petty items as appended have a certain interest and value as an element in pueblo annals, even if in the absence of causas célebres they call for no special remarks in my text.
killed cattle at Los Nietos for their hides. Id., iv. 283. Nov. no food furnished to prisoners; but for charity they would starve. Dept. St. Pap. Ben., MS., v. 67. Dana, Two Years before the Mast, 196-7, tells how a Mexican entered a naturalized Yankee's house and stabbed him to the heart. Americans seized the murderer, and as the gov. and gen. declined to interfere, with the aid of 30 or 40 trappers they took possession of the town, appointed a judge and jury, and shot the man after his conviction in spite of a proclamation from a general 'with titles enough for an hidalgo.' This is a story of some interest, but I think it has no foundation in fact.
1836. See reference to murder of Félix and acts of vigilance committee elsewhere. Jan 2d, new series of munic. regulations. Dept. St. Pap., Ang., MS., ii. 72. Jan. 14th, ayunt. complains of an 'epidemic of crows'! and calls for a contribution for the slaughter of the birds; else a bando will be issued. Los Ang. Ayunt. Rec., MS., 64. Jan. 28th, danger of hydrophobia. No man must keep more than two dogs, and those securely tied. All the rest must be killed, and the 2d alcalde offered to furnish poison on credit as the treasury was empty. Id., 68. Feb., inhab. willing to build a prison; meanwhile the curate's house to be used. Dept. St. Pap., Ang., MS., x. 44, 54. March, 12 prisoners, 7 of them out on bail, 1 for murder, 1 assault with wounds, 6 for larceny, 2 for stealing cattle. Id., B. M., lxxxii. 28. Six suspicious persons found sleeping in the fields at S. Francisco rancho, with 3 English muskets and a pistol. Id., Ang., ii. 48. Aug., still 12 prisoners, including 2 assassins. Id., vi. 9.
1837. Feb., the junta de guerra mentioned above (Oct. 1835) had condemned to death the men convicted of cuereando. The ayunt. asks for a commutation to exile or some milder punishment; but the culprits were to be marched through the streets with a crier proclaiming their crimes on the way to their destination. Los Ang. Arch., MS., iv. 283-4. Jesus Pico, Acontecimientos, MS., 43, says he was charged with conducting the men, 8 in number, to Monterey, en route for Sonoma. He remembers the names of Romero, 2 Valdés, José García, and Antonio Valencia. Manuel Arzaga was living with the wife of a man absent at Guaymas. By advice of Padre Duran, the alcalde ordered the guilty couple to be parted, the woman to be delivered to P. Esténega at the mission, until her husband should come, and Arzaga to be sent to S. Diego and closely watched. The two managed to meet again, and at the padre's complaint new orders were issued in Nov. S. Diego, Arch., MS., 188.
1838. German, Sucesos, MS., 2-3, says that Ritillo Valencia, for firing a pistol at Domingo Altamirano, was sent to Mont. in irons. July 7th, police regulations in 22. articles. Los Ang. Arch., MS., v. 29-37. Oct., Antonio Valencia being tried for murder of Ant. Águila. Dept. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 11. Nov., nine keepers of shops petition for the privilege of selling liquor on feast days after the 'toque de las ánimas,' as the only means of gaining a living, so dull was trade. Referred to the gov. Los Ang. Ayunt. Rec., MS., 52.
1839. Jan., police regul. in 10 articles for the year. Los Ang. Arch., MS., V. 48-51. Feb., Jose M. Cota, son of the owner of Los Cerritos, sent to the gov. as a cattle thief. Dept. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 19-20. May, decree against vagrants, who must be made to work. Dept. Rec., MS., x. 23; Vallejo, Doc., MS., vii. 10; Mont. Arch., MS., ix. 9. Criminal proceedings against Francisco Limon for outrage on a little Indian girl at S. Fernando, resulting in her death. Sentenced to 2 years in presidio. Sentence sent to Mex. for approval. Dept. St Pap., Ben., MS., iv. 1-4. Decree against sale of liquors
