History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 8

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837-
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1070

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SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

first infraction of the law and twenty for the second. The streets were to be kept clean by the inhabitants. All foot-paths in front of buildings must be swept by 8 A. M. on Saturdays or a fine of two dollars would be im- posed : also on Saturdays the justice of the peace should see that a cart and two men clean away all street garbage.

A prisoner. Francisco Garcia, was being held and the court ordered two dollars per night paid to each man necessary to watch him. No mention is made of the crime for which he was held. The days on which each cattle owner in the county might hold a rodeo were set and the "judge of the plains" was to be notified of a rodeo two days in advance. All brands and earmarks were to be registered. A piece of the town land was set aside as a sort of rancheria ; all Indians "with white masters" must live on this plot, and persons holding contracts with Indians for labor to be performed must publish the same without delay. Liquor could be sold to Indians on Sunday afternoons only between the close of church and sundown, and the Indians must go to a place designated to drink it. Behold the first "Sunday liquor law" of the county.

Henry A. Tefft was elected the first judge of the second judicial district, viz. : this and Santa Barbara counties. May 3, 1852, boards of supervisors were provided for, by an act of the legislature, for some counties, this being one. The supervisors took over the duties of the courts of sessions, and they ceased to be. The duties were about the same as for supervisors at present. The first board was composed of John Wilson, Francis Z. Branch, Joaquin Estrada, William G. Dana and Samuel A. Pollard. At the first meeting, Mr. Dana was declared "not eligible," as he was to be treasurer of the county; so William L. Beebee was appointed in his place. Each supervisor was to receive five dollars per day for each day's necessary attendance, and twenty- five cents per mile going, the miles to be estimated from his home to the place of meeting. They could not contract debts that would exceed the annual revenue of the county for county purposes.

In 1850, the tax list showed sixty-two taxpayers and the amount of taxes placed at $4,150.67. Of this sum John Wilson paid $639.20; Jesus Pico, $207.30: Rafael Villa, $176.57; Isaac J. Sparks, $260.80: Julian Estrada, $190.70: Joaquin Estrada, $296.50; W. G. Dana. $379.17; Vicente Canet, $122.10: F. Z. Branch, $431.52. The other sums ranged from $98.50 to the lowest, $4.50. Don Jose Jesus Pico got a change made in his taxes as you will see later.

A Few Items of Interest

March, 1852, $300 for repairing courthouse, $20 for lock to "gaol," $8 for wwwwy branding iron, $5 for interpreter. Licensed, two monte tables. @ sty per month : two billiard tables @ $10.00 per month ; retailing liquor, Srl jer quarter, nine bars licensed. Two peddler's licenses, @ $7.00 per No mile Merchants, $1.00 per month, seven licensed. This is in 1852-53.

St & me ting of the court of sessions in December, 1851 the following bifsine- was transacted. County Judge Bonilla received $759.00 for three monthe For ice : all taxes could be paid in legal tender of the United States, forden tons af fixed value of gold dust at the rate of $16.00 Troy ounce ; a sailor was appointed, pay $25.00 per month ; $36.00 per month allowed for each prisoner's board. The clerk's salary was reduced from ten to six dol- lars per day "while attending upon the court." The county auditor got ten

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dollars for the month of September, 1851; $300.00 was appropriated for courthouse furniture, to be used presumably in a room of the Mission, "to wit, five common benches, each eight feet long, two six feet long, one judge's bench five and a half feet long, to be raised twelve inches from the floor, one seat for the associate judges ; one book case with pigeon-holes, one clerk's table, two smaller tables for use of lawyers, and a railing across the court-room with gate." The contract was awarded Rollin M. C. Hoyt, wit- nessed by F. I. Maguire, county clerk.

A Little Episode not Confined Entirely to the Past

An unassuming gentleman called upon Don Jesus Pico, asked for enter- tainment, and it was granted. During the visit the Don boasted of his wealth, family jewels, land and herds worth $22,000. Out came a little book and the assessor (it chanced to be he) entered Don Pico's taxable property in his lists. In January, 1852, the Don prayed the court of sessions to reduce his taxes ; he was worth only $1,200. They were reduced. A little later the Don appeared, complaining that fifteen young mares had been omitted, and asked that the court add them. It did, and justice seemed to be satisfied.

A Tribute to the Early Pioneers

It is not our intention in this history of San Luis Obispo County to make it a record of political parties. It matters little to our readers whether the Republicans, Democrats or some other party won at this or that election. If anyone is especially interested in political records let him search the election returns for himself. Myron Angel's history of the county, published by Thompson & West in 1883, contains a record of every county election from 1850 to 1883, and all are interesting; but in the space allotted us in this volume we wish to tell of the men and women who won our county from a wilderness to its present state of prosperity. Of their toils, dangers and suc- cesses we shall write. Few of those who first settled in the county won wealth or fame ; pioneers in any place seldom do. They break the way, suffer priva- tions and loss, then die or give up in despair. The second and third genera- tions of settlers come, profit by the others' mistakes, find the foundations all laid and go on building up successful, prosperous lives, often thinking it is because they have the "gray matter" under their hats. It is nothing of the kind, it is because they have "reaped where others have sown." None of the men in San Luis Obispo County today, calling themselves rich, fought bears and cleared the "montes" for cultivation; neither have they been com- pelled to travel hundreds of miles on horseback, eat coarse fare and little of it, and wait for months for the letter their lonesome hearts were longing for. The pioneers have mostly gone to their graves made on lonely hillsides or in forgotten places. Some of these graves are marked by leaning headstones : more are covered with weeds and briars. They have passed on among those "unhonored and unsung" on earth, but we have faith in the God who created souls brave and strong enough to dare the wilderness, to see that they are not unhonored in "the land of the hereafter."

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

CHAPTER VII History from 1850 to 1860. A Land of Crimes

The discovery of gold had apparently no influence upon the history of this county. The gold frenzy was confined to the northern part of the state. From San Jose to Los Angeles the cattle business was the principal industry. Only two settlements large enough to be called villages even, existed in 1850, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. Travel from one place to the other had to be by schooner or sailing vessel, and few stopped at our ports; for there were no wharves, only "landings." and rarely a passenger ; so on horseback down the Salinas valley, over the Santa Lucia mountains, through Cuesta pass to the first little town, and on by the coast trail to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Travel by land was very dangerous, for the whole region, especially south of Soledad, was infested by bands of desperadocs. Robber- ies and murders were of great frequency. The native Californians, with their hatred for the "Gringos" and fear of meeting a like fate at the same hands, would give no evidence against the villains, but harbored them, either through fear or for a share of the plunder.

In 1852-53, the state was terrorized by a band of desperadoes that ranged the country under the leadership of Joaquin Murrieta. Another leader, Jack Powers, with his gang infested this and Santa Barbara counties, making excursions into other territory as well. In 1853, the legislature ordered the enlisting of a company of rangers to hunt Murrieta and the others.

The company was known as Harry Love's Rangers, Love being the captain. Murrieta on more than one occasion was in San Luis Obispo living with his pals. At the end of Chorro street over near the mountains are two little adobe houses ; Murrieta is said to have lived in one, and another scoun- drel, Vasquez, in the other. In the spring of 1853 Murrieta and his gang came to town, first sending word that they were coming for a rest, before going on to Mexico; and if any one attempted to meddle with them, the town would be sacked. They arrived, a desperate, swarthy set, "armed to the teeth," and camped in the garden of the Mission. There, were only five or six Americans in town ; and knowing his hatred of them, they kept out of sight day times, and at night camped with their arms in Pollard's store. The building was an old adobe on the corner of Chorro and Monterey streets, where Fletcher's Store now stands. Murrieta left town without making any "killings," only robbing a gambler of his ill-gotten gains.

Jack Powers was a criminal and gambler in San Francisco in 1849. Waving from justice there, he organized a band of cutthroats and transferred bis operations to this section. He would send out spies to find out when men would be coming south to buy up cattle. Often these fellows repre- sented themselves as owning large herds seeking buyers. The buyers would se: a time to come ; and few, if any, got south of the Nacimiento river, which became known as the "dark and bloody ground." Their disappearances remained mysteries so far as the courts were concerned, for reasons already given. Their bodies with bullet holes or gaping knife thrusts were often found beside the road; or later in some ravine not far distant a bleached -keleton, with perhaps enough clothing left for identification, would be found.

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In November, 1857, two Frenchmen, Pedro Obiesa and Graciano, col- lected a band of cattle and started north, hiring a Mexican, Frolian, as vaquero. This man and Jack Powers saw the Frenchmen receive money before leaving San Luis Obispo. The following Monday, November 30, a horse race took place at Santa Margarita; Powers, Lenares and a band of "greasers" were present, and that night disappeared. At Paso Robles the Frenchmen received cattle and paid for them. Here Frolian left the cattle buyers, but a man named Nieves Robles appeared and asked to join the Frenchmen and travel with them to San Jose. That night their horses were stampeded. In the morning the two Frenchmen left camp, going in opposite directions to look for their horses. Neither ever returned. Robles made excuses twice during the day to the others at camp and went off, cach time returning with his horse in a lather. The next morning he left, saying he was going back to San Luis. A few days later Lenares, flush with money, was back in town. At last, on December 20, Robles was taken from a gambling den on suspicion of the murder and jailed; Lenares at once went north and warned Powers, who came down on the next steamer and furnished Robles with coffee, liquor and other comforts, at the same time urging Robles' attorney to get him released in some way. The night before the murder, Juan Pedro Olivera, a man of evil deeds, told another rascal what was to take place, mentioning every one in the plot. An Indian told of seeing one of the men murdered, the one found, by two men on horseback with reatas and pistols. One was never found. Robles was tried. He was a Californian, the murdered men only Frenchmen, and the Californians swore to kill every Frenchman in the county if Robles were convicted. W. J. Graves, the best lawyer in the county, was district attorney, but what could he do with a "packed" jury? One juryman was a fugitive from a murder committed; another, it was later learned, participated in the murder of the cattle buyers.

Murder at San Juan

The cattle buyers were murdered in the early part of December. In May two more Frenchmen, Bartolo Baratie and M. J. Borel, came down from Oakland to settle on the San Juan ranch, which was forty-five miles from San Luis Obispo, fifteen miles from the Mallah ranch, and six miles from the Comatti. They had two Californians for servants. Ysidero Silvas and Luis Murillo. On May 10, eight men appeared saying they were horse runners and wanted to buy food. The food was freely given to them. That night they slept in a hut apart from the rest, leaving on the morning of the eleventh. On the twelfth, Miguel Blanco, one of the party, returned saying he was not going to run his horse, and asked if he might unsaddle it there and rest. His request was granted. The Frenchmen were some distance from the house cleaning out a spring. The Californians were a short distance away cutting hay, but out of sight of the Frenchmen. Miguel Blanco stood on a little knoll that commanded a view of both parties. Suddenly he started towards the two Frenchmen. Baratie left his partner and started to go to the servants. Just as he reached them shots were heard from where Blanco and Borel were. The rest of the desperadoes rode up on horseback; and as Baratie appeared, Blanco shot him, wounding him in the shoulder. A bullet passed so close to the servant Murillo that it singed his hair. Murillo, Silvas

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

and Baratie were then bound and driven to the house, where Madam Baratie was threatened with death. The bandits then forced Baratie to show them the trunk the money was in. The captain of the band, Huer Rafael, poured the money, $2,700, onto a blanket, dividing it into eight piles, which were passed out to the eight murderers, for so they all were. Baratie and his wife begged for mercy and it was promised. Two of the villains, Luciano and Frolian, one of the gang that committed the double murder the December before, but still at large, were told to take Murillo and Silvas off and shoot them. They took them, still bound, some distance, but finally promised not to kill them if they stayed where they were told until dark. The thieves then returned to the rest of the gang. Meantime Baratie and his wife had been taken to a patch of willows. Here Baratie was shot before his wife's eyes. The poor woman covered her husband's body with his cloak and hat, and so he was found.

Luciano returned after taking the servants away and was told off to take Mrs. Baratie to his resort, the "Cuevas." He compelled her to mount a horse and started off, promising her safety. For a week he took her by trails known only to the thieves, and at last arrived at a ranch, the "Pulvaderas," kept by a harborer of thieves. They stayed there one night, but the terri- fied woman dared not speak. At last he took her to San Juan, the old settle- ment near Hollister. She knew he was among accomplices and she held her peace. The house where Luciano left her was about a half mile out from the town and was kept by a fellow named Chavez. From there she took the -tage and went to Oakland, let us hope to safety and friends.

About five o'clock Murillo and Silvas went back to the house ; Borel lay dead with three shots in his body. They did not find Baratie in the willows. Everything had been rifled and the best clothing was gone. The horses were unmolested save a black horse, and a mare the woman rode. Murillo and Sivas went that night to the Estrella. On the morning of May 13 they went to ( aptain Mallah's ranch, now known as the Huer-Huero, and told their story. Mallah at once saddled up and came with them to San Luis, where warrants were issued for the murderers as John Doe and Richard Roe. Mallah, Murillo, Silvas and the sheriff walked about the town to see if they would locate any of the murderers. They stumbled on one, Santos Peralta, who was recognized as one of Chico Martinez's band of horse runners. Of cour .. he denied his guilt, but part of the stolen clothing was found on him. Www .- arrested and jailed, and that night a party of citizens saved the county expense by taking him out and hanging him.

In the morning word was brought to the town that four of the gang wwe hid in a ravine back of town, where Pio Lenares had a "ranchito" for i'm Lorses. The sheriff with fifteen men set out to capture them. It was Maiorjouven that Lenares went with the gang to murder the two Frenchmen, sy Lar as the San Juan ranch, but left there because the rest would not consent to the murder of the woman. Lenares' motto was "Dead men tell no tales." This was also the saying of Jack Powers. For a week the sheriff and his men buntel the bandits, who on fine horses easily eluded them in the hills. At a ranch, however, they took Joaquin Valenzuela, identified by several as one of the five Love's Rangers were to capture. He was one of Jack Powers' pals, whom he called his "patron." He was hanged in daylight in full sight of the populace, who turned out to a hanging as to a new kind of "fiesta."

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Before dying he confessed his guilt. Another party followed on the tracks of Mrs. Baratie and captured Luciano on his return from San Juan. He was brought to town, confessed and was hanged in broad daylight-"fiesta" num- ber two. Mrs. Baratie was brought down from Oakland by Americans and corroborated the testimony of the others in the case.

One June 6, 1858, Jose Antonio Garcia was arrested and confessed to being one of the gang who murdered the two Frenchmen the previous December. In his confession he told of the part Pio Lenares, Jack Powers and Huer Rafael Herrado took, and told of receiving two hundred dollars Powers sent him as his share of the booty. Garcia was hanged at 3 P. M., June 8, another "fiesta"; but now things were getting serious, for justice was being dealt out by the Vigilantes-but that story must be told more fully. On the same night ten men, with twenty horses furnished by the ranchers, set out after the remaining members of the gang. On June 9 another party went to Lenares' "ranchito," and driving in his horses as a preventive measure, started off for Santa Ynez and La Purisima, where the rest were said to be. Pio and his friends were right at hand, however, and saw the party starting, but thought it was two parties. This spelled business; so in the night Lenares and his men left for the immense willow thickets that grew on the Los Osos, then owned by Captain John Wilson. On Thursday morn- ing, June 10, Captain Wilson sent word that one of the gang, Huero Rafael, had given one of his shepherds twenty-two dollars and asked him to get them food. The shepherd gave Wilson the money and information. In about two hours thirty men were in the saddle and off. The men pushed their horses into the willows, but so dense was the growth little could be done. At 3 P. M. fifteen men on foot entered the thicket beating the brush for their men. At length three horses, two saddles and a little bag of provi- sions were found. Night was near and it was thought best to get out of the woods. Guards were placed, but wide apart, as there were not enough men to circle the place at nearer distances. One guard was shot through the instep. About 10 A. M. the guard was called off, and it was decided to let the bandits get out of the woods and then set the "trackers" on their trail. However, twenty men insisted on taking up the trail in the willows. Soon they found Lenares' saddle bags, and robber and murderer though he was, he carried with him a picture of his wife, which was in one of the bags. In a moment bullets flew, one wounding Lenares through the leg. The pur- suers then left the woods and the brush was set on fire ; but it was so green it would not burn. Couriers were sent all over the county, and soon one hundred fifty men were on the ground. A close line of guards were set about the willows, through which, all night long, the bandits could be heard breaking their way. In the morning a party of twenty-four men under Captain Mallah crawled on their bellies into the thicket, for shots from the hunted men showed their location. In about fifteen minutes Pio Lenares was shot through the head and Miguel Blanco and Desidero Grijalva taken priso- ners. John Matlock, a well-borer from San Jose, was killed and two men wounded, of the pursuing party. The prisoners stated that they had been without food for four days, but Lenares refused to let them surrender. The dead and both sides were brought to town and buried. Monday, June 14, Blanco and Grijalva were hanged at 1 P. M., all hands looking on ; but now the "fiestas" were not very gay affairs. Human life is not a thing to see pass 4

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

without a tremor, and the Californians of the desperado class knew they were all in close quarters. Some of the better class of Californians assisted the Americans in raiding the bands from the county, notably Romualdo Pacheco.

Murder of the Read Family

In 1817. a man named Read, wife and daughter, son-in-law, and an old negro servant came to San Miguel, and as the Mission was then regarded as public property, they set up housekeeping in some of the rooms of the old building. When gold was discovered, Mr. Read went to the mines, and in the fall of 1848 returned with several thousand dollars in gold. Read was ha-pitable and talkative, and showed his "dust" to several people. In Octo- lier. 1848, a party of sailors, deserters from a ship at Monterey, came to Road's home. He showed his gold and talked freely. The sailors asked to stay all night and permission was given, also food. Mrs. Read had recently been confined, and with her was another woman acting as nurse, besides her grown daughter, son-in-law, their three children, the old negro and Mr. Read. The sailors planned and executed the murder of the entire family, even brained the infant on one of the pillars of the corridor. Of course the gold dust was the incentive for the deed.

The following day John M. Price and F. Z. Branch, on their way home irum the mines, stopped to visit the Reads, who were friends of Mr. Price. Calling, and receiving no answer, they dismounted, entered and soon knew of the terrible murder. After making sure that no breath of life remained in any of the bodies, they hastened to the Paso Robles rancho and gave the alarm. One party went north to bury the victims and another south in pur- -uit of the murderers, whose trail was easily followed. At Carpinteria, or where it now is, close to the beach, the sailors were overtaken. A desperate battle ensued. One of the pursuers was killed and others wounded. All the murderers were shot. One plunged into the surf and tried to swim out to sea. A bullet was sent after him and down he went, food for sea monsters. The others were left where they fell, food for vultures and coyotes. Thus closed de ci the greatest criminal tragedies of the state and of this county. What bustine of the gold dust? Did the pursuers get it?

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Other Crimes

In November, 1855, Isaac B. Wall, collector of the port of Monterey and T. B. Williamson, an officer of Monterey county, were on their way to San Lik Dispo. On the "dark and bloody ground" of the Nacimiento they were werThed and murdered. No direct trace of the murderers was ever found.

In oktober, 1853, eight or ten men passed through San Luis Obispo going anth and openly boasted of having killed a peddler near San Juan. Wer bewe bad men" here for a few days they stole a lot of horses and left. & party from San Luis Obispo followed them and overtook them in Los Nagel, Oh, bad the horses and the stolen goods of the peddler. Three to thom wece mitt aboard a boat and started back. At Avila a party with wie wbawal the gentlemen and there was a triple hanging. One was bright Fort with the pursuers, some say taken in town. At any rate he

Bolig were found beside the road, north or south of town. Once Ying foglie were found in one place. In 1850, a man named George

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Fearless came down from San Francisco with $2,000, and went into business with Jesus Luna, a Mexican. They established a "ranchito" on the Nacimiento. Soon Fearless disappeared; Luna said he "had gone to the states." Luna sold out cattle, horses, and even the Newfoundland dog and his partner's gold watch, then left for the south. About three months later Fearless' body, or what was left of it, was found near the ranchito. Luna was a pal of Pio Lenares, so the truth is easy to guess. John Gilkey, living on the Comatti ranch, had been killed by the gang who murdered Borel and Baratie, after they left the San Juan ranch. Grijalva confessed that he shot him in the back and Valenzuela dragged him fifty yards with his reata.

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History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 8

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837- Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1070

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837-
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1070