Crimes (Punishment)

Correspondence between viceroy, comandante Croix and officials within Provincias Internas of which following stand out. Transferring of monies from Caxas reales to Mexico but of new coinage. Separation of capitan Laso from command as captain of dragones de Espana and replaced by his Brother. Authorization to recruit personnel in Chihuahua to replace retired personnel and injured personnel. Transfer of two bison (civolos) from presidio Bahia to Mexico in route to Spain as gift to king. Various documents on disturbance of the peace. Request for teachers from Spain to guide Indians in the cultivation and process of linen. Burning of presidio Orcoquisa and establishment of new settlements in Coaguila. Payment of 10 and 5 pesos respectively by claimants of ownership of mules and horses recovered by military personnel set by viceroy. Transportation of new pistols from Spain to presidios in Provincias Internas. (A. Dell'acqua April 1988)

Letters concern prisoners Alvares, Ximenex, and Cano, sentenced to 10 yrs. Hard labor in arsenals of Havana and 10 yrs. As presidarios in Coaguila; crime not mentioned. Includes chart of loads carried by prisoners in transit to Coaguila. (S. Gibbs, April 1988)

Ugalde accuses Menchaca of incest, gambling, and sale and consumption of prohibited beverages; suggests that although Menchaca deserves life-long banishment to Mariana islands, Menchaca will only be fired and exiled to eastern provinces for 10 years. Ugalde orders Menchaca's arrest; details of trial ensue in which Lacomba complains to Revilla Gigedo that Ugalde has falsely accused Menchaca. Includes several indices to trial correspondence. (S. Gibbs, April 1988)

Series of letters relating results of military trials. Crimes reported include rape, infidelity, slander and defamation, disobedience, and perjury. When no conviction was made, accuser was jailed for perjury. Includes Maldonado's complaint against Emparan for not rewarding pension to compensate for her Husband's death. Her testimony was ignored as being libelous, unsubstantiated joke. (S. Gibbs, April 1988)

Request to governor by viceroy to transfer Pedro Jose and his band to Acordada prison in Mexico for trial. Governor insists in questioning and trying prisoners in Monterrey, viceroy orders presence of prisoners. Copy of diary about depredations and murders by Indians attached to documents. Diary written in 1786 by Alcalde mayor de Linares. Prisoners deny confessing to governor about murders also deny ever admitting them to official. Confusing set of documents follow as all documents of interrogation dated 1796, and death certificates of prisoners dated 1795. Viceroy and fiscal demand clarification as seventh prisoner appears when there were only six. Defending lawyer does good work but prisoners die in prison. Viceroy sends seventh to Castillo Juan de Ulua for 10 years, after sentence to live away from home as a free man. Viceroy requests prisoner be treated kindly. (A. Dell'acqua, September 1987)

Soldier Guzman sentenced to five years in the public works for an unspecified crime and stripped of all salary except for his daily food and a new set of clothes once a year. (G. Lavalley, June 1987)

Letters from Castro to virrey concerning which town to execute Segovia in for assaulting Llanos in 1792. Correspondence continued until 1802 when Segovia was officially granted a royal pardon. (G. Lavalley, June 1987)

Lengthy legal case mainly consisting of sworn testimonies of numerous witnesses and involved parties in murder of Jose Contreras at presidio of Altamira by Manuel Cristoval Guzman. Documents include a statement or confession by Guzman who initially took asylum in church to avoid apprehension, later Guzman claimed protection under the Fuero militar. Guzman finally sentenced to five years public service in the presidios of Nuevo Santander. (G. Lavalley, may 1987)

Informes concerning the disposition of Indian prisoners held in San Antonio Bexar presidio. (J. Carpenter June 1987)

Describes situation with Indians: murders of and by; religious education of; military strategies used to subdue, and control; agricultural labor of, and transporting to prisons. Tobacco, gunpowder, and land finances listed along with expenditures and troop payments, appointments made in civil offices of governor and justicia. Activities at missions described: crop production, establishment of new orders, rebuilding of destroyed mission, failure of priests to report profits and subsequent conflicts with royal officials, and distribution of mission supplies. Case of presidial captain of Laredo falsifying location of town. Travel conditions at Tetillas poor. (L. Deatherage, July 1987)