, 1913. SSSysSSS gg VOL. XVH NO. 42
District Court Adjourns
Five Sentenced to Pen
William Cary Confessed to Burning Jim Cram'i Hay Last
Thursday Night-He U on Hit Way to the Pen
John and Logan McPherson Con
victed Grand Jury'
Report
Circuit court adjourned I ant even
ing after Juila-e Hradshaw sentenced
five prisoners.
Jnhn N. Mcl'hcnmn, convicted of
stealing a mitre belonging to Geo.
Millicun, wu sentenced to the peni
tentiary from one to ten year.
Thi was McPhcnwn'a second trial.
Plaintiff has GO duvs to present bill
of exception.
Logan McPherson, convicted of
attempting to commit rajw on the
lomon of Mr. Louise Tobin I tut
Thursday afternoon at the homo of
William Kiechncr, waa aentenced to
the pen from ono to ten year.
I'laintilT haa 60 day to file bill of
exception.
William Carey, who burned
aeventy ton of hay last Thursday
night for Jim Cram, waa aentenced
to the pen from alx month to three
years-
Carey confessed hi crime. When
questioned by Judge Hradshaw as
to the motive he auld he didn't have
any. Ho and Jim Cram had traded
horse and he thought Jim got a
' little the best of it. Cary aaid
that Cram told him that the horse
waa a good one but ugly, yet, not
withstanding, the trade was made
Carey got to brooding over the
matter and it finally got into his
head to burn the hay. He rode a
buckskin horse belonging to Charles
Colby over to the Blacks Thursday
night about 9 o'clock and sat on his
horse until 1 a. m. before he started
the fire. He never dismounted
during that time. About one
when he thought everyone would be
sound asleep he threw a match into
the hay. The fire waa started on
windward side and this fact saved
one of the three stacks.
Onu little circumstance led the
trail of the crime to Cary direct
The buckskin horse he rorto was
pigcontoed amt made peculiar
tracks. Sheriff Klkins took up the
trail next morning and followed the
tracks to Colby' barn, where the
animal was found with the saddle
on. Carey wus out in the field at
work and had not tho slightest idea
that suspicion rested upon him. He
considered every trace well covered
ur. He was placed under arrest
and confined in the county jail
where, after a little sweating, he
confessed to burning the hay.
Bert Brown and Charles Thomp
son, who got tired of walking and
helped themselves to a team and
buggy at LaPine, were sentenced
to the pen from one to ten years.
The judge paroled them to the
sheriff.
The case of J. N. and Linda J,
Quiberg who were indicted for the
unlawful use of water on the
Snuaw creek adjudication was con
tinued to the December term of
' court. '
George Kentner was acquitted of
the charge of larceny of horses.
This ia his second indictment. He
will be tried on another indictment
next December with W. C. Calhoun
and Al Robertson if they can be
brought here. Kentner is out un
der 12000 bonds.
L. H. Hamilton, who pleaded
guilty to negligently allowing fire
to escape in the forest, was, given a
Suspended sentonce.
Sheriff Elkins and C. W. Elkins
Local Forest Officials Helping
Good Roads Movement in Crook Co
left this morning for the peniten-
tiary. They took with them John
and Logan McPherson and William
Carey.
The grand jury made the follow
ing report.
Ifti ! Ik Cru4 Imj.
In the circuit court of the alate
of Oregon for the county of Crook.
Iteport of the grand jury Septem
ber term, 1913:
To the Hon. W. L. Bradshaw, cir
cuit judge:
We. the grand jury empaneled at
the September term, 1913. of the
circuit court of the state of Oregon
for the county of Crook, beg leave
to report a follows:
We have been in session five day
and have returned eight true bills
and four not true bill.
We have given our moat careful
attention and consideration to an
complaint and matter of every
kind and nature that have been
brought before u, and aside from
the bill heretofore reported in the
regular course of our labor, we
ask your indulgence and present
the following recommendation and
conclusions, for the consideration of
yourself, the taxpayers and citizens
of tho county of Crook
With reference to the proposed
plan to equip an office for the
sheriff on the ground floor or base
ment of the courthouse and to re
model the present jail, we wish to
state that we have examined the
plans and specifications therefor
and heartily approve of them and
recommend that the county court
carry them out.
Owing to the fact that the treas
urer Will occupy llie preneiii
nuartera of the shentl after the
first day of January, 1914. when he
becomes the tax collector and will
have no further use for his present
quarters including the vault and
that the county assessor is in need
of the vault, we recommend to the
county court that a door bo cut into
said vault from the assessor s office
so that it will be accessible from
that office; for the better protec
tion of the records of the office of
the county assessor.
We wish especially to call the at
tention of the commissioner's court,
riow in session, to the fact that two
state statutes are being violated in
the courthouse building and that
for a better example to individuals
and for a better respect for the
law in general, we advocate the
abolishment of the drinking cups in
the courthouse and establishment of
one or more sanitary drinking
fountains therein and the imme
diate rehanging of the entrances so
that all door leading outward will
swing outward.
We also wish to recommend, in
view of the fact that the . treasurer
will have placed upon him the
burden of tax collection after Jan
uary 1, 1914, that adequate pro
vision be made in the way of assis
tance by the county court to enable
him nronerlv to do that work. We
recommend that his-salary be in
creased to a point somewhere near
the value of his services and that
sufficient clerk hire be provided, so
that the work of collecting the
taxes next year will proceed regu
larly and satisfactorily
Crook county people have little
conception of the interest taken in
the matter of good road by the
local forest service officials. All
are aware that it wai through the
effort of Supervisor Ross that we
are indebted for the Princville-Mit
chell road. Nor doc Mr. Ron'
zeal top with the one road He
and Suiwrvisor Merritt of the Des
chutes National Forest apieared
before the county court at this
term and ecured the um of 1500
which will be used in co-operation
with the forest service in fixing up
the worst place in the lava road on
thi side of the Cascades. The
government will spend a like
amount and it ia thought that thi
will make a fairly passable highway
over the McKenzie pass into the
Willamette valley. Two thousand
dollars have already been expended
on the west side of the mountains
and 15000 more has been alotted
by the government for road better
ment. This should take care of the
west side.
Mr. Ross says that the work on
the lava beds will be started as
soon as weather permits in the
spring.
On being questioned as to pro-
.. M- II!. -1.-11
gress on tne rnneviiie-miicneu
road Supervisor Ross stated that
the work fur this fall had been
stopped. The mad is completed to
within a mile from where it drops
down the north slope to West
Branch creek. The tent and heavy
articles of construction have al
ready been hauled to the foot of
the mountain on the north side in
order to be available for use early
next spring when work will be re
sumed. There remain but five
miles to be built to finish the road.
In addition to the money already
spent on this road by the govern
ment Uncle Sam has allotted $1000
additional. Thi makes 11700 con
tributed by the forest service in
addition to the amounts allowed by
Crook and Wheeler counties.
These roads will be a fine thing
for Crook county and will return a
hundred fold for every dollar in
vested. The Prineville-Mitchell
road opens up a rich agricultural
and fruit country that will seek an
outlet to market in this direction
and the road over the McKenzie
pass will furnish a direct means of
communication with the Willamette
valley and Portland. The auto
travel alone over this route will
leave thousands of dollars annually
in this country. Help along the
good roads movement.
Crook County High's
Agricultural Course
A Line or Study that Should Appeal to the Young Men
of This County Prof. Pratt, a Graduate of
the University of Minnesota and
Oregon Ag. College
in Charge.
The Railroad Committee
Reports Encouraging Progress
' The railroad committee brings
cheerful new from Metolius.
Messrs. Baldwin, Brink and Stinson
have been at work over there sev
eral days this week securing the
right-of-way and report good suc
cess. About seven miles have been
signed up. This amount, together
with other sections of the route
that have signed, will be sufficient
for Contractor Scheel to organize
his comDanv and issue bonds for
the construction of the road. Mr
Scheel has been anxious to get to
work but coud not do so until a
certain amount of the right-of-way
had been secured. Mr. Baldwin
will notify Mr. Scheel at once so
that he can mature his plans and
get busy.
The committee will begin the
work of securing the right-of-way
for this end of the line and at other j
places as soon as possible so as not 1
to delay operations this fall. Much
time can be saved if owners of land '
will co-operate with the committee ;
to expedite the work. Get to
gether so that construction work!
can be started before winter. I
The new course of study for the
Crook County High School which is
just off the press outlines a full
four-year course in agriculture
which is likely to be one of the most
popular courses in the high school.
The school board ha been very
liberal in supplying books and
equipment with which to carry on
the work. Mr. Pratt, the agricul
tural instructor, states that it is
doubtful if another high school in
the state has as good'an agricul
tural library as has the Crook
County High.
The east room of the frame
building which was used last year
for manual training us being com
pletely remodeled and is to be used
as a laboratory for the agricultural
course. The north room in the
same building is being remodeled
to a considerable extent and will be
used as a recitation room for that
department.
H. E. Pratt, whom the board has
secured to take charge of the new
department, is a graduate of the
University of Minnesota and of the
Oregon Agricultural College. He
has had considerable practical ex
perience on " farms, both " in the
middle states and in Washington
During the past month Mr. Pratt
has traveled over a considerable
county becoming
agricultural con-
portion of the
acquainted with
ditions.
For the information of the high
school pupils the agricultural course
is given in full below. The number
following a subject indicates the
number of times a week which that
subject occurs.
Frit
Freshman
English 5
Botany 5
Soils 2
Stock Judg1ng.8
Elective 6
Sophomore
EDglisb 5
Algebra 5
Farm Dalrying..S
Dry Farmlngi
Elective 5
Junior
English.
Chemistry 5
History 5
Crop Enemies i
Elective 2
Senior
5
5
EnglUh
Physics
8oil Fertility S
Farm Market
ing 1
2 Elective 2
Sophomore
5 English 5
6 Algebra S
2 Farm Hort S
Farm Crops 3 Irrigation 2
Elective! 5 Elective 5
Junior Senior
English 5 English 5
Chemistry 5 Physics 5
History . 5 -Farm Manage-
Farra Book-keep- ment . 5
lDg 2 Stock Manage-
Farm Marketlug 1 ment a
Elective 2
Freshman
English
Botany
Soils
We have examined the books and
office of the various county officials
and while the time is so limited
that we are unable to give an ex
pert opinion on the accounts we
have been very favorably impressed
with the way the offices are con
ducted and everything seems to
have been properly and well taken
care of, the county property seems
to be in good condition and in
good state of repair.
Furthermore, we wish to reassure
the taxpayers and the citizens of
the county of Crook that our inves
tigations have demonstrated to us
that the financial condition of the
county is much better than we be
lieve the general impression among
the taxpayers seems to indicate and
we wish hereby to restore con
fidence, and that Crook county will
be out of debt before many more
months have passed, is our belief.
We take this opportunity of con
gratulating H. H. Clow, custodian
of the courthouse and grounds, up
on the interest he apparently seems
to take in the care and appearance
of the building and grounds and we
hereby declare our confidence in his
ability as a caretaker and his com
petency for the position he occupies
and encourage him in the pride he
takes in the appearance of the
courthouse and grounds.
We have visited the Home Hos
pital where is cared for the poor
and unfortunates, we talked with
some of them and feel that they
are being well cared for and are
offices of the county that the in
vestment has more than warranted
itself. In fact, in the one single
instance that was so vividly brought
to our attention, we refer to the
case of the State of Oregon against
William Carey. The efficient ser
vice rendered by the Officers in
running down the evidence made
possible by the county automobile
standing ready, has in itself in our
ouinion. rendered the investment
appreciative of the service that is , for the maehine so valuable that if
being rendered them. no other service were had hereafter
We believe that the county
should avail itself without further
delay of the state demonstration
farm act of 1913 and make a suit
able appropriation out of the funds
of the county treasurer to equip
one good permanent demonstration
farm in Crook county for dry farm
ing demonstration worK. By mis
act the state of Oregon has appro
priated one dollar for every dollar
the county will so appropriate and
we believe that money so appro
priated will be an invest of material
and lasting benefit to the whole
county.
We have examined the buildings
of the Crook County High School,
including the Industrial Arts build
ing now in course of completion
and we commend the present high
school board for its progressiveness
and feel they should be encouraged
as much as possible in their sincere
efforts to build an institution where
our children will be afforded the
best of high school instruction
when they have finished the regular
common school courses.
We desire also to reaffirm the
convictions of the preceding grand
jury, that of May, 1913, with
respect to the purchase by the
county of an automobile for the
better efficiency and conduct of
county business and believe that for
the better service provided by the
sheriff's and other administrative
the purchase would be justified.
We further feel that the ounty
court should pay the bills for gaso
line, lubricating oil and repairs, for
the machine without gasoline, lubri
cating oil and repairs is useless and
the investment a complete loss and
we can see no reason absolutely for
the court to refuse to pay bills
legitimately incurred in the service
of the county.
Further, we desire ti say that we
have examined the assessment rolls
upon which the 1913 taxes will be
collected and upon which the next
levy will be made and we wish to
say that the valuations as we have
found them seem to be uniform and
that the assessor has worked dili
gently and well at a task that is al
ways a difficult one in which to
please and that we are highly satis
fied in the manner in which assess
ments for the next levy seem to
have been made.
From observations made by us
we find that the roof of the court
house is in a very bad state of re
pair and we hereby call the atten
tion of the county court, now in j
session, to that fact. We believe
or unrepaired roof.
In conclusion we wish further to
thank all the county officials, the
district attorney, his deputy and
our bailiff for the courtesies shown
us at all times and in the assistance
rendered to us in the performance
of our duties. Our labor has been
rendered more pleasant and less
difficult by their assistance for
which we desire in this way to ex
press our gratitude.
Having concluded our labora, we.
respectfully ask to be discharged.
W. J. Johnson,
Foreman,
W. H. Hess,
A. G. Kibbee,
Wallace Post,
Geo. W. Branstetter
S. A. Sanp'vk:,
J. E. Roberts.
the roof needs immediate attention jorg
and shoum reguiariy De paintea ana
repaired, for so valuable a building
as the Crook county courthouse can
not be allowed to be ruined so vital
ly as it is likely to be by a defective
Died.
After sufferiug nntold agony
for nearly five weeks from trau
matic paralysis, Ora Poindexter,
age 48, passed away at the Home
Hospital, this city, early Tues
day morning.
Deceased fell from a hay wag
on August 7, striki,ngon the back
of bis head, and paralsis of the
trunk and limbs was almost com
plete from the beginning. At
first it was thought he would re
cover, but during the four days
previous to his demise a change
for the worse set in which termi
nated fatally.
Mr. Poindexter had long been
a resident of Crook county and
was well known throughout its
precincts. The funeral took
place yesterday afternoon from
the Lippman undertaking par-
Hay for Sale.
Fltty tons choice alfalfa at the
Newsoro creek ranch. AddreBH Sam
NewBom Jr., Punt, Oregon. 9-U Imp
Melville Sewing Machines tor rent,
J. E, Stkwakt & Co. 5-1