Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/636

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618
LOCAL ANNALS OF SAN DIEGO DISTRICT.

with local annals of the period, in a list of original items as appended.[1]


  1. 1831. Charges of rape and incest by a girl against her father, a military officer. The evidence was not strong enough for conviction, but the girl was removed from her father's control on account of his cruelty. Dept. St. Pap., B. M., MS., lxxiv. 11-29. 1833. Much gambling among both Indians and gente de razon. Ezquer, Mem., MS., 2-3. 1835-40. Municipal police regulations, instructions to jueces de campo, etc., most relating to the killing of cattle, carrying weapons, punishment for petty thefts. S. D. Arch., MS., 51, 162, 168; Id. Index, 106-9. 1835. For want of funds to support prisoners, they were put to work for any citizen who would feed them. S. D. Arch., MS., 38. Domingo sentenced to 4 years of presidio for murder of Cruz. Hayes' Miss. B., 310; Dept. St. Pap., Ang. Pref. y Juzg., MS., ii. 21. A prominent citizen granted by the alcalde a separation from his wife who had lost $2,000 by gambling. S. D. Arch., MS., 63. There are many petty gambling cases before conciliadores in these years. 1836. F. M. Alvarado fined $50 and $25 to the Ind. he had flogged, 'a scandalous proceeding.' Fine reduced to $25 and 'satisfaction' to complainant. Id., 67. A Mex. for applying his brand to the cattle of others, and an Ind. for forging the síndico's name to a permit for a key of aguardiente, sent by the alcalde to Lieut. Gutierrez as no longer to be tolerated in the jurisdiction. Id., 113-14. Penalties in the alcalde's court: stealing cattle or horses, one to three months of public works; stealing brandy, 2d offence, 1 year with chain; not informing against a thief, $3 and 3 days' arrest; Ind. for rape, 1 year with chain; Ind. servant of Bandini for carrying off a woman, 6 months; running away and stealing a horse, 20 days; coming from S. Miguel without a pass and robbery, 1 month; robbing a room, banishment for municipality. Id., 67. Two ex-convicts arrested as vagrants. Id., 71. Thos Russell fined $10 and loss of his pistol for sending a challenge to Lumsden. Id., 67. Prisoners all at work for private citizens, says the com., being blamed for the escape of a convict. Dept. St. Pap., B. M., MS., lxxxi. 19. Bandini supposes that an Ind. murderer being a christian will come under jurisdiction of the alcalde, and not of the mil. com. Hayes' Miss. B., 302. Sept., an Ind. who 'tuvo inconsequencias' with his wife after prayers went and hanged himself. J. J. Ortega and two others went to look at the man and reported to the chief alcalde. Then the 1st regidor and sec. went to the spot, and looking upon the hanging man asked three times in the name of God who had killed him. Getting no reply, they proceeded to examine the body, and being satisfied he had hanged himself, ordered him to be taken down. Id., 301. Dec., Russell banished for escape from prison. S. D. Arch., MS., 63. 1837. Ind. for killing a calf fined $2 and 45 days on public works. Fine for gambling, $2.50 for each party. The alcalde founds his decisions on the laws of 1827 and 1833. Id., 191. Feb., there were 14 prisoners on public works, three of them allotted to Fitch to repair the plaza road. Id., 172. Síndico ordered to patrol the town with a guard of citizens. Id., 161. Five prisoners at work on a court-house and jail deemed more important than a church. No place to keep the prisoners at night unless some citizen would give up a room. Contributions called for, and 8 fan. corn received. Id., 166-7. I839. Prefect calls for a list of 'ociosos y mal entretenidos.' Alcalde replies that owing to his efforts there are no idlers in town. Id., 228. Prefect asked to decide about two ex-neophytes who stole a cow. Alcalde understands that such are to be again 'reduced' to their mission. Hayes' Miss. B., 334. Prefect says a thief must be sent to the alcalde of Los Angeles, from mission to mission, with the papers in the case. S. D. Arch., MS., 237. 1840. There being no troops or jail, Fitch needs an escolta to enforce laws against drunkenness, etc. Hayes, Doc., MS., 118. Feb., citizens, chiefly foreigners, subscribe $828 as a reward for discovery of the murderer of Luis Juan. S. D. Index, MS., 65.