Prisoners

Documents reporting Apache raids, especially against haciendas, pueblos, and small farms. Milicia convoys attempt to attack Indian camps. Each incident described in detail, recording livestock, Spaniards, and Indians captured or killed, general pattern of attacks. Several references to Tarahumaras living in pueblos, serving as military messengers, being preferentially attacked by Apaches. Description of Tarahumaras, individual Apaches. (A. Dean, March 1989)

Testimony concerning drowning of woman near hacienda de los Dolores; witnesses state that woman seemed to enter water Voluntarily to bath; testimony of prisoner Cristoval Ibarra; Ibarra says he was traveling with woman to visit Sister, stopped at hacenda for dance, woman drowns while bathing, he taken prisoner by Sanudo; doctor Muns certifies that death not violent, but by drowning; testimony of drowned woman's Father; decision that Ibarra not implicated in drowning; Ibarra released June 20, 1820. (p. Coyle December 1989)

Summary of charges against Rodriguez; testimony of company sargent Ortega and others against Rodriguez; testimony of Rodriguez that he was not deserting, only not told comandante he was going to Durango; repetitive testimony; note from Guajoquilla that Rodriguez apprehended in that area; preliminary testimony from Guajoquilla, Rodriguez says he deserted because of harshness of Ortega and lack of pay for three weeks; Rodriguez set free by virrey June 19, 1820 (p. Coyle December 1989)

Criminals are brought together and transported to Durango; some people not considered necessary for transport culled; charges presented to soldiers once they arrive in prison; confessions of deserters; listings of stolen goods, crimes committed, acomplices; notice from Buena Vista town that four deserters stole three horses and carried off two women; much repetitive testimony from prisoners; notice to find Gonzales, who was left by the other three in home town of Nombre de Dios; prisoners give lack of food and clothing as reason for desertion; Gonzalez testimony that he was abducted by others found to be most honest and he not considered acomplice in desertion; Prodela named defender of Alarcon and Mesa, Uranga named for Ornelas; legal deposition of crimes, precidents in case, argues prisoners should only be given time served as they left with only cloths on their backs; judge gives six years to be served in army units, based on precident quoted by Rodriguez; eventually set free by virrey in 1820 (p. Coyle December 1989)

Documents concerning Tarahumaran conspiracy to revolt and subsequent investigation carried out by Gutierrez. Many autos of fairly redundant testimony given by Indians, non-Indians regarding events leading up to apprehension of conspirators; also, yllin's petition to viceroy requesting greater military assistance to Jesuit missionaries in Sierra. Concluding documents concern fiscal's suggestions, viceroy's decision regarding issue.

Documents concerning Ortiz Parrilla's expedition against Seris. Includes Correa's physical description of Isla del Tiburon; Ortiz Parrilla's discussion of condition of province, and military plans, indictment of Rodriguez Gallardo's plans vis-a- Vis Seris and Rodriguez Gallardo's rebuttal and countercharges. Also, testimony concerning condition of Seris after expedition. (J. H. Ochs, November 1987)

Diego Oroz named capitan of regimento de dragones destined for Durango; Oroz sent to Durango to arrange housing and supplies for regiment; Velazquez gives detailed route regiment will follow to Durango so locals will not be bothered for supplies; detailed list of men comprising regiment; list of prisoners, including their crimes, who might fill vacancies in regiment; 2 prisoners substituted for those earlier proposed; 2nd, 3rd and 4th division of dragones enter Durango around the 18th of November, 1788; request for furniture for soldiers; 1st division of dragones enters Durango December 1, 1788; concern that expenses be limited in establishing dragones; grouping includes volume index nos. 7-9. (p. Coyle November 1989)

Third notebook of charges and ect. Concerning Josef Carlos Rubalcaba who intended to name himself king of Nueva Vizcaya; correspondence concerning transfer of prisoners from San Sebastian through Guadalajara to Mexico; lawyer for defense of criminals named; validity of prior confessions questioned;decision to put all of the criminals on trial together; guardian of criminals named; call for new confessions; new confession of Rubalcaba obtained, similar to second confession in grouping above, I.e. that he got the idea while listening to passengers on Rio Santiago ferry tell of tlaxcaltecan who had become king of mountain towns; Rubalcaba Ladino, not tlaxcaltecan; Francisco Xavier, Indian accompice of Rubalcaba, falls ill, second confession expedited; Lucas Martinez, second Indian accompice of Rubalcaba, falls ill in jail and Dies before sentencing; Bernarda Arenas, wife of Juan Francisco Garcia, Spanish accomplice of Rubalcaba, is set free; defense argues prisoners only tried to trick villagers, not make Rubalcaba king; Rubalcaba sentenced to Ten years in prison at Veracruz; Garcia sentenced to Ten years in prison in Havana; Francisco died before sentencing; Lucas receives one year in prison in addition to time served, but died before serving time. (p. Coyle, September 1989)

Authorization to send Rubalcaba et Al to vice regal court; documents describing convoy to take criminals to Mexico; documents from towns along route of convoy. (p. Coyle, September 1989)

Concerns Series of short statments of kinds of misconduct of presidio officials accused of disobeying judge's orders. Municipal government of San Fernando was ordered to pass a regulation ordering people to put fences on their property so cattle won't do any damage to others. Document is very repetitious and only illustrates briefly how officials (Arocha and Corbelo) behaved against people when asked to implement regulations. Some accusations of corruption are made. (M. Marroquin, August 1989)