A history of California and an extended history of its southern coast counties, also containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present, Volume I, Part 32

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company
Number of Pages: 1184

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The last organized band of robbers which terrorized the southern part of the state was that of Vasquez. Tiburcio Vasquez was born in Monterey county, of Mexican parents, in 1837. Early in life he began a career of crime. After committing a number of robberies and thefts he was captured and sent to San Quentin for horse stealing. He was discharged in 1863, but continued his disreputable career. He united with Procopio and Soto, two noted ban- dits. Soto was killed by Sheriff Morse of Ala- meda county in a desperate encounter. Vasquez and his gang of outlaws committed robberies throughout the southern part of the state, rang- ing from Santa Clara and Alameda counties to the Mexican line. Early in May, 1874, Sheriff William Rowland of Los Angeles county, who had repeatedly tried to capture Vasquez, but whose plans had been foiled by the bandit's

spies, learned that the robber chief was mak- ing his headquarters at the house of Greek George, about ten miles due west of Los An- geles, toward Santa Monica, in a cañon of the Cahnenga mountains. The morning of May 15 was set for the attack. To avert suspicion Sheriff Rowland remained in the city. The at- tacking force, eight in number, were under command of Under-Sheriff Albert Johnson, the other members of the force were Major H. M. Mitchell, attorney-at-law; J. S. Bryant, city con- stable; E. Harris, policeman; W. E. Rogers, citizen; B. F. Hartley, chief of police; and D. K. Smith, citizen, all of Los Angeles, and a Mr. Beers, of San Francisco, special correspondent of the San Francisco Chronicle.

At 4 a. m. on the morning of the 15th of May the posse reached Major Mitchell's bee ranch in a small cañon not far from Greek George's. From this point the party reconnoitered the bandit's hiding place and planned an attack. As the deputy sheriff and his men were about to move against the house a high box wagon drove up the cañon from the direction of Greek George's place. In this were two natives; the sheriff's party climbed into the high wagon box and, lying down, compelled the driver to drive up to the back of Greek George's house, threatening him and his companion with death on the least sign of treachery. Reaching the house they surrounded it and burst in the door. Vasquez, who had been eating his breakfast, at- tempted to escape through a small window. The party opened fire on him. Being wounded and finding himself surrounded on all sides, he surrendered. He was taken to the Los Angeles jail. His injuries proved to be mere flesh wounds. He received a great deal of maudlin sympathy from silly women, who magnified him into a hero. He was taken to San José, tried for murder, found guilty and hanged, March 19. 1875. His band was thereupon broken up and dispersed.

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

FILIBUSTERS AND FILIBUSTERING.

T HE rush of immigration to California in the early '50s had brought to the state a class of adventurers who were too lazy or too proud to work. They were ready to engage in almost any lawless undertaking that promised plunder and adventure. The de- feat of the pro-slavery politicians in their at- tempts to fasten their "peculiar institution" upon any part of the territory acquired from Mex- ico had embittered them. The more un- scrupulous among them began to look around for new fields, over which slavery might be ex- tended. As it could be made profitable only in southern lands, Cuba, Mexico and Central America became the arenas for enacting that form of piracy called "filibustering." The object of these forays, when organized by Americans, was to seize upon territory as had been done in Texas and erect it into an independent gov- ernment that ultimately would be annexed to the United States and become slave territory. Although the armed invasion of countries with which the United States was at peace was a di- rect violation of its neutrality laws, yet the fed- eral office-holders in the southern states and in California, all of whom belonged to the pro- slavery faction, not only made no attempt to prevent these invasions, but secretly aided them or at least sympathized with them to the extent of allowing them to recruit men and depart without molestation. There was a glamour of romance about these expeditions that influenced unthinking young men of no fixed principles to join them; these were to be pitied. But the leaders of them and their abettors were cold, selfish, scheming politicians, willing, if need be, to overthrow the government of the nation and build on its ruins an oligarchy of slave holders.

The first to organize a filibuster expedition in California was a Frenchman. Race prejudices were strong in early mining days. The United

States had recently been at war with Mexico. The easy conquest of that country had bred a contempt for its peoples. The Sonoran migra- tion, that begun soon after the discovery of gold in California, brought a very undesirable class of immigrants to the state. Sailing vessels had brought from the west coast of South America another despised class of mongrel Spanish. It exasperated the Americans to see these people digging gold and carrying it out of the country. This antagonism extended, more or less, to all foreigners, but was strongest against men of the Latin races. Many French- men, through emigration schemes gotten up in Paris, had been induced to come to Califor- nia. Some of these were men of education and good standing, but they fell under the ban of prejudices and by petty persecutions were driven out of the mines and forced to earn a precarious living in the cities. There was a great deal of dissatisfaction among the French- men with existing conditions in California, and they were ready to embark in any scheme that promised greater rewards. Among the French population of San Francisco was a man of noble family, Count Gaston Roaul de Rousset-Boul- bon. He had lost his ancestral lands and was in reduced circumstances. He was a man of education and ability, but visionary. He con- ceived the idea of establishing a French colony on the Sonora border and opening the mines that had been abandoned on account of Apache depredations. By colonizing the border he hoped to put a stop to American encroachments. He divulged his scheme to the French consul, Dillon, at San Francisco, who entered heartily into it. Raousset was sent to the City of Mex- ico, where he obtained from President Arista the desired concession of land and the promise of financial assistance from a leading banking house there on condition that he proceed at

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once to Sonora with an armed company of Frenchmen. Returning to San Francisco he quickly recruited from among the French resi- dents two hundred and fifty men and with these he sailed for Guaymas, where he arrived early in June, 1852. He was well received at first, but soon found himself regarded with suspicion. He was required by the authorities to remain at Guaymas. After a month's detention he was allowed to proceed through Hermosilla to the Arizona border.

When about one hundred miles from Arispe he received an order from General Blanco, then at Hermosilla, to report to him. While halting at El Caric to consider his next move he re- ceived a reinforcement of about eighty French colonists, who had come to the country the year before under command of Pindray. Pindray had met his death in a mysterious manner. It was supposed that he was poisoned. The colon- ist had remained in the country. Raousset sent one of his men, Garnier, to interview Blanco. General Blanco gave his ultimatum-First, that the Frenchmen should become naturalized citi- zens of Mexico; or, secondly, they should wait until letters of security could be procured from the capital, when they might proceed to Arizona and take possession of any mines they found; or, lastly, they might put themselves under the leadership of a Mexican officer and then proceed. Raousset and his followers refused to accede to any of these propositions. Blanco began col- lecting men and munitions of war to oppose the French. Raousset raised the flag of revolt and invited the inhabitants to join him in gaining the independence of Sonora. After drilling his men a few weeks and preparing for hostilities he began his march against Hermosilla, distant one hundred and fifty miles. He met with 110 opposition, the people along his route welcom- ing the French. General Blanco had twelve hundred men to defend the city. But instead of preparing to resist the advancing army he sent delegates to Raousset to offer him money to let the city alone. Raousset sent back word that at 8 o'clock he would begin the attack; and at II would be master of the city. He was as good as his word. The Frenchmen charged the Mex- icans and although the opposing force num-

bered four to one of the assailants, Raousset's men captured the town and drove Blanco's troops out of it. The Mexican loss was two hundred killed and wounded. The French loss seventeen killed and twenty-three wounded Raousset's men were mere adventurers and were in the country without any definite purpose. Could he have relied on them, he might have captured all of Sonora.

He abandoned Hermosilla. Blanco, glad to get rid of the filibusters on any terms, raised $11,000 and chartered a vessel to carry them back to San Francisco. A few elected to re- main. Raousset went to Mazatlan and a few months later he reached San Francisco, where he was lionized as a hero. Upon an invitation from Santa Ana, who had succeeded Arista as president, he again visited the Mexican capital in June, 1853. Santa Ana was profuse in prom- ises. He wanted Raousset to recruit five hun- dred Frenchmen to protect the Sonora frontier against the Indians, promising ample remunera- tion and good pay for their services. Raousset, finding that Santa Ana's promises could not be relied upon, and that the wiley schemer was about to have him arrested, made his escape to Acapulco, riding several horses to death to reach there ahead of his pursuers. He embarked immediately for San Francisco.

In the meantime another filibuster, William Walker, with forty-one followers had landed at La Paz November 3. 1853, and proclaimed a new nation, the Republic of Lower California. Santa Ana, frightened by this new invasion, be- gan making overtures through the Mexican con- sul, Luis del Valle, at San Francisco to secure French recruits for military service on the Mex- ican frontier. Del Valle applied to the French consul, Dillon, and Dillon applied to Raousset. Raonsset soon secured eight hundred recruits and chartered the British ship Challenge to take them to Guaymas. Then the pro-slavery federal officials at San Francisco were aroused to ac- tion. The neutrality laws were being violated. It was not that they cared for the laws, but they feared that this new filibustering scheme might interfere with their pet, Walker, who had, in ad- dition to the Republic of Lower California, founded another nation, the Republic of Sonora,

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in both of which he had decreed slavery. The ship was seized, but after a short detention was allowed to sail with three hundred French- men.

Del Valle was vigorously prosecuted by the federal authorities for violation of a section of the neutrality laws, which forbade the enlistment within the United States of soldiers to serve 1111- der a foreign power. Dillon, the French con- stil, was implicated and on his refusal to testify in court he was arrested. He fell back on his dignity and asserted that his nation had been in- sulted through him and closed his consulate. For a time there were fears of international trouble.

Del Valle was found guilty of violating the neutrality laws, but was never punished. The pro-slavery pet, Walker, and his gang were driven out of Mexico and the federal officials had no more interest in enforcing neutrality laws. Meanwhile Raousset, after great diffi- culties, had joined the three hundred Frenchi- men at Guaymas. A strip of northern Sonora had been sold under what is known as the Gads- den purchase to the United States. There was no longer any opportunity to secure mines there from Mexico, but Raousset thought he could erect a barrier to any further encroachments of the United States and eventually secure Mexico for France. His first orders on reaching Guay- mas to the commander of the French, Desmaris, was to attack the Mexican troops and capture the city. His order did not reach Desmaris. His messenger was arrested and the Mexican au- thorities begun collecting forces to oppose Raousset. Having failed to receive reinforce- ments, and his condition becoming unendurable, he made an attack on the Mexican forces, twelve hundred strong. After a brave assault he was defeated. He surrendered to the French consul on the assurance that his life and that of his men would be spared. He was treacherously surrendered by the French consul to the Mex- ican general. He was tried by a court-martial, found guilty and sentenced to be shot. On the morning of August 12, 1854, he was executed. His misguided followers were shipped back to San Francisco. So ended the first California filibuster.

The first American born filibuster who or- ganized one of these piratical expeditions was William Walker, a native of Tennessee. He came to California with the rush of 1850. He had started out in life to be a doctor, had studied law and finally drifted into journalism. He be- longed to the extreme pro-slavery faction. He located in San Francisco and found employment on the Herald. His bitter invective against the courts for their laxity in punishing crime raised the ire of Judge Levi Parsons, who fined Walker $500 for contempt of court and ordered him imprisoned until the fine was paid. Walker re- fused to pay the fine and went to jail. He at once bounded into notoriety. He was a mar- tyr to the freedom of the press. A public in- dignation meeting was called. An immense crowd of sympathizers called on Walker in jail. A writ of habeas corpus was sued out and he was released from jail and discharged. In the legislature of 1852 lie tried to have Parson im- peached, but failed. He next opened a law of- fice in Marysville.

The success of Raousset-Boulbon in his first expedition to Sonora had aroused the ambition of Walker to become the founder of a new gov- ernment. His first efforts were directed towards procuring from Mexico a grant on the Sonora border ; this was to be colonized with Americans, who would protect the Mexican frontier from Apache incursion. This was a mere subterfuge and the Mexican authorities were not deceived by it-he got no grant. To forestall Raousset- Boulbon, who was again in the field with his revolutionary scheme, Walker opened a recruit- ing office. Each man was to receive a square league of land and plunder galore. The bait took, meetings were held, scrip sold and re- cruits flocked to Walker. The brig Arrow was chartered to carry the liberators to their des- tination. The pro-slavery officials, who held ali the offices, winked at this violation of the neu- trality laws. There was but one man, General Hitchcock, who dared to do his-duty. He seized the vessel; it was released, and Hitchcock re- moved from command. Jefferson Davis was secretary of war and Hitchcock was made to feel his wrath for interfering with one of Davis' pet projects, the extension of slavery. Walker

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sailed in another vessel, the Caroline, taking with him forty-one of his followers, well armed with rifles and revolvers to develop the re- sources of the country.

The vessel with Walker and his gang sneaked into La Paz under cover of a Mexican flag. He seized the unsuspecting governor and other offi- cials and then proclaimed the Republic of Lower California. He appointed from his following a number of officials with high sounding titles. He adopted the code of Louisiana as the law of the land. This, as far as he was able, introduced into the country human slavery, which indeed was about the sole purpose of his filibuster- ing schemes. Fearing that the Mexican gov- ernment might send an expedition across the gulf to stop his marauding, he slipped out of the harbor and sailed up to Todas Santos, so as to be near the United States in case the Mexican government should make it uncomfortable for him. With this as headquarters he began prepa- rations for an invasion of Sonora. His delectable followers appropriated to their own use what- ever they could find in the poverty-stricken country. The news of the great victory at La Paz reached San Francisco and created great enthusiasm among Walker's sympathizers. His vice-president, Watkins, enrolled three hundred recruits and sent them to him, "greatly to the relief of the criminal calendar."

Walker began to drill his recruits for the con- quest of Sonora. These patriots, who had ral- lied to the support of the new republic, under the promise of rich churches to pillage and well- stocked ranches to plunder, did not take kindly to a diet of jerked beef and beans and hard drill- ing under a torrid sun. Some rebelled and it became necessary for Walker to use the lash and even to shoot two of them for the good of the cause. The natives rebelled when they found their cattle and frijoles disappearing and the so- called battle of La Gualla was fought between the natives and a detachment of Walker's forag- ers, several of whom were killed. The news of this battle reached San Francisco and was mag- nified into a great victory. The new republic had been baptized in the blood of its martyrs.

After three months spent in drilling. Walker began his march to Sonora with but one hun-

dred men, and a small herd of cattle for food. Most of the others had deserted. In his jour- ney across the desert the Indians stole some of his cattle and more of his men deserted. On reaching the Colorado river about half of his force abandoned the expedition and marched to Fort Yuma, where Major Heintzelman re- lieved their necessities. Walker with thirty-five men had started back for Santa Tomas. They brought up at Tia Juana, where they crossed the American line, surrendered and gave their paroles to Major Mckinstry of the United States army. When Walker and his Falstaffian army reached San Francisco they were lionized as heroes. All they had done was to kill a few inoffensive natives on the peninsula and steal their cattle. Their valiant leader had proclaimed two republics and decreed (on paper) that slav- ery should prevail in them. He had had sev- eral of his dupes whipped and two of them shot, which was probably the most commendable thing he had done. His proclamations were ridiculous and his officers with their high sound- ing titles had returned from their burlesque con- quest with scarcely rags enough on them to cover their nakedness. Yet, despite all this, the attempt to enlarge the area of slave territory covered him with glory and his rooms were the resort of all the pro-slavery officials of Califor- nia.

The federal officials made a show of prosecut- ing the filibusters. Watkins, the vice-president of the Republic of Lower California and So- nora, was put on trial in the United States dis- trict court. The evidence was so plain and the proof so convincing that the judge was com- pelled to convict against his will. This delightful specimen of a pro-słavery justice expressed from the bench his sympathy for "those spirited men who had gone forth to upbuild the broken altars and rekindle the extinguished fires of lib- erty in Mexico and Lower California." With such men to enforce the laws, it was not strange that vigilance committees were needed in Cal- ifornia. Watkins and Emory, the so-called sec- retary of state, were fined each $1,500. The fines were never paid and no effort was ever made to compel their payment. The secretary of war and the secretary of the navy were put

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on trial and acquitted. This ended the shame- ful farce.

Walker's next expedition was to Nicaragua in 1855. A revolution was in progress there. He joined forces with the Democratic party or anti- legitimists. He took but fifty-six men with him. These were called the American phalanx. His first engagement was an attack upon the fortified town of Rivas. Although his men fought bravely, they were defeated and two of his best officers, Kewen and Crocker, killed. His next fight was the battle of Virgin Bay, in which, with fifty Americans and one hundred and twenty natives, he defeated six hundred legitimists. He received reinforcements from California and reorganized his force. He seized the Accessory Transit Company's lake steamer La Virgin against the protest of the company, embarked his troops on board of it and by an adroit movement captured the capi- tal city, Granada. His exploits were heralded abroad and recruits flocked to his support. The legitimist had fired upon a steamer bringing pas- sengers up the San Juan river and killed several. Walker in retaliation ordered Mateo Mazorga, the legitimist secretary of state, whom he had taken prisoner at Granada, shot. Peace was de- clared between the two parties and Patrico Rivas made president. Rivas was president only in name: Walker was the real head of the gov- ernment and virtually dictator.

He was now at the zenith of his power. By a series of arbitrary acts he confiscated the Ac- cessory Transit Company's vessels and charter. This company had become a power in California travel and had secured the exclusive transit of passengers by the Nicaragua route, then the most popular route to California.

By this action he incurred the enmity of Van- derbilt, who henceforth worked for his down- fall. The confiscation of the transit company's right destroyed confidence in the route, and travel virtually ceased by. it. This was a blow to the prosperity of the country. To add to Walker's misfortunes, the other Central Amer- ican states combined to drive the hated foreign- ers out of the country. He had gotten rid of Rivas and had secured the presidency for him- self. He had secured the repeal of the Nic-

aragua laws against slavery and thus paved the way for the introduction of his revered institu- tion. His army now amounted to about twelve hundred men, mostly recruited from California and the slave states. The cholera broke out among his forces and in the armies of the allies and numbers died. His cause was rapidly wan- ing. Many of his dupes deserted. A series of disasters arising from his blundering and in- capacity, resulted in his overthrow. He and sixteen of his officers were taken out of the country on the United States sloop of war, St. Mary's. The governor of Panama refused to allow him to land in that city. He was sent across the isthmus under guard to Aspinwall and from there with his staff took passage to New Orleans. His misguided followers were transported to Panama and found their way back to the United States.

Upon arriving at New Orleans he began re- cruiting for a new expedition. One hundred and fifty of his "emigrants" sailed from Mobile; the pro-slavery federal officials allowing them to depart. They were wrecked on Glover's reef, about seventy miles from Balize. They were rescued by a British vessel and returned to Mo- bile. Walker, with one hundred and thirty-two arined emigrants, landed at Punta Arenas, No- vember 25, 1857, and hoisted his Nicaraguan flag and called himself commander-in-chief of the army of Nicaragua. He and his men began a career of plunder: seized the fort or cas- tillo on the San Juan river; captured steam- ers, killed several inhabitants and made prisoners of others. Commander Paulding. of the United States flagship Wabash, then on that coast, regarded these acts as rapine and murder, and Walker and his men as out- laws and pirates. He broke up their camp, dis- armed Walker and his emigrants and sent them to the United States for trial. But instead of Walker and his followers being tried for piracy their pro-slavery abettors made heroes of them.

Walker's last effort to regain his lost prestige in Nicaragua was made in 1860. With two hun- dred men, recruited in New Orleans, he landed near Truxillo, in Honduras. His intention was to make his way by land to Nicaragua. He very soon found armed opposition. His new recruits

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were not inclined to sacrifice themselves to make him dictator of some country that they had no interest in. So they refused to stand up against the heavy odds they encountered in every fight. Finding his situation growing desperate, he was induced to surrender himself to the captain of the British man-of-war Icarus. The authorities of Honduras made a demand on the captain for Walker. That British officer promptly turned the filibuster over to them. He was tried by a court-martial, hastily convened, found guilty of the offenses charged, and condemned to die. September 25, 1860, he was marched out and, in accordance with his sentence, shot to death.

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A history of California and an extended history of its southern coast counties, also containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present, Volume I, Part 32

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918 Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company Number of Pages: 1184

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company
Number of Pages: 1184