b'Thomas, Nevada, 25 miles beyond Stones Ferry onNORMAL MAIL PROBLEMS Citizens of Prescott and the Rio Verde on the road the Colorado. McClemmons said Parker and BehanWith the Giles case closed, Prescott citizens could gofrom Albuquerque were forced to send and receive came up to his home station, the Willows, just asback to complaining about normal and continuingmail not via the direct route, but on a circular route he was hooking up his team for the run to Prescott.problems with mail service in the territory that hadthat wound more than 1,000 miles between Prescott Since the marshal planned to camp that night atlingered through the early 1870s. As yet, Washingtonand Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico Territory, Camp Hualapai, McClemmons expected them tohad not named a new postmaster for Prescott andwhich by the 35th parallel route was a distance of arrive in Prescott a few hours after the stage. Giles had left the post office in a mess. But that wasonly 450 miles. only a temporary problem. Northern areas of the Parker had recovered $5,693 in money from Gilesterritory, including Prescott, had long complained ofThe mail in 1873, for instance, from Prescott to and $389 in property (the traveling wagon, team,the inadequate mail service in their area as comparedTucson, the capital of the territory at that time, nearly and provisions). That left $3708.86 in postal fundswith communities in the southern part of the300 miles from Prescott, was, due to inadequate unaccounted for, according to Giless indictmentterritory along the Gila River. mail facilities, taking from two to three weeks to handed down by a U.S. Grand Jury convened to hearsend a letter and receive an answer. This made it the evidence against the errant postmaster. Giles wasDEEPER MAIL WOES difficult for the territorial government to do business, indicted on two counts, one of embezzling $9,260The citizens complained that two-thirds of the whitefor commerce to be efficient, and for citizens to in money order funds, and another of embezzlingcitizens in the territory lived in the northern area,communicate with one another. Repeated appeals $530.18 in postage funds. yet the southern area had the best mail service. Theto Congress and the postmaster general had been southern areas of the territory had tri-weekly mailignored, although the postmaster general had some Giles pleaded guilty to both counts and made aservice from bother the Pacific and Atlantic coasts,years earlier promised the territory he would re-open lengthy statement to the court in which he said thatand semi-weekly or weekly service to all importantthe Hardyville to Prescott mail route, a promise he he never planned to steal the money, but that due topoints in the southern areas, despite the fact that theyfailed to keep.his inordinate use of liquor, he was overwhelmedreceive and send less than half the volume of mail by the clerical duties of postmaster, which he was notthat the northern areas generate. While the Giles case was the talk of Prescott when capable of performing. He said that due to his inabilitythe embezzlement occurred, and created a general to keep proper records, it became apparent to him thatPrescott citizens wanted at least equal mail servicemess in the post office at Prescott for the remainder he was short of funds, and realizing this, he took whatas the southern areas and wanted the old mail routeof 1875, the lack of mail service in the northern areas he considered was his only out. He ran away from hisfrom Prescott to Hardyville restored. They pointedof the territory had been a problem for the citizens post. He said he had no idea where he was going onout that there were some 1,000 to 1,200 whitefor years, a problem Congress and the postmaster his first night out. He said that he was sober enough,citizens and 500 to 600 soldiers living along thatgeneral paid little attention to. Giles may have been however, to realize that he had become an outcast androute who had no mail connection to the rest of thea hapless drunk who lacked the capabilities to do the a refugee. Giles said he never had it in his heart to doterritory except via Arizona City (now Yuma) andclerical work involved in being postmaster. At least what he had done. Judge Tweed sentenced him to onethe Colorado River, a slow and uncertain route forhe had an excuse for his failures. But the citizens of year in prison for each count and a fine of $9,260 onthe mail. northern Arizona Territory felt that the Congress and the first count and $530.18 on the second, exactly thethe postmaster general had no excuse for theirs. amounts he was charged with stealing.LAS RIENDAS at Congress RanchesA New Equestrian Community in Congress, ArizonaThree 36 acreparcels priced at$16,000 an acre with Congress waterand APS power. ArizonaRealCountry.com December 2023 53'