Show Grand Has Hoc Had Ten Sheriffs The fo fold following lawing t article givIng history of law enforcement ement a in Grand Crand county written by LL L L. 1 L Taylor was published In th the the current edition of the Utah Peace Officer The story of law ment in Grand county since statehood state stated hood In 1896 1890 constitutes a his hiss tory tort crammed with danger thrills Drills and constant devotion to ta duty on the part of the sheriffs sheriff of or this formerly Isolated par part of the state Grand county o of Which Moab Is the county seat was at one time a hideout fo for for oat outlaws horse thieves and bank robbers Situated only a short shor distance from fram the Robbers Robber Roost in the wild country Just gust west of the Green river In Wayne c county Moab located on the Colorado Colorada Grand river had bad the only ferry crossing o othe of the th river between Grand June Junc- Junction tion lion Colo Cola and tees Lees es e's Ferry Ariz Naturally all aU traffic into the southeastern part of th the state had to ta cross crass the Colorado river liver on an the Moab ferry For Fo this reason the early day bad men were frequent visitors In Moab This crew included the notorious Butch Cassidy Matt Mat Warner and others who Wha were very much wanted by sheriffs sheriff of or the west and particularly by Deputy U. U S. S Marshal Joe Bush who wha waged an unceasing ceasing war against Cassidy and hi his gang which finally fin led to ta their extermination Ten Sheriffs Serve Grand Grand county has had only 10 sheriffs sheriffs' since its organization tion at statehood In 1896 The present resent sheriff John Jahn B B. has Bias served since Jan IJan 8 1929 I when he was appointed on an the death of Sheriff O. O C. C Miller Miner Sheriff has been been- reelected re el reelected five times and upon completion earn corn of his present term of office in January 1951 wil have served 22 2 years continuously a record that is is' said to tobe tobe tobe be unequalled in in the state of Utah He is a cool fearless officer officer of of- possessed of good gaad judgment judgment judgment judg judg- ment and is highly respected not only ony an y by his constituents but by all other ather officers of surrounding sur sur- s surrounding r. r rounding counties in several states ta tes D. D B. B Dud Wilson was Grand county's first sheriff serving from fram May inlay 1896 to ta Jan 1 1899 He lIe was defeated in the election in November 1898 by Jesse Tyler a native of Millard I county by one vote Sheriff Tyler took office Jan 1 I 1899 I and was killed toy Iby outlaws in the Book Boak mountains on an May 20 26 1900 Deputy Sh Sheriff riff R. R D. D Westwood was appointed to tal the vacancy and served until January 1901 Sheriff SherIf Westwood Westwood West West- wood was killed by prisoners in a Jailbreak at Moab 27 years later while serving as a d deputy uty sheriff under Sheriff Sri In November Alf A f J J. J Young was elected Sheriff serving during the years 1901 and 1902 He was succeeded by J. J C. C Crip Grip Taylor maylor who served In 1903 and 1904 James Somerville Somerville Som- Som erville was elected in Novem Novem- November November ber 1904 and served during the years 1905 and 1906 William Will Will- iWI I lam lain J. J Bliss a brother brather of the late Sheriff Marion Marion- Bliss of Carbon county was elected sheriff of Grand county in 1906 and served continuously for far 18 years Sheriff Bliss Bass a very popular popular pop pop- pap pap-I ular officer set et an time all record rec rec- record ord by being elected re-elected eight times in the days when hen the sheriffs sheriff's term of office ran for only two years Sheriff Bliss BIss was succeeded by Heber Murphy now of Salt SaU Lake City who was elected In November 1922 Sheriff Murphy Murphy Murphy Mur Mur- phy resigned Aug 3 1925 and i It n. D D. u. u n IV l o od ur urns was age again i n ap ap- an i u. u n IV l o od ur urns was age again n ap ap- an guu appointed 11 pointed to ta the vacancy serving until Jan 1 1 1937 In November Novem Novem- ber her 1926 O. O C C. C Miller was erected ejected sheriff and served dur during I dur-I ing and nd 1928 He died on New Y Years Year's ars ar's day 1929 and eight days later the county commissioners commis appointed John B. B to the vacancy Sheriff Sheriffs has been e elected re-elected five times for year four terms his present presen t term of off office aUke Lee ex in January 1951 It was in September 1928 that Deputy Sheriff Westwood was killed by two prisoners one had one of whom wham had concealed a agUn asun gUn sun on his person When the deputy entered the Jail jal with their supper they killed him and Cd escaped being captured a couple of days later by Sheriff and posse The fhe slayers stet R n. H. H Elliott an Webber Web ber ater Pfoutz were Pfoutz-were were convicted dof of first first degree murder and given life sentences Elliott was later adjudged insane an and died n 11 the the estate state hospital at at Provo Pravo Pfoutz was paroled from the theP P penitentiary several years ago |