At Branciforte, certain evil-doers disobeyed and even ridiculed the alcalde's orders. Comandante Castro sent Lieutenant Soto with a force to aid the municipal authorities. Nine, all members of the Robles, Salazar, and Soria families, were arrested. On the march back to San Juan the prisoners refused to obey orders, and were fired upon, Avelino Robles being killed and Nicolás Robles badly wounded. Reports based on this affair and the plots of Ramirez, were circulated in the south, to the effect that the whole north was in revolt; but Prefect Peña issued a denial of such reports, presenting the death of Robles and the imprisonment of his companions as a salutary example for the benefit of the Angelinos, showing the energy of the government and the inevitable consequences of insubordination.[1]
Yet despite the warnings thus given by the prefect, a tumult occurred before the month was over in the city of Los Angeles, or 'Los Diablos' as it was
- ↑ April 19th, Castro to Vallejo, with marginal order of the latter that the prisoners be tried by military law. Vallejo, Doc., MS., vi. 456. May 2d, Prefect Peña's circular, in S. Diego, Arch., MS., 223; Monterey, Arch., MS., ix. 7-8; Dept. Rec., MS., x. 24-5. May 23d, Castro to Vallejo. No proceedings by military law because the gov. had banished the prisoners from Cal. or from the Monterey district. V. blames C. for having permitted an 'incompetent authority' to interfere. Vallejo, Doc., MS., vii. 131.
accused of embezzling the public funds, but no definite proofs exist. Juan Bandini's fruitless efforts to investigate his management of the revenues are well known to the reader, who also remembers the part taken by Don Angel in support of Alvarado's revolution of 1836. He thought he could control Alvarado more easily than Gutierrez, but learned his mistake when he made the attempt, being removed from his office in December 1836. Castillo Negrete described him in verse as 'El proto-libertador – Primer hombre de Estado – Es un fraile renegado – Gran perjuro y gran traidor – De oficio administrador – Es de muy ancha conciencia – Derrochador sin clemencia – Sagaz revolucionario – Jugador y pendulario – Sin Dios, ni patria, ni creencia.' Unable to control the governor, he engaged in plots against him; and was arrested in July, 1837. Later he lived at the missions, closely watched, and always suspected. Torre, Remin., MS., 79, García, Hechos, MS., 71-2, and Serrano, Apuntes, MS., 53-4, describe not very clearly his mission life, stating that at the last he was treated with great indignity. He died at San Luis Obispo on Feb. 6, 1840, and was buried next day by P. Abella. After postponing confession from time to time, he at last promised to attend to his spiritual welfare after taking a short sleep, but from that sleep he never awoke, and thus died without the sacraments. S. Luis Obispo, Lib. Mision, MS., 55. His disease was syphilis contracted among the Indians. A writer in the Californian, Nov. 21, 1846, attributes his death to poison. On account of his promise to confess, his body was buried in the mission cemetery.
