The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-17
A LAND FORGER LASSOED.
HOW AN ACCOMPLISHED MEXICAN VILLAIN
PLAYED HIS GAME.

HOW AN ACCOMPLISHED MEXICAN VILLAIN
PLAYED HIS GAME.
from the Pueblo Coll Chicftan, Feb. 81
Jesus Maria Gomez Lopez may fairly claim the
title Of boss forger of the agc not only to the
extent and variety of his performances but also for
the with which he defeats the ends Of justice.
Mexican of tho lower classes, he succeeded in
acquiring some education in his younger days. and
naturally became skilful in initiating other people
signatures.
About the first of his exploits in this line came
near abbreviatng his operations for time. 1t oc-
Cured in Costa county. in this State. in 1873 and
led to his arrest and trial before Judge Haletts
court for forgery. The then prosecuting attorney.
now Judge Henry. nude the case so strong that a
conviction and sentence to the Penientary for three
years followed While in Jail in Costilla awaiting the
carrying out of the sentence he made full confess
sion to large number of prominent forgeries Of
Spanish land grant titles which he had committed.
and he showed to parties. among others Mr. William
H. Meyer. then Clerk of the Court. some twenty
odd Of the forged documents. Among them was
the now celebrated Una de Cato grant. in
New Mexico; tho Lapata grant, in Colorado.
and numerous others. His confession and that OF
his then partner showed that he had originally stolen
a large number of sheets Of old parchment bearing
the royal seal OF Spain from ex-offcial of the
Spanish government. as well rs some old documents
and military orders of the Mexican Republic. Armed
with these, by filling out blanks ana erasing the
original writing he had forged titles to millions OF
of the public domain in New Mexico and Col
Judge Haiiett. his sphere Of usefulness would have
been diminished; but this did not suit Gomez. So
one night he made forciblc exit from his quarters
in the Costla dungeon and betook himself to tho
more congenial cline of New Mexico, with his docu-
ments with him, including, among others. certii-
cate Of marriage to a Mexican lady, good for five
years. He first landed in Taos. New Mexico. and
was about to be indicted by the Grand Jury in
session for the forgeries OF land titles in that
county. but some Trinidad oficia prevented the in
dictment alleging that Gomez was needed as wit
ness, which would seem to have been the he
after appeared before the Surveyor General Of
New Mexico in the character of witness to prove up
the Una de Cato and other Of his spurious grants all
of which seems to have secured the recomme ndaton
of the then Surveyor General Proudht and were re-
ported to Congress for confirmation without the
knowledge having been given to the public that such
grants were in existence. The Una de Cato, an
example, at this time quite small affair and
was reported to Congress by Delegate Elkins as Of
only $50 in extent The BILL however failed to
pass, and in the meantime, in 1877, through ex-
G6vcrnor Axtei Of fragrant memory. and
a.r r o. oAsr"n ssd ssa' xoly ter
OF the title. Surveyors in the meantime had
increased the grant from $50 acres to about 500
Dorseys purchase OF the grant revealed for the first
time to the settlers that grant claim of any kind
there. and led to an investigation which ended
recently by full disclosure of the bogus character Of
the title not only by abundance of outside evil
dence but by the exposure of the most garng frauds
on the face OF the papers themselves. The decision
OF Surveyor General Atkinson. before whom the
heard Of such nature that it is likely that
tho Una dc Cato has come to final grief But to re-
turn to Gomez. Varying his accomplishments, after
the bogus grsnts duly passed before the former
surveyor. he INDUCED in little exercise in mule
dealing but, owing to the objection of some people
to having their mules dealt with. he ncarccrated
in the dungeon ut Mesia, New Mexico. and just how
he got out Of that scrape is still in doubt. At
all events he got ont. and when next heard from
in prison in old Mexico for cattle stealing. Here il
would have seemed that he might have rested from
his labors for time but now comes the Las Vegas
Gazette with further account of mr. Gomez. which
would indicate that he il still in business Jesus
Maria Gomez. alias Lopez, OF Una de Cato fame. Is
again with us and claims Chamborini ~ his abode.
A few days since he took to himself wife. thereby
committing bigsmy. Following this up he COM
mttcd another forgery by signing the name of
Ygnacio Orrantia TO or,lcr on Ramon Gonzales.
This transaction brought him to grief. and he is
pccted soon with an officer. He will again occupy
his old quarters-No. i'll the Hotel de Cunife.'
The Hotel de Cuniffe is the County Jail ut Mesila.
aud If the state Of Colorado wishes to communicate
with Mr. Gomez account of hard labor due he
will likely be found there for short time to come