History of Santa Barbara county, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 25

Author: Mason, Jesse D; Thompson & West. 4n
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Thompson & West
Number of Pages: 758

USA > California > Santa Barbara County > History of Santa Barbara county, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 25

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

"And permit me here to state for your information. that I have been teaching this school for nearly a year past at a salary of only $75 per month. I now respectfully and earnestly appeal to your honorable Board, hoping you will be kindly pleased to increase my salary, and thereby give us new impetus in the discharge of our laborious duties.

"I have the honor to be, gentlemen, yours most respectfully, OWEN CONNOLLY,

" Teacher of the Public School of this city. " Santa Barbara, Dec. 11, 1856.

This communication not having the desired effect of raising his wages, he tried another, and this time, doubtless, did all that he could do in the way of elo- quent writing. He introduced the subject by stating that the school was flourishing; that it numbered seventy-eight pupils between four and fifteen. Half the number were young ladies (whatever their age may be), one-third being Americans, the rest Spanish; that the best of feeling prevailed between the pupils; but that in consequence of the depreciation of the county serip, in which he was paid, he felt obliged to tender his resignation.

" The studies under recitation, at present, are or- thography, reading, penmanship, arithmetic, geog- raphy, syntaxical analysis, and grammar, of both English and Spanish languages. To this course I intend soon to add book-keeping, composition, and declamation, and also the higher branches, when the pupils are prepared to begin them. And it is to be hoped the day is not far distant when the visitors of these schools will have their eyes and ears greeted by the classics, the arts and sciences, for the cultiva- tion of which Santa Barbara is peculiarly adapted to inspire a taste; with its elimate, unsurpassed for mildness and salubriousness by any in the world; its picturesque and sublime seencry, both by land and sea; its beautiful and fertile valleys, abounding in evergreen and classic oaks, and gorgeously carpeted the greater part of the year with profusions of flowers, common to California but unknown else- where; its hot and cold springs of medicinal and life- giving properties; its ancient churches and missions. whose dilapidated ruins still exhibit specimens of their former magnificence and grandeur; its pine- elad hills and lofty mountains, scaling high the heavens, nodding to and picturing forth their God; its capacious harbor, into which noble ships and steamers come, all, all spreading out before the eye and imagination an everlasting feast of what is rich-

est and rarest in nature, inviting alike the pen of the poet and the pencil and chisel of the artist and sculptor, and encouragement for agriculture and com- merce.

" Finally, gentlemen, I have only to remind you that my salary is too small, and. even that, not paid to me. and you know as well as I do that munes invitat ad laborum, so that if you do not increase my salary, and pay me for my services. I herewith tender you my resignation. I have the honor to be, gentle- men, your fellow-laborer in the best and most honor- able of causes."

DELINQUENT TAXES.

A list of some of the delinquents are given to show the rates of taxation on the large ranches :-

Carrillo, José Antonio. & Lompoc and Mission

Vieja $ 51 98

Cordero, Maria Antonio, and heirs, Cruces

Rancho 29 44

Cuesta, Ramon de la, ¿ Piru and lot in Santa Barbara 17 02

Dominguez, José, Rancho of Najalayegua 13 80

Gonzales, Francisco, } Piru . 8 15

Guerra, José Antonio de la, Los Alimos 104 65

Hartnell, heirs of, Rancho Todos Santos 57 50

Lorenzano, Jacinto, heirs of, ¿ Conejo 37 95

Ormat, Joaquin, ¿ Santa Clara. 40 82}

Ortega, Antonio Maria, ¿ Refugio

3 30

Ortega, Dolores Leiva, } Cañada de Corral. 6 324

Crtega, José Dolores, heirs of, ¿ Cañada de Corral 17 82}

Palmer, J. C., { Jonata, } Santa Ynez 42 22}

Pico. Andres, ¿ Lompoc, } Vieja, } Jonata, ¿ Santa Ynez 113 523

Poli, Manuel R. de, Ex-Mission, San Buena- ventura 120 75

Thompson, A. B., guardian of children of J.

C. Jones, { Santa Rosa Island, and 2 lots

in Santa Barbara 31 05

Valenzuela. Salvador, ¿ Santa Clara 30 47}

Villa, Joaquina, heirs of. Rancho Tequepis. 6 90

COUNTY TREASURER IN TROUBLE.

We have several times referred to the fact that the books of the county were badly kept. The Treasurer. Raymundo Carrillo, had not reported according to law, and the Grand Jury. in accordance with their oath, reported the delinquency. As the consequences of the official investigation extend through several years, the affair will be fully de- scribed.

PRESENTMENT BY THE GRAND JURY.

" To the Ilonorabl .. , the Court of Sessions of Santu Barbara County :-

" The Grand Jury of the county of Santa Barbara, upon their oaths, present the Board of Supervisors of Santa Barbara County, consisting of Antonio Maria de la Guerra. Esteban Ortega, and Juan Rod- riguez, and declare the said de la tiuerra, Ortega and Rodrignez have wholly failed and neglected to publish any report of the Treasurer, as enjoined upon them by law; and the Grand Jury declare that a report of the County Treasurer, made to the Board of Super-

102

HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

visors in the month of November, A. D. 1855, has never been published, nor has any other report soever upon the condition of the public funds of this county, and upon the accounts of the Treasurer, been published by them since they have held the office of Supervisors, namely, since the last general election; and the Grand Jury further charges that the said Supervisors have not required the Treasurer to furnish a report at the regular sessions, as required by law, but have utterly and wilfully failed, omitted, and neglected to do so, and they have thus withheld from the public information which they were entitled to possess, and which it was the plain duty of the Supervisors to convey as is provided by law.

" CHAS. PIERCE, Foreman of Grand Jury."

The names of the jury were Thomas Martin, Mig- uel Garcia, Vicente Garcia, Horatio Robinson, Martin Kimberly, Juan Garcia, Daniel Flying, W. D. Hob- son, Francisco Leyba, Gervacia Ayala, José Carrillo, Pablo Valencia, Manuel Cota, Pascual Bottilleas, Chas. Pierce, José Olivera, and John Haskell.

[Editorial of " Gazette," April 24, 1856. ]

"Since the publication, last week, of our views upon the propriety of exacting from the officials a full compliance with their public duties, and of our approval of the action of the Grand Jury in present- ing the Board of Supervisors on account of their neg- lect to cause the reports of the County Treasurer to be published, we have heard it announced that we were actuated by improper motives, and were instru- mental in bringing the matter to the attention of the Grand Jury. It is a part of our business, as journal- ists, to expose public abuses and grievances, when- ever they come to our knowledge, and no officer, however lofty his station, need expect that we shall be silent upon official neglect or misconduct that comes to our knowledge, if we suppose an exposure of them will have a tendency to cause their correc- tion or remedy. From this course we shall not be deterred by low, muttered threats, or hostile insinua- tions from any quarter. We have long been aware of the bitter opposition to this paper, which has been, and still is, entertained on the part of some of the officials, who love darkness rather than the light, and of the obstacles which they have studiously thrown in our path. We can assure them that their unremitting efforts to withdraw us from the proper course of our duties are utterly unavailing, and that the blows dealt upon us will recoil with double force upon their own heads. The acts of officials are pub- lic property, and we shall treat them as such. With the men, as individuals, we have nothing to do, but with their acts as officers we are concerned, and claim the right to comment upon them. So long as we have facts to go upon, and draw legitimate con- clusions from them, we are sure that our patrons and the public will sustain us. If there be any, in such case, who carp at it, we shall regard them with the scorn and contempt which their degradation deserves. The threat publicly made by an official, the other day, that he would annihilate this press, we regard as supremely ridiculous, positively ludicrous, and we can scarcely suppress an outburst of cachinnation as we sit upon our three-legged stool and remember it. Let him be careful lest his infernal machine or fou- gasse, which he may resort to for effecting his pur- pose, explode in his hands before he can set it under our office. We take it for granted that he meant a material annihilation, for we doubt if his stupid brain is capable of conceiving any other.

" We should be sorry to have it supposed that we were instigated by any individual motives in agree- ing with the Grand Jury that those reports should be published. The paltry sum which would be paid for publishing them, in depreciated county scrip of uncertain value, is entirely too insignificant and trifling to attract or claim consideration for a sin- gle moment; yet we know that an obsequious set of vulgar sycophants, too timidly crouching and sneak- ing to make an open charge, have secretly and maliciously whispered and hinted, and given utter- ance to vague and intangible surmises that greed of pelf incited us to make the comments which we did, and to take the part which we have done. It is true that one of us gave testimony before the Grand Jury; it is also true that such attend- ance before that body of inquest was under a sub- pæna, duly served by the Sheriff; and it is also true that the questions propounded to us were answered to the best of our knowledge, and we suppose it to be true that the presentment of the Board of Super- visors was, in some measure, based upon information which we had it in our power to give:

"These vipers who emit their venom against us would have wished us, no doubt, to perjure ourselves, and conceal from the grand inquisition anything de- rogatory to their bantlings. This is the only rational conclusion at which we can arrive, in view of the whole matter. If we have been the means of con- tributing, in any way, to the correction of a public abuse, and have conduced to the introduction of a more strict and faithful discharge of duty on the part of the officials, we may rejoice at it, however much the galled jades may wince. We hope to hear no more of this matter, for it is really too puerile."

In the Court of Sessions, Judge Fernald presiding, the following opinion was announced :-

"That the charges contained in the presentment are not sufficient to warrant the Court in instructing the District Attorney to draw an indictment thereon for the purpose of putting the parties mentioned upon their defense in this Court. The offense charged consists of an omission to which no penalty attaches crim- inally; and, further, the presentment does not charge willful and corrupt misconduct, which it would seem are necessary to form a basis of complaint for re- moval from office."

The matter came before the District Court, pre- sided over by Joaquin Carrillo, a relative of Ray- mundo, the County Treasurer, and was sent to Los Angeles for trial.

August 5, 1855, the Supervisors requested the Treasurer, Raymundo Carrillo, to give a statement of the condition of the County Treasury, its debts and revenues, also amount of taxes in 1851-52.

A second communication was made to the Treas- urer, requesting a statement of all moneys received from the imposition of fines. One to the District Attorney asked for a statement of all the fines im- posed by the Justices of the Peace in Township No. 2.

August 17th the Supervisors again asked for in- formation of the Treasurer as to the number and amount of county warrants that had been approved or authorized by the Court of Sessions.

The Grand Jury for the June term, 1855, H. B. Blake foreman, indicted Henry Carnes, Deputy Treas-

103

OPERATIONS OF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

urer, for embezzling the public funds, and also George D. Fisher, County Clerk, as accessory.

September 27th the Supervisors settled with Ray- mundo Carrillo as County Treasurer, and his account for $577 was approved in full. From the appearance of the records it would seem that a portion of the Grand Jury, a majority of the Board of Supervisors, and the Gazette, which, of course, represented a por- tion of the public, formed a party, determined to bring Raymundo Carrillo and his Deputy, Henry Carnes, into the position of embezzlers of the public money. The amount in dispute was about 84,000. The cases were brought before the Court, but post- poned to the next term, when they were dismissed without trial. The Supervisors eventually made a settlement which did not show the Treasurer to be a defaulter.

May 1, 1856, the Gazette contained an editorial, complaining of the want of an active city govern- ment which should repress disorders and crime,

" It does not sound well to hear it said that, since the incorporation of this city, more than six years ago, not a single public improvement of general util- ity has been made, if the survey and maps be excepted. Not a single street has been graded at the public expense, nor an artesian well sunk, nor a gulch filled up, nor a tree planted, nor a school-house constructed, nor a public edifice of any sort even pro- jected, nor a wharf at the landing attempted or planned, or its cost estimated."

TROUBLE FOR THE "GAZETTE."

A report was circulated that Bishop Amat pro- posed to build a new church, and convert the old one into a nunnery. The Gazette asked whether it indi- cated an advance in civilization, or retrogression towards the medieval ages? A writer took up the subject as follows :-

" EDITORS OF THE GAZETTE-Gentlemen: I read with some surprise a paragraph in the last number of your paper. which, after stating that a cathedral would soon be built here, continues thus :-

" Report further says that, on the completion of the cathedral, the building now used as a cathedral, will be converted into a nunnery. Quare. Is this an evidence of the progress of civilizatio, nor does it indi- cate a retrogression towards the medicval ages?

"Now, Sirs Editors, I previously thought your policy was neutral in politics as well as in religion, but, at the same time, must freely confess that, although the paragraph was ushered in under the imposing ' we' of journalists, I believe it was written by some of the highly educated gentlemen of our little community, who, on all occasions, endeavor to exhibit their profound learning, and indulge their unmitigated bigotry towards the religion of the majority of the inhabitants of the South.

"The gentleman, whoever he is, who put the learned ' quære,' no doubt, not alone, expects that all of his color would give a unanimous assent to the latter part of the sentence, but his learning and bigotry would be equally shocked if anyone would have the temerity to doubt a conclusion at once so logical and so well established. So he thinks.

" Now, Sirs, I, for one, will not give in my adhe-

sion to the latter part of the celebrated 'queere,' because I am firmly convinced, and it is an admitted fact, that the medieval ages would be dark were not the learning and the arts preserved most sacredly by the monks, who devoted their lives, not alone to the service of God, but were solely instrumental in the preservation of the learning handed down to poster- ity.

"It is not necessary for me, Sirs, to defend the institution of the Sisters of Mercy ; their fame, virtues, and holy labors, are not only potent, but appreciated by the world. Yet there are some young gentlemen whose delicate nerves are discomposed at the mere thought of lovely ladies being shut up, and buried in a cloister, instead of being ornaments of society they voluntarily fly from, while the sensitive gentle- man is left to mourn in hopeless bachelorhood!

" Enough, Messrs. Editors. 1 am sick of an exhi- bition of sneering ignorance, bigotry, and intoler- ance, and regret that your sheet was made the medium of its dissemination.

" Yours respectfully, " A ROMAN CATHOLIC.

"Santa Barbara, May 10, 1856."

EDITOR'S REPLY.

" We know of nothing ever published in this paper since we controlled it, from which Roman Catholic could infer that its ' policy was neutral in politics and religion.' We claim to be independent in both. His communication seems intended to be a thrust at some one, but whom it may be, we know not, and care less. How he comes to believe that the paragraph referred to was written by some one of those ' highly educated gentlemen,' as he styles them, is rather strange, as it is not embodied in any communication, and we suggest that this expression of his belief is not very courteous to ourselves. We have to inform him that his belief is entirely erroneous. We can discover nothing in the 'quære' which smacks of any 'attempt to exhibit profound learning,' or which dis- closes any 'unmitigated bigotry.' We do not wish to undertake to follow him in the description of the character of 'monks who were instrumental in the preservation of learning handed down to posterity.' We do not profess to know much about posterity, for we are not seers, and will therefore content ourselves with affairs of the present. We do not deny that we are young, and if this be a reproach, we candidly con- fess that we merit it. Being of robust constitution, however, we hope to outgrow it in time. Really, we think, that if 'Roman Catholic' will calmly examine his communication, he will find it open to some of the very charges which he studiously seeks to direct against us, or somebody, by perverting the paragraph in question, and striving to wrest and extort from it a meaning, which the plain import and construction of its terms will not convey.

" We wish to have it distinctly understood that our columns cannot be used by anyone for the purpose of attacking a private individual or class of individuals, or as a vent for malice or private hostility, from whatever cause it may proceed. We have, in this instance, admitted the foregoing communication, with all its objectionable features, because it is signed by one who may, perhaps, represent a class of our subscribers for whom we entertain high respect. They need have no fears that this paper will array itself against their faith or doctrines, but they will also understand that it is not to be drawn into a labored advocacy of them by opposing those of any other class. We like the doctrine of the widest

104

HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

liberty to all in matters of religion, consistent with the rules of propriety and publie order."

The object in admitting these things into a perma- nent history is two-fold; 1st, to show the temper of the times, and 2d, to show how the paper, by impru- dent speech, gradually alienated its supporters, until it was compelled to supend publieation.

PROBLEM IN ETHNOLOGY.

May 22, 1856, being Corpus Christi day, was made the occasion of festivities, and according to the eus- tom of the country, as Cæsar would say, many of the participators got hilarions, on the aguardiente, and fell by the wayside, so that the eity marshal had to provide them with free lodgings. Many of the rioters were Indians, and, as a severe law had been enacted against selling liquors to Indians, the oecas- sion was favorable for a multitude of petty suits. Several merchants were fined for the offense, but in the course of the investigations, the matter of " white man or Indian," so mixed was the population, was difficult to determine. One of the merchants, a respectable and influential eitizen, was accused of violating the law, by selling to a Yaqui native. The trial for misdemeanor was before Antonio de la Palma y Mesa. the question of guilty or not guilty resting on the decision, whether a Yaqui was a white man or an Indian. An immense amount of ethno- logieal lore was brought to bear on the case, in which the origin and locality of the white races, the requisite shades and facial angles requisite to make a man an Indian, were fully set forth. Expedienee, or rather the inexpedieney, of making a respectable merchant guilty of a misdemeanor, won the day, and the learned Justice decided that the prominent cheek bones, yellow skin, straight, black hair, and and dark, blaek lustre eye of the Yaqui were the effects of climate and not of heredity, so the Yaqui was a white man, aud the very eminent and respeet- able merchant, who sold him liquor, had not violated the law which prohibited the sale of intoxicating liquors to the Indians.

FUNNY JURY.

The ludicrous trials did not all oeeur before the Spanish Justices of the Peace. During the summer of 1856 some farmers at Carpenteria got into difficulty about the right to mow grass on a certain lot. John O'Connor and James McGloekin were arrested for assault and battery, one McDonahue being the com- plaining witness. The ease was brought before Valentine Hearne, Esq. O'Connor was tried first, and, after listening to the testimony, the jury retired and, after due consideration, brought in a verdiet of guilty against MeGloekin, who had not been put upon trial! Upon being sent back they returned with a verdict of not guilty, and directed that the complaining witness, McDonahue, should pay the costs. McGlockin was then put upon trial and after a thorough investigation the jury brought in a ver-

dict of guilty against McDonahue, who had not been aeeused of any misdemeanor. A bystander suggested that in view of the unusual ability of the jury, the question as to "who struck Billy Patterson? " might be finally settled by that court.

BANDITTI.

The following was about the last outrage that was perpetrated by a band of eriminals for plunder. The unanimity of the people, both Mexieans and Ameri- cans, in the pursuit of the eriminals, showed a grow- ing sense of the importance of law and order.

" GAZETTE," JUNE 12, 1856.

"On Saturday last, at about eight o'clock in the evening, a series of crimes was committed at the Rancho of " Las Cruces," in this eounty. A party of six Mexican desperadoes entered two of the dwelling- houses and stole money to the amount of about $200. In one of the houses two of the gang bound with a strong cord the hands of a widow lady, some sixty years of age, who resides there, and committed vio- lence on her person. One Thomas Romero, a resident of Monteceto, who was tarrying there, was shot in the breast; the ball traversed a thick part of the door behind which he was standing. * * * The

reports of three outrages reached this city about ten o'elock, on Sunday. The messenger brought a letter from Las Cruces, and two memorandum books, which were reported to have been dropped at the house by the villains who fired the pistol. The books con- tained several accounts with vaqueros, bills of sale of eattle. and other items, which pointed to S. C. Foy as the owner of them. This gentleman had passed through this eity a week ago with a band of cattle, and suspicions were at onee aroused that he had been robbed and perhaps murdered. A posse of nine well armed men was collected by the Sheriff and dis- patched on the road leading to Las Cruces, which, by aecessions at different points, was soon increased to eighteen. On Sunday evening news arrived that reinforcements were needed, and a requisition being made by the Sheriff upon the Santa Barbara Mounted Riflemen, a detachment of twelve members, armed and equipped, were promptly at hand and dispatched.

The force which first started proceeded to the rancho of Las Cruces and ascertained that the occurrence was substantially as stated. Some of the party returned on Saturday and some on yesterday. They brought in two Sonoranians as prisoners, who will be examined before a magistrate to-day. Another Sonoranian named Jesus, against whom there is some evidence, succeeded in making his eseape. Being mounted upon a fleet horse he eluded all pursuit. We have learned that Mr. Foy has been heard from beyond the Rancho of Las Cruces, and it is therefore probable that he lost the memorandum books spoken of somewhere upon the road between this city and Las Cruces, and that they were picked up by the person who let them fall at the house."

The circumstances of this robbery and outrage were so heartless and savage that the community was thoroughly aroused. The necessity of a stand- ing foree was apparent. A supply of ammunition and rifles was obtained by subscription. Native Califor- nians, as well as Americans, uniting in the matter. The fact of the robbers being (apparently) Sonoran- ians, between whom and the native Californians much

105

EXCITING EVENTS.

ill-will existed on account of former raids, induced the Mexican population to co-operate heartily in bringing the offenders to justice. The most of the band were subsequently captured.

LIGHT- HOUSE.

The light-house near Santa Barbara was built this season and was 38x20 feet with basement and two stories, walls of hard brick, window sills and caps. and stairs of granite; walls of hard stone and brick. eighteen to twenty-four inches thick; circular stairs to tower; doors and windows of eastern lumber. loeks and hinges of brass; iron gallery on the summit of tower. G. D. Nagle, of San Francisco, constructor.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Santa Barbara county, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 25

Author: Mason, Jesse D; Thompson & West. 4n Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Thompson & West Number of Pages: 758

Author: Mason, Jesse D; Thompson & West. 4n
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Thompson & West
Number of Pages: 758