The Trinity journal., 1856-12-20
THE TRINITY JOURNAL.

unprincipled, thieviug land swindler was indct-
ed on Wednesday, the 10th inst, in San Franciso
by the Grand Jury for the Northern District of
California The indictment charges him with the
offence of uttering forged grants purporting to
convey to him large tract of land in San Fran
cisco, in fact, nearly one-fourth of the city. Al
catraz Island, on which the Government fortiG-
which lighthouse now stands, are both claimed
by Limantour.
Jose y. Limantour is indicted under the act of
Congress Of March %, 1858. The act declares
that any one convicted of uttering false papers
or deeds with intent to defraud the United States
shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and if con-
victed, shall be sentenced to be imprisoned and
kept at bard labor for not less than one or more
than ten years, or be imprisoned not exceeding
five years and fined not exceeding $1,000.
The indictment contains four counts. The first
count charges him with uttering and publishing
as true certain false writing with intent to de-
fraud the United States, knowing the same to be
false, purporting to grant lands in the southern
part Of the city Of San Francisco, and dated 9th
of February, 1913, whereas in fact, the grant was
made at the city of Mexico (instead of Los An
geles as it purports,) in February 1882 after
California became part of the United States
which facts Limantour well knew. The other
counts vary the charge Limantour was imme-
diately conveyed before Judges McAllister and
Hoffman, who fixed the bail at $4,000 The wit
nesses examined before the Grand Jury were a
Mexican named Jacoby, and Mr.. Cripps, Secreta-
ry of Legation at the city Of Mexico, and also
al individual who accompanied Lmantour to
California in the capacity Of clerk or private
Secretary whom it is alleged wrote the pretend
I'd grant from the Mexican -sMthortics on which
1imantour loundedf his claims On his cxamina- |
ton he said that the papers presented BY Liman-
tour to the Land Commissioners, and puTporting
to have been made in 1913. were in fact written |
Icy himself in 1852, as was charged
Col. Inge had carried with him the pretended
original grant of the Mexican authorities to Lii
mantour, and handing it to Letanneur, asked
Did you ever sec that paper before?
LETASNEUR-I think have.
Col INGE--ls that your writing?
LETANNErR-lt looks like nine.
Col. lNGE-E Examine il, and state whether or not
you wrote it and if so, when and where.
LETANNEUR.--l did write it, at the request Of
Jose !. Limantour but did not know what !
was about at the time. / wrote several other pa
pers OF the same general character, at the re-
quest of the same party.
Letanncur proceeded to state that he wrote the
fraudulent iapers at Mexicei in the year 1852, and
having obtoined permission from the Grand Ju-
ry, went on to make explanation as to his posi-
tion of clerk or private secretary, and as to his
duties while in the employ of Limantour.
San Francisco, ard in fact other portions of the
State is perfectly inundated with fraudulent tt
ties. and the consequence is that hundreds of pcor
hard-wOrking men, have had to purchase the spot
of ground they live upon two, three and four
tines, TO prevent their wives and children from
being turned into the streets without shelter.
What vacuum there must be in hell in the
absence of these heartless land pirates
A NEw EXPEDITION TO SoNoRA.-Another wild
fllbustering expedition to Sonora is talked of
very strongly amongst our young would-be con-
querers in San Francisco and elsewhere who sigh
for worlds to conquer. This spirit has become
exceedingly rife within the last few years, and
particularly so in California. The golden cont-
nent occupied by the weak and efeminate Mexi-
can people, affords splendid opening for those
bcardless Alexandcrs to open and carry on their
daring campaigns of plunder, conquest ard viii
llany. 1t is the march of civiizaton-manifest
destiny 1t must be tolerated.
What wonderful heroes California has made
and how numerous. Just point to any quarter of
the world, the robbery of which would give even
an infamous glory and hundred bold cheftans
stand upon the beach ready TO embark for its
shores If the scene of glory happens to lay in
any OF the distracted territory of Mexico, so much
the better. How those extensive gold and silver
mines and legions ol poems to work them--thosc
tremendous rancheras-- those dark-eycd sehori-
zas-those laurels of victory those unrestvained
PLEASURES Of chivarous dissipation, loom up be-
fore their usurping eyes! g Great heavens, don't
fpeak of it I'm.oa for that place as soon as pos
eiLle ~ cries thousand of those matchless warr-
ors, as soon as the subject is mentioned. They
feed thus for weeks, aye for months Except the
little taken occasionally at free lunches,) upon
The hope Of a magnificent finale. How can it be
o'herwise than splendid triumph? The Mexi-
cans are the easiest people IND the world to whip,
anu 'hey have certainly got the richest country
'h 'he world to rob Alter ALL the great enlight-
e"ed spirit Of the age justiGes this as right be
cause.-The ignorant must be taught, the weak mast
be protected, and tyranny must he wiped out at
all hazards.
What phiiandropic march 1t makes but
very little difference whether the country sought
to be invaded is at peace with tho Irn;.od e+,.o
or not OF whether the terms of the treaty is such
as to give assurance of long, happy and pros
porous amity. If no other pretext could be found
10 furnish an example to these noble champions.
they would turn to the history of the wars of
Rome and Carthage, Of Sparta ard Messna, Of
Athens and Syracuse, &c, which gives great and
numerous precedents Of the powerful achieve