Crimes

Documents concern remaining tax to be collected on goods brought in by hacienda Amoles administrator as supplies and wages for peones. Alcabala collector requires administrador Valiente to present his financial records to verify quantities and prices for determination of outstanding tax to be paid. Detailed lista de generos (frame #9, within expediente) specifies numbers and references to pertinent sections of recopilacion, discussion of fines to be imposed if taxes underpaid, and receipts for taxes already collected. (J. M. Johnson, September 1989)

Testimonies and other information about a fight which occurred in the home of Navamuel on February 10, 1798; Guerra, referred to as the agressor, was jailed. Uribe requested guerra be released. (S. Langmack, April 1990)

Autos formed against Lobera accused of insubordination, and shooting a Superior. The judge questioned all soldiers and Lobera is sent to jail. The auditors suggest the virrey pardon Lobera. (D.Bautista, June 1990)

Original and copy of letter sent by Jose Rios concerning women and children left in Lagos upset at not receiving aid from Camilo Rios; testimony of Rios cousins; argument that letter to wrong person and that signature is fraudulent; copies of testimony; Rios set free as there was mix up with another man with the same name. (p. Coyle December 1989)

Series of charges against Escandon. First charge, folio 10, that Escandon did not reduce Indians peacefully and failed to populate the colony; second charge folio 60 that Escandon did not distribute the land between people, soldiers and Indians during twenty years; third charge, folio 77, that he did not take in to account the meeting of 1748 on election of captains and treatment of Indians; fourth charge, folio 88, failure to investigate the murder of several Indians; fifth charge, folio 90, failure of Escandon to investigate and punish captain Guevara's murder of a group of Indians; sixth charge, folio 90, no investigation of other murders by Unsaga; seventh charge, folio 91, Escandon orders killing of three Indians, one a minor; eighth charge, folio 93, a citizen of Aguayo complains to to Escandon about the behaviour of a captain, Escandon punishes the complainer and when the wife of the complainer goes to look for him and she was murdered by the Indians; ninth charge, folio 95, Escandon separates Indian men from their wifes and children, and sells Indians to other cities resulting in Indian retaliation and thus starting wars with Xanambres and Apostatas. He is accused of twenty years of fraud, despotism, trials without authority, misappropriation of land; 10 charge folio 98, Escandon sends 173 Indians to Querataro; eleventh charge, folio 100, Escandon kept three Indians working for him for fifteen years; twelfth charge, folio 103, Escandon abused his power to use the death penalty and forced labor in the presidio; thirteenth charge, folio 103, he used comissions to get Indians for his own service; fourteenth charge, folio 106, he failed to protect Indian health; fifteenth charge, folio 107, he used Indians to build his house and maintain his lands; sixteenth charge, folio 108, he failed to investigate or punish two sheperds who murdered an Indian; seventeenth charge, folio 110, Escandon populated colony with dangerous criminals getting the nickname of colonia Portugal de Nueva Espana; eighteenth charge, folio 114, Escandon forgives Indians that confess crimes and puts them in esquadras militares; nineteenth charge, folio 115, Escandon intimidated new settlers he did not like and gave instructions not to accept them; twentieth charge, folio 117, he appointed a murderer from Reinosa as captain; twenty first charge, folio 119, Escandon admitted a delinquent from Coahuila; twenty second charge, folio 121, twice Escandon destroyed the church of the Pisones Indians; twenty third charge, folio 123, has taken land from Indians of Santa Rosa; twenty fourth charge, folio 125, Escandon did not build a church in Laredo for the spiritual benefit of the Spaniards and Indians; twenty fifth charge, folio 128, for a period of 14 years Escandon remained minister of Santillana village; twenty sixth charge, folio 129, Escandon did not permit the redistribution of Diezmos from labranzas y crianzas in the colony for 20 years; twenty seventh charge, folio 131, Escandon renamed places; twenty eighth charge, folio 135, Escandon became rich and did not pay diezmos; twenty ninth charge, folio 138, Escandon gave a captain more than five Leguas at border of Rio Grande, other land and did not pay any diezmo to church of Guadalaxara; thirtieth charge, folio 141, Escandon was paying salaries to ministers in places that had no ministers; thirty first charge, folio 141, Escandon did not accept Indians in his village because he did not want to give them protection; thirty second charge, folio 144, he gave instructions to captain of Laredo not to admit Apaches; thirty third charge, folio 147, Escandon did not give 100 pesos to the colonists of San Carlos; thirty fourth charge, folio 148, Escandon refused to receive the bishop from Guadalaxara; thirty fifth charge, folio 151, he became a trader, knowing gobernadores were prohibited from trade; thirty sixth, charge, folio 158, Escandon permit exploitation of mines and use of silver without paying tax; thirty seventh charge, folio 160, since the year 1746 he had not reduced or pacified any Indians; last charge folio 162, complaints from capitania general related to Escandon's procedures. The next group of folios (166-319) are the defense of Escandon. (D. Bautista, nov, 1989)

Escandon mentions peace on Mexican coast 1755. Mentions autos about Indian pacification and reduccion in Nuevo Santander. Notes that current reduccion efforts targeted towards the Chichimecos. Briefly mentions local and regional organization of reduccion. Records routes of Chichimec depredations; remarks on difficulty of converting Chichimecs due to corazones del gentilismo. Recalls precedent of Indian reversion to gentilismo in Nuevo Reino de Leon after conquest in 1599. Details include number of Indian families affected by reduccion. Escandon suggests that a permanent reduccion entails control of land east of Sierra Gorda. Escandon inspects targeted poblaciones; mentions peso amount of reduccion effort (salaries of soldiers, synods, missionaries, and recompense for families). Notes that successful reduccion force must have mutual amistad, suavidad, Amor and caricias. Agricultural details include amount pesos for a saca de agua and fund for old people in Santa Barbara; the fertility of land for corn, Chile, cotton in salltillo, Masapil, and Nuevo Reino de Leon (F 68); appropriateness of climate for agriculture (F 76r). (S. Gibbs, September 1989)

Diary of Anza's second expedition to California in which Anza leads 30 soldiers and their respective families to Monterrey, and reconnoiters San Francisco bay area. Contains list of people making journey, supplies; population of Yuma Indians; descriptions of California Indians, etc. Also, observations and notes on various points on route; description and scale drawing of Casa Grande. (J. H. Ochs, October 1987).

Requested autos concerning canonry Vote of vacant seats of Dean y Cavildo; legible copies of correspondence in previous groupings; asks for pardon of delays as bishop out of town; notes formation of commisary of five people not including people too Young to Vote, E.g. Monseratte, Urbina; lack of qualifications seen as sufficient to deny canonry position, criminal charges also noted; arguments about length in grade; protest of 500 pesos fine as arbitrary and beyond a priests ability to pay; argument that age requirement of 30 years ignored when canonry positions need to be filled; autos prepared by Urbina not considered complete enough to allow him to Vote; Urbina's time allowed to Pose opposition over; qualifications of successful canonry candidates outlined; prejudice Charged in not allowing opposition to Vote; charge that successful candidate also under-age; notice that Urbina and Monserrate presented decision that opposition to canonry Vote invalid and that criminal charges of disobedience be continued; Natera and Echevarria considered legitimately admitted to canonry by canonry college; Monserrate requests to See denegrating autos, protests drawn out proceedings, asks for judgement (p. Coyle, October 1989).

Concerns efforts to locate 3 'reos' brought to 'real carcel de acordado' in Mexico City year earlier; were escorted along with 14 Indians 'de Collera' and 2 desertors, from Nuevo Santander to Mexico; contains several autos in which witnesses testify that 'collera' arrived in San Luis Potosi, proceeded to Mexico, that all members and military escorts accounted for; finally discovered that 6 of the Indians died, the rest, including 'reos,' handed over to 'teniente' of dragones de Mexico. (L. Kerr, June 1989)

Includes 4 unrelated expedientes, numeros 22-25. Numero 22 concerns claim made by teniente de justicia that administrador de Alcavalas has used position to inherit valuable 'alhajas' from deceased 'tio,' official of the real; teniente addresses complaint to virrey, as governor off fighting Indians; 'alhajas' were to be given to Senora Garza, whom official planned to marry. In 23, Quixas requests 'licencia' to leave company for short while and travel to Mexico City; offers history of loyal military service, participation in campaigns, in defense of solicitation. In 24, Hoz, captain whom Lasaga says served province, country well defending citizens against Chichimecos, others, requests permission from governor and virrey to return to Spain because of poor health. In 25, 2 Indians, anacana and Aretin, escape from San Juan de Ulua, are referred to by Lasaga as 'desertores...y notoriamente perversos.' (L. Kerr, June 1989)