New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-13
CAREER OF DON Pho PICO.
THE LAST MEXICAN GOVERNOR OF CALL
FORNIA.
MS EARLY POLITICAL LIFE VARIED BY FIRE.
ouENT INsURREcTIoN AND HIS LATER
YEARS BY IIuGATIoN-Now NINETY
ONE YEARS oLD--A MOVEMENT TO

YEARS BY IITIGATIoN-Now NINETY
ONE YEARS oLD-A MOVEMENT TO
RAISE FUND FOR HIM.
Los Angeles, March 2l.-The proneness Of the
American people to hero worship, or rather TO
discriminating hero-worship sometimes results
in the placing of the ridiculous on a pedestal.
Suoh appears to be the result of the movement
recently started in Southern California to raise
fund for Ex-Governor Pic Pico. This old gentle
mamie is now ninety-one-has q curious record,
but not one which entities him TO pose as great
nan OF present worthy one. He is unique In
being the see survivor Of the bureacracy OF MeXl-
can California OF all the gebernados, vocais,
alcaldes. commentaries and the like OF the
pastoral age of this State he alone remains.
Governor Pico since the purchase of California,
has lived quietly, but hot at peace, for he hos
been a persistent litigant. The recent agitation
spoken of above TO raise funds for the old man
stated by the decision of the State Supreme Court
N the case of Pico against Cohn, which was
against the plaintiff, and which, it was supposed,
6epriyed him of the last of his real property.
However his lawyers have succeeded in securing
4 rehcaring and again he has the possibility OF
wiRning. The case has been in the courts Tor
about seven years; it involves the title to the
Pice House, which visitors to Los Angeles OF
twelve or fifteen years ago will remember as
a hotel. modelled on the typical Mexican casa,
and large amount of other property, probably
worth now 100000. When the decision of the
court was published, some sentimentalists lmmedi-
stely attempted to awaken public sympathy for
the old man, on the plea that he was pauper,
but the fact is that his nephews Don Marco and
Don Juan Forster, of San Juan Cepisteomo,
make him liberal monthly allowance, and care
for him in many ways, though in the course Of
Ia trio
best TO dspossess his nephews of their estates.
With all respect for his years and the honors he
has achieved it is not doing Don Pho any injustice
to say that he has lived crafty life, that his
last official acts were so indiscreet as TO border
on the INSCRIPTIONS, and that he cordially hated
the Americans as long 1t was safe for him to
indulge in that fancy
His career is of considerable interest. L have
lately investigated it, and through the assistance
of b. A. Cecil Stevens the secretary of the South-
ern California Historical Society, have obtained
some facts not heretofore generally known.
He came into the world on May 5, 1901. His
father was preSidial sergeant at the Mission Oh
San Gabriel, where Pho made his appearance. The
old church at San Goduil, which SO many tourists
gaze at as an antiquity, was only completed when
Pho was three years old; and as soon as lie was
old enough he served in it as an acolyte until he
to attend school there. lie remained student
until lie was eighteen, but the only notable IN
cdent recorded about him in that time is the
statement that at sixteen he won twelve mules
at game of monte from Father Antonio Menendez,
the priest at San Diego and was ever after
regarded as an accomplished eamestsr
Another incident occurred worthy of note. AFTER
he left school he opened store at San Diego, ana
in 1928 began his political career by being elected
senior vocal of the diputacIon, body somewhat
corresponding to the American supervisors Inns
same year he did one American good turn which
should he set down to flis credit. Henry Fitch
was the first American in San Diego lie was
blithe young Yankee, and he found favor IN the
large black eyes of Senorita Josefa CarrllIo,
niece Of Don Pios Governor Echeondla, VINO
had his headquarters at San Diego, was also enam,
ored of Senorita Josefa, but the Yankee distsnoed
the Governor. and the day for his wedding was
set. after he had consented TO become son OF the
Church. So Josefa and Henry hied them to the
church. the crumbling walls of which are always
nointed out to the traveller as he passes Old
Town on his way to San Diego. Padre Menendez,
the same who loss the twelve mules to P1o on
DOOR hand at Monte, had just begun the ceremony
when CHATTER of sabres and plt-a-pat oil horses
heofs were heard, and detachment oil the 1oV-
ernors guard entered the church and on the
mart OF Echeandia forbade the conclusion Of the
rite There was CONSERVATION, and Fitch was, In
the parance OF the day, knocked out"
What shall ?" he whispered TO Josefs.
"Why don't you carry me of, Don Enrique Z"
she cOyly answered.
Don Pic, who seems to have always been OPP
posed TO the Government, came TO the rescue OF
the unhappy lovers. There was a ship in the
harbor about to clear for Chill. lie arranged all
the details and in the dead of night he rowed
Fitch and Josefa with his own hands out to the
ship and saw her safely stand out around Point
Iona with her happy passengers. IN
years time Mr.. and Mrs. Fitch, with
lusty little son, sailed back into San
Diego harbor, and the Yankee was at
once arrested on charge of having scandallzed
the Church. lie was found guilty, and was SEN
tened to San Goduil Mission with fifty
pound bell. which he never did.
The next heard of Don Pho was in 1870. when
he appeared in Los Angeles and went into the
saloon business. 1t has become matter OF ira
dition that in these days there was none or few
glass drinking vessels. and that Pcos bar was sup
piled with cups made Of OK horns-the regular
orthodox drinking horn. Tradition also has 1t
that these horns of Pico's were furnished with
false bottoms, which prevented them from holding
much liquor At any rate, the young politician,
as has often been the case since, acquired both
wealth and influence while engaged in dealing out
puque and mescsl. for in the same year he pre-
sided over the diputacion and it passed the law
secularizing all the wealthy missions in the prov
ince, and their treasures were quickly lost sight
Of for their property passed into the hands of the
administration. and that was the end of all the
money, corn. cattle and wine the Woodworking
padres and the harder working converts the
Indians, had accumulated.
The next year Governor Echeandia was succeeded
by Manuel Victoria negro half-breed, who at
once refused TO convoke the diputacion and de-
termned to rule California all by himself. This
led TO q revolt, and Pico issued manifesto, and
after prolonged fighting, in which two soldiers
were killed, Victoria surrendered on condition of
being allowed 10 return to Mexico, and Pic0 as
president of the diputacOn, was entitled to act