New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-12-29
CALIFORNIA.
The ". Y. Tnhnne.


SAN FRANIsCO, Dec. > 1857.
An interesting trial about the great quicksilver
mine at New Almaden, is in progress. The mine
il in Santa Clara County, and is within the limits
of a grant made BY the Mexican Government to
Justo Laros; but the mine was discovered By II
man named Castillero, in lci5. and be- denounced
the n,iur that il, he gave notice of its discovery
and of his intention TO work it. and actually did
work it, and thus, a. is alleged, became the owner
of the mine under the Mexican law. That law did
not grant mles with land: and any one who
might discover mine within the limits of private
ranch could become the owner of 1t by the legal
forms prescribed for Remuneration. Castero, not
having the means of working the mine alone, FORM
I'd company which. i'll 1e47, disposed of ts title
to the present propretOrs Oi the mine. These pro-
prietors are the house OF Barron, Forbes X Co.,
of Topic, Mexico; Senior Escsndon Of the City Of
Mexico, VIM. +. Barron of San Francisco; John
PalTott banker Of san Francisco, and Robert
Walkmshaw of Santa Clara These owners have
made contract with another company, who con
tract Ia work the mine, pay all the expenses, and
deliver One.thlrd of the gross produce II The qhck-
silver to the owners. These contractors are Bar.
ron Forbes Il Co., Escandon, aud Gibbs Il Co. Of
Lima. Peru. The contractors have al excellent
bargain Of IT, and il is said that Barron, Forbes d
70 have more profit contractors than ~ owners.
The mine il estimated to be- worth about So, OOO,
00O and TO produce annually 100000 pounds OF
quicksilver worth from 20 10 - cents per pound at
whole sale. The annual expenses are set down NJ
$50 600 of which $50, 600 are set down annual
fees 10 Haeck, Peachey and Billings, attorneys IN
this city. The propriet0rs brought suit before the
Land Commission for their claim, and 1t was con-
frIned The Law Agent Of the United States APP
peaed the ease. and il il now IN trial before the
United States District Court. Mr. Laureneele,
Frencbman who is the assign OF LsriOs, on whose
ranch the land IL situated, now comes forward To
furnish the United States Dstrict-Attorney with
evidence that the papers on which the Castiliero
claim il founded are forged. He says The mime
never was denounced in legal i"rnl and the papers
now offered were forged in lc47, Isi9 and IcJO,
and sntedsted TO 1916. IL happens that the pres
ent prOpretors Of the mine showed by one Of their
witnesses that petition, which is an Important pa
per in the case, II ID the handwriting OF Benlto
Disz. This petition bears date june "a, 1916.
Bento Disz has been placed upon the stsud. and he
swears that he wrote the petition about eight
months after the Americans took the country,
which would place the time in lc41. He says be
wrote the petition at tho request and dictstion Of
Padre Real, one Of the priests Of the Mission OF
Santa Clara, and knew nothing Of the use whleh
was 10 be- made of IT, This i the tirst Link in Lsu
remedies chain.
The next 10 box full of letters, some Of them
written by Alexander Forbes, formerly Of the house
of Barron, Forbes 81 Co., of Topic Mexico, but
now retired from business and living IN London.
These letters were written IL James Alexander
Forbes in California. The latter was the head
man of the Hudsons Bay Company in California
in ls47, and he was for long time the chief man.
ager of the New-AmadeD nine. Both the writer
ana the - wriiee' Of these letters were, at the
time of their writing, shareholders IN the mine and,
therefore. any admissions Of irand III them arc adj
missile evidence against the title OF their as
signs The letters have not yet been. made public,
but they are in the custody Of the Court, and will
b.. produced next week. IL il said they will show
coneusiyely that the title papers Of the present
holders Of the mine are forged, and will eVn show
that there were numerous and long consultations
between various parties to what would be the
best plan of committing the forgery. According TO
report the eleventh letter OF this collection WIT
ten by Alexander Forbes, from Mexico, az bte ~
1880 10 a gentleman in California, contains re-
quest for description OF the boundaries Oh inc
tract 10 which the Company laid claim, and anoeher
request for the contents Of documenfs Oh htie'
which, il Was hoped, would soon BE- - found IN
Mexico The genuineDess OF these letters oas been
sworn TO BY Mr.. Laurencelle and Mr.. % W. L.
Bssell the latter a member Of the wealthy house
Of Alsop & Co.
When these letter. were brought into Court,
James Alexander Forbe< appeared and protested
against their admission 10 evidence. lie Asserted
that they belonged TO biz private correspondence,
and they ought to be held fsefed. M C"urt
having once come into the pose <sion Of the papers
bis objections will amount 10 n,thng. The manner
in which he lost control Of the papers is rather
funny and deserves 10 be Told. Somehow or other,
be came 10 need money very badly and sold his
share in the mine, which at the time was pay
! ing him an income Of $4,000 or $l2, syear.
Not very long after this he again wanted money,
and having these letters Of Alexander FORBES v Us