having accepted the Mexican central system, abolished the town council and appointed an encargado to serve temporarily until the new organization could be effected; and accordingly in 1839-40 juez de paz was at the head of affairs. Also in 1839 José Castro was made prefect of the first district with headquarters at San Juan, his father, Tiburcio Castro, succeeding him in 1840. Excepting the Castañares-Herrera cases, noted elsewhere in connection with the political troubles to which they contributed, the administration of justice at Monterey furnishes very little matter that is either interesting or instructive; nevertheless the criminal record with other details of municipal affairs are believed to be worth preserving. Private ranchos[1] mentioned in the records as having
- ↑ Ranchos of Monterey district, 1831-40. Those marked with a * were rejected by the land commission or U. S. courts. Aguajito, ½ l., granted in 1835 to Gregorio Tapia, who was the claimant. Aguajito (Sta Cruz Co.), 500 v., 1837, Miguel Villagrana, who was cl. Alisal, 1⅓ l., 1834, Feliciano Soberanez et al.; B. Bernal cl. In 1836 Soberanes and 37 other persons lived on the rancho. Alisal, ⅔ l., Wm. E. Hartnell, who was cl. Ánimas, or Sitio de la Brea (Sta Clara Co.), 24,000 acres, conf. in 1835 to Josefa Romero de Castro, who was cl. In 1836 she and her family, 16 persons, were living at Las Ánimas. At the same time Antonio German and 32 persons were living at La Brea. See also Cañada de S. Felipe y Las Ánimas. *Arias Rancho, 1 l., 1839, Francisco Arias; A. Canil et al. cl. Aptos (Sta Cruz Co.), 1 l., 1833, Rafael Castro, who was cl. Aromitas y Agua Caliente, 3 l., 1835, Juan M. Ánsar, who was cl. Arroyo de la Laguna (Sta Cruz Co.), 1840, Gil Sanchez;
MS., iii. 84; Id., Ben. P. y J., iii. 13; Mont. Arch., MS., ix. 30. Juez de paz David Spence and perhaps Estévan Munrás; juez auxiliar Joaquin Buelna at Pilarcitos; capt. of the port Pedro Narvaez. Simeon Castro is also named as alcalde. April 7th while the town was under martial law on account of the arrest of foreigners Diego Félix murdered his wife and her unborn child, for which crime he was shot by the governor's order within 12 hours. Vallejo, Doc., MS., ix. 108; Pinto, Apunt., MS., 45-9; Castro, Rel., MS., 57-60. July, gov, organizes and instructs a patrol force to protect the district against Ind. and other robbers. Dept. St. Pap., St. José, MS., v. 58-60. Aug.-Sept., the jurisdiction of the juez defined as extending to Rio de Soledad, including Alisal, Sauzal, Espinosa's rancho, Bolsa Nueva, all the ranchos of the Salinas, Tucho, to the Carmelo boundary. Dept. St. Pap., Mont., MS., iv. 23; Mont. Arch., MS., ix. 26-7. Dec., owners of shops, etc. must keep a light before their doors till 10 P. M., even if the shop is closed. Id., 30-1; Dept. Rec., MS., xi. 29. Additional references for the list of town officials. Mont. Arch., MS., i. 28; ii. 1, 3, 8, 12; iii. 2-4; v. 1; vi. 3-9, 24; vii. 40, 43, 62-6; ix. 3, 9, 25-7; xi. 12, 14; xvi. 16, 23; Dept. St. Pap., Mont., MS., ii. 21-2; iv. 82; iii. 93; vi. 10, 28, 36, 38; S. José Arch., MS., i. 46-7; ii. 50; iii. 40, 103; iv. 15, 18, 51; v. 32, 39-40; vi. 27, 38; Dept. St. Pap., MS., iii. 95, 162, 167; iv. 249; xiv. 2; xvii. 2, 3; Id., Ben., P. y J., iii. 30, 47-8, 79, 84, 88; vi. 37; Id., Ben., ii. 3; vi. 74, 310; St. Pap., Miss., MS., v. 40; Id., Sac., xi. 69; xii. 10; xiv. 7, 13; Id., Miss. & Col., ii. 229, 235, 353-6; Leg. Rec., MS., i. 348; ii. 262; iii. 22-3; Gomez, Doc., MS., 24-5, 33.
